Haj Diary: Day 3

The sprawling tent city of Mina went into celebratory mode on Sunday as nearly 3 million pilgrims performed with ease the ritual of stoning the devil. Helicopters hovered constantly overhead to monitor the huge crowds with the help of hundreds of high-tech cameras, all connected to a control room run by top security authorities. The pilgrims began their trek from Muzdalifah back into Mina early Sunday morning. They headed to the Jamarat Complex and threw only seven small stones at the first pillar known as the “Big Satan” or Jamrat Al-Aqaba. The stoning ritual continues over the next three days, during which pilgrims hurl seven stones every day at each of the three wall-like pillars.
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On arrival in Mina from Muzdalifah, the pilgrims marched with purpose to the Jamarat Complex under the direction of their leaders. Spotting the individual groups was easy because each group leader holds a signature pole in the air. Before the rituals begin, the guides secure some objects to a strong, long pole. Flags are the most common but we've seen bunches of slippers, a teapot, a black umbrella and a toy bicycle tied to different poles. One guide who seemed to have lost his pole was carrying a large branch from a neem tree. Whatever is different will do the job of helping the pilgrims keep their leaders in sight.
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The weather is extremely pleasant. Not cold like last year. Being at Muzdalifah was very challenging then but this year the pilgrims, having prayed on Saturday under a blistering sun at Arafat, spent the night at Muzdalifah in relative ease. Under a starry sky they collected pebbles so they could stone Jamrat Al-Aqaba in Mina. Some five years ago, the Jamarat Bridge created problems for the pilgrims and dropped baggage often led to injuries and sometimes deaths. As was mentioned earlier, the bridge has now been converted into a huge complex with multiple entry and exit points. In the past, all the pilgrims came straight to the bridge. That is not the case any more and, therefore, what once was a dangerous exercise became orderly.
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The pilgrims are fatigued, having had little sleep for two days, so they are not in the best of mental or physical condition. Even young men report being completely exhausted after the stoning. Many pilgrims had it in mind to complete the stoning as quickly as possible so they could perform the sacrifice, shave their heads, bathe, change clothes and relax.
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However, as the evening wore in Mina, people generally seemed to be in a cheerful mood. The pilgrims are happy that they have completed this most important of rituals. Everywhere you go, you see pilgrims hugging each other, smiling and scratching their bald heads and rubbing their palms across what was once their hair. They socialize and meet fellow Hajis from around the world. Then they call back home to announce their success.
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Pilgrims from South Asia seemed to always lose their ways. This year is no different. They do carry cellphones but these devices have provided them with a false sense of security. When a pilgrim is lost he has a tendency to telephone his group leader for instructions. Unfortunately, since most pilgrims have absolutely no idea of the topography of Mina they can neither give a clear description of their location nor are they able to follow directions to their camps. The only useful point is that their group leader knows they are lost.
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Another problem is caused by pilgrims who continue to insist on personally slaughtering sacrificial animals. Of course the Islamic Development Bank has installed state-of-the-art slaughterhouses where millions of animals are mercifully killed. Unfortunately some pilgrims still persist in the belief that they will receive greater blessing if they sacrifice the animal personally. Thousands buy sheep at the market on the outskirts of Mina. Then they take the animals into the desert and sacrifice them. This creates a bloody mess. Men are waiting nearby with pickup trucks and they take the slaughtered animals away. It is impossible to know whether this meat is going to charity or to a nearby restaurant.
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One of the nicest souvenirs from Haj is the commemorative Saudi postage stamp issued for the occasion. There is a post office on the road next to Mina Al-Jesser Hospital. After the Maghreb prayers, pilgrims began turning up to post letters and cards to relatives and friends at home. Sami Nahhas, the general manager of Saudi Post in Makkah region, said his men have sold thousands of the stamps in the last two days. The set of four stamps, priced at SR8, is marked Haj 2011/Haj 1432 and shows the King Abdullah Haram Expansion Project. Contacted by a friend who is a collector, I bought some myself to keep in remembrance of the day.
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The Boy Scouts. If there were an award for excellence in service at Haj, it would have to be given to the Boy Scouts. The scouts carry maps and are constantly on the lookout for lost and distressed pilgrims. They either give people directions to their camps or if the pilgrims are families or are infirm, the scouts actually escort them all the way back to their group leaders. Some of the scouts are as young as 14, but all are doing men's jobs. Many pilgrims have been calling to Allah for blessings upon the scouts and crying and hugging the boys when they are reunited with their groups.
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Just outside Mina, I found a Yemeni man who had brought his camel decked out in Eid finery. The animal was wearing a bright red saddle and little bells hung from its bridle. This animal was not meant for slaughter today. Instead pilgrims were climbing up on its back for a souvenir photograph. The camel owner was charging SR10 for each instant picture. He said that he'd earned SR400 by sunset. Color has indeed returned to Mina.