Taken from IslamOnline.net & Newspapers, Sun. Dec. 7, 2008
`ARAFAT, Saudi Arabia — A sea of three million white-clad pilgrims flocked on Sunday, December 7, to Mount `Arafat, east of the holy city of Makkah, for the climax of hajj.
"Being here is better than anything I had ever experienced…better than the time I saw my children for the first time," Rawya Mohammad, an Egyptian secretary, told Reuters.
She was one of many who arrived before dawn, some on foot, others on buses and thousands on top of any vehicle they could find.
Chanting "Labbaik Allahumma Labbaik (Here I am answering Your call, O God)," the faithful started at the dawn moving to `Arafat, where Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) delivered his last sermon 14 centuries ago.
Their ascending comes after spending a day of meditation and introspection in the tent city of Mina, marking the start of hajj.
The pilgrims performed shortened Zhuhr and `Asr prayers at the Namirah Mosque and listen to a sermon commemorating that of Prophet Muhammad.
They will spend the whole day on `Arafat supplicating to Allah to forgive their sins and praying for Muslim unity and world peace.
Standing on Mount `Arafat, also known as Jabal al-Rahma (Mountain of Mercy), is the climax of hajj, and pilgrims who fail to make it on time must repeat their hajj in future.
Hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam and is an obligation for all able-bodied, financially capable Muslims at least once in a lifetime.
Muslims who perform hajj properly return to their homes having all their sins washed way as promised by Prophet Muhammad.
Reward
Omar Salah, a 38-year-old engineer from Egypt, is happy Allah has chosen him to perform hajj this year.
Omar Salah, a 38-year-old engineer from Egypt, is happy Allah has chosen him to perform hajj this year.
"I feel privileged," he told Reuters.
"This is a reward."
`Arafat rituals end at sunset and pilgrims then move to Muzdalifa for shortened Maghrib and `Isha’ prayers and for a short rest.
They will collect pebbles for stoning of the three pillars symbolizing Satan.
Pilgrims will get for the first time the necessary pebbles in pre-packed bags to spare them the effort of searching for the stones.
A special committee organized the collection, washing and packaging of the pebbles after first obtaining a fatwa permitting the initiative.
Early Monday, December 8, the pilgrims will move back to Mina and mark the beginning of the four-day `Eid Al-Adha, which marks the end of hajj.
Saudi authorities have been implementing tight security measures to assure pilgrims' smooth and safe flow to `Arafat.
"The hospitals have intensive care units, X-ray machines and pharmacies, and will provide specialized treatments for diseases of heart, bones, thorax, abdomen and ENT," health Minister Dr. Hamad Al-Manie said in a statement after inspecting health facilities at `Arafat.
The ministry affirmed that arrangements were in place in all facilities at `Arafat to take care of millions of converging pilgrims.
Three hospitals — Jabal Al-Rahmah, Namirah and Arafat General — have been built in the area with a capacity for 671 beds.
The ministry has also put in place some 24 field hospitals with 4,000 beds, in addition to nearly 140 health centers.
Authorities have also made renovations over the past year to ease the flow of pilgrims inside the Grand Mosque and Jamarat Bridge.
An extra level has been added to the bridge so pilgrims have four platforms from which to throw stones each day.
"This is the first journey I have ever made in my life," Mohammed Abdul Salam, an Egyptian pilgrim, told the Saudi Gazette.
"I was surprised at the great facilities provided by the Saudi government."
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