Hiiraan Online
Wednesday, September 23, 2015
MECCA (HOL) ---Millions of faithful Muslims have flocked to the Mount Arafa to begin the annual Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia one day before the Muslims’ Eid Al-Dha starts on Thursday.
The faithful in white-clad have started arriving by bus while others have walked more than 10 kilometres to reach the rocky hill where prophet Mohamed gave his final sermon 14 centuries ago.
According to Islam, every Muslim who is physically and financially capable of undertaking the journey should perform Hajj pilgrimage, the world’s largest annual gatherings once in his life time.
During Hajj, pilgrims would join processions of hundreds of thousands of people, who simultaneously converge on Mecca for the week of the Hajj, and perform a series of rituals: each person walks counter-clockwise seven times around the Ka'aba (the cube-shaped building and the direction of prayer for the Muslims), runs back and forth between the hills of Al-Safa and Al-Marwah, drinks from the Zamzam Well, goes to the plains of Mount Arafat to stand in vigil, spends a night in the plain of Muzdalifa, and performs symbolic stoning of the devil by throwing stones at three pillars.
After the casting of stones, animals are slaughtered to commemorate the story of Prophet Abraham and Ishmael. Traditionally the pilgrims slaughtered the animal themselves, or oversaw the slaughtering.
Security has been tightened across Mecca to prevent possible attacks by Jihadist groups and stampedes.
Among the millions performing the Hajj are thousands of Somalis who go to Mecca every year.