SAUDI ARABIA: Millions of Muslim pilgrims perform the 'stoning of the devil' ritual as part of the annual haj.

Record ID: 189077

  • Title: SAUDI ARABIA: Millions of Muslim pilgrims perform the 'stoning of the devil' ritual as part of the annual haj.
  • Date: 26th October 2012
  • Summary: VARIOUS OF PILGRIM SHAVING HEAD OF ANOTHER PILGRIM AFTER STONING RITUAL
  • Embargoed: 10th November 2012 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Saudi Arabia
  • Country: Saudi Arabia
  • Topics: Religion
  • Reuters ID: LVAAPM0G9RZ44WDQI0G48EAVP9GU
  • Story Text: Millions of Muslim pilgrims participated in the first day of the 'stoning of the devil' ritual on Friday (October 26) during the annual haj.
    The ritual, which sees pilgrims throwing pebbles at three walls for three
    days, takes place at the Jamarat Bridge in the valley of Mina, outside the Islamic holy city of Mecca. It is a rite that symbolises the rejection of temptation.
    The haj sees millions of people from all over the world flock to Saudi Arabia to carry out what many pilgrims describe as an opportunity of a lifetime.
    "Today I am very happy and feel like I am lucky because God chose me here, because there is a billion people want to come here but they can't come here," said Mohammad Hassan from Jordan.
    Saudi authorities have spent billions of dollars in recent years improving haj infrastructure to avoid a repeat of accidents which have killed hundreds of people.
    At Jamarat, the authorities have built extensive new facilities to ease the flow of pilgrims seeking to hurl pebbles at three pillars representing the devil.
    They replaced the pillars with long walls and built a multi-storey bridge around them, creating far more space for the pilgrims to stand on the bridge levels and perform the rite.
    This year's haj takes place against a backdrop of divisions among Muslims, as Shi'ite Iran and Sunni countries like Saudi Arabia and Turkey back opposing sides in Syria's civil war.
    One Syrian man who had made the journey to Mecca said he had been praying for the fall of President Bashar al-Assad.
    "I did my Doua'a (supplication) against Bashar, that God destroys him. And we call on God to help us and make our lives easy and that our country goes back to as it was before", said Ahmed.
    Syrian pilgrims raised rebel flags as the haj reached its climax near Mecca on Thursday, despite a call from Saudi Arabia's top cleric for the annual Islamic pilgrimage to be free from nationalist sentiment and Muslim infighting.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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