MAKKAH (Palestine Foundation Information Center) On Thursday, pilgrims began arriving at the plain of Arafat in western Saudi Arabia, marking the performance of the most significant pillar of Hajj.
According to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA), “Pilgrims of the Sacred House of Allah began arriving at the pure plain of Arafat on Thursday morning, the 9th of Dhul Hijjah 1446 AH (June 5).”
The agency described the scene, saying the pilgrims arrived “immersed in an atmosphere of deep faith, filled with humility and tranquility, surrounded by divine care, chanting the Talbiyah, and fervently praying to Allah for forgiveness, mercy, and salvation.”
The arrival of the pilgrims to Arafat was accompanied by “direct security monitoring by personnel from various security sectors, who lined the roads for vehicles and walkways for pedestrians to organize their movement according to pre-established plans for transporting and grouping pilgrims, while also guiding them and ensuring their safety.”
SPA noted that “the transfer of the large crowds of pilgrims from Mina to Arafat went smoothly during the ascent to Arafat.”
On Thursday at Arafat, pilgrims perform the combined and shortened Dhuhr and Asr prayers with a single call to prayer (adhan) and two separate calls to commence (iqamah) at Namira Mosque, following the tradition of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).
At sunset, the pilgrims begin their departure (known as Nafrah) to Muzdalifah, where they perform the Maghrib and Isha prayers and spend the night until the dawn of the 10th of Dhul Hijjah, following the tradition of the Prophet who stayed there and prayed the dawn prayer, as explained by the agency.
This year’s six-day Hajj season began on Wednesday with the Day of Tarwiyah in Mina. On Thursday, pilgrims stand at Arafat and then spend the night in Muzdalifah. On Friday, they move to Mina to continue the Hajj rituals, including the symbolic stoning of the devil (Jamarat), the sacrifice (Hady), and the Tawaf al-Ifadah in Makkah.
From Saturday through Monday, pilgrims continue the stoning ritual in Mina, and the Hajj concludes with the Farewell Tawaf (Tawaf al-Wada’) in Makkah.
On Wednesday, Ministry of Hajj spokesperson Ghassan Al-Nouaimi announced that over 1.5 million pilgrims had arrived from outside Saudi Arabia. This figure does not include domestic pilgrims, whose statistics are typically announced after the completion of the Hajj rituals.
During last year’s Hajj season, the total number of pilgrims reached 1,833,164, including 221,854 from within Saudi Arabia, according to Minister of Hajj and Umrah Tawfiq Al-Rabiah.
