Mina (Makkah): More than 02 million pilgrims from more than 150 countries of the world are on the way to the Plains of Arafat for Wuqoof e Arafat - the key ritual of the Hajj, after a night's stay in Mina, the city of tents, where they arrived yesterday marking the beginning of the annual ritual.
The Haj pilgrims from all around the world reached Mina from Makkah and after the night's stay started their march towards Arafat for Wuqoof e Arafat - the standing on the plains of Arafat. Wuqoof e Arafat is the key ritual of Haj - the annual pilgrimage.
Calm and tranquility characterized the pilgrims' move to Mina site. The calls for praising Allah could be heard as they performed their prayers during the first night in Mina.
Pilgrims went to Mina to spend the day of “tarweya” on Thursday, the eighth of Dhu al-Hijjah, in preparation for the climb of mount Arafat at dawn to perform the most important stage of Hajj, which is to stand all day by the mountain and pray to god.
The Haj Pilgrims were chanting “Labbaik Allahumma Labbaik” (Here I am, O God, here I am answering your call) as they moved towards Mina and later head to Arafat today morning.
At Arafat, the pilgrims will offer Zohar and Asr prayers at Masjid Namira concurrently as was the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace be upon him). In prayers they will remain at Arafat till sunset.
Little before sunset they will head for Muzdalifa, stay there overnight before going to Mina Friday morning to stone the devil and later sacrifice animals.
Thousands of security men accompanied the flows of pilgrims along Mina’s wide roads, bridges and tunnels. The Saudi Press Agency (SPA) mission at the holy sites monitored the pilgrims heading from Makkah to Mina. Their journey went smoothly despite the huge number of vehicles and pedestrians.
The Ministry of Health is offering medical and health care services to pilgrims during this year’s Hajj season by providing thousands of doctors, nurses and specialists appointed to serve pilgrims. These members work at hospitals near the holy sites and Makkah.
The ministry assists the relevant authorities in carrying out the general emergency plan and dealing with emergencies that might arise during the pilgrims’ stop in Mina and Jamaarat bridge.
Along with the ministry, medical service departments of the National Guard Ministry, and the Defense Ministry and its hospitals appointed hundreds of their members to offer medical and treatment services to pilgrims at the holy sites.
The Saudi Red Crescent Authority (SRCA) is providing its services through thousands of members appointed to serve Hajjis. The organization designated a fleet of 100 ambulances spread throughout the holy sites.
Maj. Gen. Mansour Al-Turki, security spokesman at the Ministry of Interior, said in a press conference in Mina on Tuesday that all the concerned agencies have completed their preparations to offer the best ever services for over two million pilgrims. These included 1.734 million foreign pilgrims and around 200,000 domestic pilgrims. He said more than 50 percent of the foreign pilgrims have already completed their Madinah visit.
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