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Friday 3 October 2014
‘Islamic State militants enemies of humanity’
Tears flowed and prayers filled the air
as two million believers from around the world
reached the vast plain of Mount Arafat in western
Saudi Arabia.
“I am now a newborn baby and I don’t have any
sin,” Nigerian pilgrim Taofik Odunewu told news
agency AFP, standing at the foot of Mount Mercy
on the Arafat plain, tears streaming down his
face.
Odunewu raised his hands to the heavens in the
seamless two-piece white “ihram” outfit that he
wore. “I pray for prosperity, long life and I pray
for my country,” Odunewu said with a broad
smile. “I’m very blessed to be part of this
occasion. I don’t think I will go back to the sinful
way,” he pledged. The Haj which will officially end
on Tuesday is the world’s largest Muslim
gathering. It is one of the five pillars of Islam that
every capable Muslim must perform at least once,
the high-point of his or her spiritual life.
Pilgrims arrived at Arafat on Friday carrying
suitcases and other luggage amid thousands of
white tents which stood ready to accommodate
the multitude.
From early morning, pilgrims crowded onto the
slippery, rocky hill known as Mount Mercy where
Holy Prophet Mohammed (Peace be upon him)
made his final sermon 14 centuries ago.
The pilgrims’ attire turned the hill white in colour,
and they carried umbrellas as shields against the
hot desert sun. All male pilgrims dress in white
ihram to symbolise a state of purity, which also
emphasises their unity regardless of social status
or nationality.
Some pilgrims sat alone on rocks, praying silently,
as others gathered in groups, their voices in a
loud appeal to God.
Egyptian pilgrim Muhammad Ahmed, 53, sat with
his wife under a yellow bag they set up as a
makeshift tent. He said they were praying for the
victory of Muslims, those who are weak,
oppressed, and jailed all over the world.
In his annual Haj sermon on Friday, Saudi Arabia’s
top religious figure termed the extremist Islamic
State militants as Khawarijites and the enemies of
humanity.
Addressing millions of Muslims from around the
world in Makkah, the grand mufti of the Ka’aba
Sheikh Abdul Aziz al-Sheikh said conspiracies were
being hatched against Muslims, and that some
movements in the Muslim world were enemies of
humanity. He urged Muslims around the world to
avoid sectarianism which, he said, was weakening
the religion. Referring to terrorism, he warned
believers against the spilling of innocent blood.
He said the enemies of Muslims were trying to
spread chaos and confusion. “Oh Muslim peoples,
your countries have been entrusted to you, so
safeguard your security and stability, your gains,
your resources and public projects,” Grand Mufti
Sheikh Abdul Aziz al-Sheikh said. “And know that
you are targeted by your enemies who want to
tear your ranks, turn your hearts against each
other and spread chaos and confusion and
beware of their conspiracies,” he said.
Since last month, Saudi Arabia and four other
Arab nations have joined the United States in air
strikes in Syria against the militants, who have
declared a “caliphate” straddling that country and
Iraq where they have committed a spate of
atrocities, including crucifixions and beheadings.
Saudi Interior Minister Prince Mohammed bin
Nayef said the Haj had attracted almost 1.4
million foreign pilgrims from 163 nations. Several
hundred thousand Saudis are also participating,
pushing the total towards two million.
Security forces were deployed en masse across
Arafat plain and Mount Mercy to organise the
wave of humanity. “This way, haji, don’t stop here.
You’re blocking the way,” security men shouted
through loudspeakers, trying to control the
crowds. The number of the faithful seemed less
than past years following a crackdown by
authorities on illegal pilgrims, more than 145,000
of whom have been turned away, the official
Saudi Press Agency said.
Security appeared to have been stepped up,
helping the crowds to flow more smoothly than in
the past years.
Saudi authorities are also striving to protect
pilgrims from two deadly viruses, Ebola and the
MERS coronavirus. No such cases have been
recorded among the pilgrims, officials say.
Pilgrims from Nigeria were permitted to enter
Saudi Arabia, despite eight Ebola deaths in their
country, but three West African states hardest hit
by Ebola have not been allowed Haj visas.
Pilgrims stay at Mount Arafat until sunset when
they set off for nearby Muzdalifah where they
gather pebbles for the symbolic “stoning of the
devil”. Animals will be slaughtered for Eidul Azha,
the feast of sacrifice celebrated by Muslims
worldwide.
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