Makkah, May 27: Millions of Hajj pilgrims on Wednesday performed the symbolic “stoning of the devil” ritual in Mina as part of the final stages of Haj during Eid-ul-Adha celebrations in Saudi Arabia.
Pilgrims began the ritual after returning from Muzdalifah to the Grand Mosque in Makkah for Eid prayers during the early hours of Wednesday.
After offering prayers, pilgrims moved to Mina to perform the Jamarat ritual, which marks one of the final major pillars of Haj.
Hajj Pilgrims throw pebbles at Jamrat Al-Aqaba
Pilgrims started the ritual by throwing seven pebbles at Jamrat Al-Aqaba. The pebbles were collected earlier from the plains of Muzdalifah.
The stoning ritual will continue for the next three days during the days of Tashreeq, when pilgrims will throw pebbles at all three pillars in Mina.
After completing the first stoning, pilgrims shaved or trimmed their hair, performed the sacrificial ritual and later travelled to Makkah for Tawaf Al-Ifadah before returning to Mina.
Sheikh Bandar Baleelah, Imam and preacher of the Grand Mosque, led the Eid al-Adha prayers and delivered the Eid sermon at the Grand Mosque in Makkah.
Saudi authorities enforce strict crowd management
Saudi authorities implemented extensive crowd management and security measures at the multi level Jamarat Bridge to ensure smooth movement of pilgrims.
According to officials, pilgrims performed the ritual in an orderly manner without major congestion across different levels of the bridge.
Security personnel, scouts and volunteers guided pilgrims through designated routes while monitoring entry and exit points to maintain crowd flow.
Healthcare teams, ambulance services, municipal staff and civil defence personnel were deployed throughout Mina to assist pilgrims and respond to emergencies.
Traffic movement in Mina remained smooth for both pedestrians and vehicles during the ritual.
Hajj pilgrims cross 1.7 million
Saudi Arabia’s General Authority for Statistics announced that the total number of Haj pilgrims this year reached 1,707,301.
Of the total pilgrims, 1,546,655 arrived from outside Saudi Arabia through air, land and sea routes, while 160,646 pilgrims were Saudi citizens and residents.
According to Islamic tradition, Prophet Ibrahim rejected Satan’s temptations by throwing stones at him three times while preparing to sacrifice his son in obedience to Allah’s command. Pilgrims symbolically recreate this act during Haj by pelting the pillars in Mina.
Haj remains a mandatory religious duty for Muslims who are physically and financially capable of performing it at least once in their lifetime.
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