Millions of pilgrims mark pivotal day of Hajj (News Feature)

By Aya Batrawy and Nehal el-Sherif Nov 15, 2010, 2:06 GMT

Riyadh - Nearly 3 million Muslims gathered Monday on Mount Arafat in Saudi Arabia to perform one of the most important rituals of the Hajj pilgrimage.

The pilgrims will fling pebbles at three pillars in a practice known as the stoning of the devil.

Saudi Arabia's Interior Ministry said more than 1.7 million of this year's pilgrims came from outside the Kingdom, travelling by land, sea and air from 181 different countries.

Tight security was in force for the event just outside city of Minna, located east of Mecca, following a fire which broke out earlier in the Hajj, damaging around 30 tents used by pilgrims, but causing no casualties.

Mount Arafat, also known as the Mount of Mercy, is where the Prophet Mohammad is said to have delivered his Farewell Sermon to Muslims who accompanied him for the Hajj 14 centuries ago.

The stoning ritual coincides with the Eid al-Adha, or the feast of sacrifice, which starts on Tuesday for most Muslims around the world, although some Shiites will celebrate on Wednesday.

At sunset the majority of pilgrims - on foot, in wheelchairs or by bus - will descend Arafat and head to al-Muzdalifa.

This year, though, a new Chinese-built, 2-billion-dollar metro line opened connecting Mecca with Minna and al-Muzdalifa, which lie along the route to Mount Arafat.

The 18-kilometre rail link was expected to operate at one-third of its normal capacity and has been reserved for Saudi and Gulf nationals, as well as diplomats and other important persons.

Mahmoud Rifai, 32 year-old pilgrim, said the train should have been reserved for the elderly and infirm, while Abu Hassan Hudhayfah, a communications engineer from Sudan, said allocating seats to Gulf nationals was a type of 'racism.'

The Saudi government said the restrictions were put in place because the light rail was in a pilot phase until next year.

During the Hajj, pilgrims dress in simple white robes, marking ihram, or ritual purity. Hajj, the fifth pillar of Islam, should be carried out at least once in a lifetime, if the person can afford it.

Other practices of the Hajj include reciting prayers while walking counter-clockwise seven times around the cube-shaped structure of the Kaaba, towards which Muslims face to pray, in Mecca.

The Hajj also includes walking back and forth between the hills of al-Safa and al-Marwa and drinking from the blessed Zamzam Well in Mecca.

Saudi authorities said more than 15 million litres of Zamzam water were distributed to pilgrims this year.

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