From Arafat to Mina: Hajj Pilgrims Collect Jamarat Stones, Find Spiritual Renewal at Muzdalifah

Jeedah, June 28 (Arab News): On the 10th day of Dul Hijjah, Hajj pilgrims embarked on the journey from Muzdalifah to Mina after spending the entire previous day, known as the Day of Arafat, at Mount Arafat, engaging in prayer and reflection.

While at Muzdalifah, pilgrims engaged in a significant ritual by collecting small stones called Jamarat. These stones hold symbolic significance and are to be used once the pilgrims reach Mina, where they perform the "first throwing" of Jamarat. Following this, the pilgrims proceed to the Grand Mosque in Makkah for tawaf, the act of circumambulating the Kaaba, and then participate in the ritual of "sacrificing the lamb." This ritual serves as a commemoration of the willingness of Prophet Ibrahim to sacrifice his son Ismail as an act of obedience to Allah.

As the pilgrims rested at Muzdalifah and completed their Maghreb and Isha prayers, some surrendered to exhaustion and took the opportunity to rest after a long and spiritually intense day at Arafat.

Rami Al-Judaai, a first-time pilgrim from Syria, shared his indescribable experience, saying, "We just arrived from Arafat and prayed. Now, as you see, I am currently collecting Jamarat."

Hajj Hashim Aliraqi, participating in his sixth Hajj, shared his experiences with Arab News and expressed why he continues to return. "Everything in my previous experiences was excellent. I was here in 2019, 2017, and 2016. The only time I wasn't here was last year," he said, emphasizing the profound impact of the pilgrimage.

Muzdalifah provided a chance for some pilgrims to rest, refresh, and perhaps even take a short nap, replenishing their energy and preparing for the next leg of their journey at Mina.