Hajj part 3 (EID MUBARAK)

EID Mubarak

On the third day after having traveled from Muzdalifa to Mina the pilgrims make there way to Jamarat at the most western end of Mina. At Jamarat there are the three stone pillars that represent the Devil (Shaytan) who would tempt Prophet Abraham to disobey God and not sacrafice his son. The three pillars represent at each point where the devil tempted him and he was instructed by the Arch-angel Gabriel to stone him seven times. In reverence to this action the pilgrims also stone the pillars. The pillars stand several meters apart approximately a hundred to 200 hundred. The extend high into the sky a bridge was built that extends the distance of the three pillars and allows for pilgrims to stone the devil from atop the bridge or from below the bridge. Before 2004 the pillars were relatively narrow by 2005 the pillars where expanded to large walls for safety reasons. At reaching Jamarat the pilgrims stone Jamarat al-Aqabah (the one closest to Mecca) seven times. Once this is done the pilgrims go the there tents and wait for word that their animal has been sacrificed. The sacrifice is done by all Muslims around the world on this day the Day of Eid Al-Adha to remember the sacrifice Prophet Abraham was willing to make of his son (Ishmael) to God. Only to have Ishmael spared at the last minute and a ram sacrificed in his place. Following the sacrifice the pilgrim shaves his head and he is allowed to come out of ihram. That is most people that take off their two piece of cloth and take a shower and put on there regular clothes. Later that day the pilgrims return to Jamarat. This time starting with Jamarat al-ula (the one furthest from Mecca) they stone it seven times, them Jamarat al-wast is stoned seven times and finally Jamarat al-Aqabah is stoned seven times. After this the pilgrims again head back to the tents and spend the night in Mina.

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It is also worth noting that this is generally the ritual where so many incidents have occured during the hajj. One of the reasons is that almost 3 million people want to perform the same ritual at the same time. One thing that the clergy have done is that they have made fatwas allowing the rituals to be done somewhat staggered so as to reduce the numbers at Jamarat at any one time. Further because of the limited space there is a lot of pushing which causes people to fall and get trampled by the crowds. What the Saudi authorities have done to alleviate this is build the bridge and expanding the size of the pillars. This seems to have greatly reduced the numbers of people hurt during the rituals.

So tomorrow will be the next phase of the Hajj. Eid Mubarak to all.