Arafat – Mecca

The pilgrims of the Sacred House of God began their journey to Muzdalifah after sunset on this great day, following their performance of the greatest pillar of Hajj, standing at Arafat, amid a spiritual atmosphere filled with supplication and humility, and with organized arrangements provided by the concerned authorities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to ensure the safety and comfort of the guests of الرحمن.

More than 1.8 million pilgrims have flocked since dawn today to the sacred plains of Arafat, where they spent the daylight hours in chanting and praying to God, in a faith-inspired scene that recurs annually and is considered one of the greatest sights of Islam.

As the sun set, the pilgrims began to head quietly and in an orderly manner to Muzdalifah, where they perform the Maghrib and Isha prayers combined, and spend the night there until dawn the next day, adhering to the Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ. During their stay, they collect pebbles in preparation for throwing the large Jamrat al-Aqaba on the first day of the Eid al-Adha celebration.

This stage is the third in the pilgrims’ journey, following the day of Tashreeq in Mina and standing at Arafat, and comes amid massive preparations that included thousands of security and civil defense personnel and paramedics, along with hundreds of buses provided by the Saudi authorities to facilitate transportation.

Coinciding with the movement of the pilgrims, the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah confirmed that the health and logistical conditions are proceeding according to planned arrangements, praising the commitment of the pilgrims to the instructions and their cooperation with the concerned authorities.

Additionally, the Day of Arafat is regarded as one of the greatest days of God, as God atones for sins, frees souls, and grants requests on this day. It is a day when the scene of the unity of the nation is manifested, as Muslims from all over the world gather on one plain, in one attire, and with one chant: “Here I am, O God, here I am.”