MINA, Saudi Arabia: More than 1.7 million Muslims converged on Mina before dawn on Wednesday to perform the symbolic stoning ritual marking the start of Eid Al-Adha, after spending the night in the holy site of Muzdalifah in one of the most logistically demanding stages of the annual Hajj pilgrimage.
Pilgrims arriving from Arafat collected pebbles in Muzdalifah late Tuesday for the ritual of stoning Jamrat Al-Aqaba, the largest of the three pillars representing Satan, according to reports carried by the state-run Saudi Press Agency.
The overnight movement from Arafat to Muzdalifah unfolded under extensive security, health and transport operations as authorities sought to manage one of the world’s largest annual human gatherings.
Millions of pilgrims, dressed in white ihram garments, moved along pedestrian corridors stretching roughly 25 kilometers from Arafat to Mina via Muzdalifah, routes Saudi authorities describe as the world’s longest pedestrian network used for a recurring mass gathering.
Pilgrims on the way to Muzdalifah late on Tuesday from Arafat. (SPA photo)
