Saudi Gazette report

MUZDALIFAH — The Hajj pilgrims started the ritual of staying overnight at the Holy Site of Muzdalifah after descending from Arafat.

After sunset of Thursday, pilgrims started moving to Muzdalifah, in an orderly, calm and dignified manner reciting Talbiyah a great deal. The pilgrims’ movement was complete amidst preventive measures and integrated services that the Saudi government has arranged for the pilgrims to perform their rituals in ease and comfort.

Upon their arrival in Muzdalifah, the pilgrims offered the Maghrib prayer with three raka’a and Isha prayer in two raka’a at the time of Isha, combined and shortened, following the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace be upon him). The pilgrims spend the night in Muzdalifah, after which they will head for Mina after Saturday’s dawn prayer, the first day of Eid al-Adha, to throw pebbles at Jamarat Al-Aqabah and perform the sacrifice ritual. All of the pilgrims should offer Fajr prayer in Muzdalifah except the weak and the women; it is permissible for them to leave after half of the night has passed for fear of the crowd of people.

The pilgrims have to perform four main rituals on Saturday, which is known as the Day of Sacrifice, when Muslims other than pilgrims start celebrating Eid Al-Adha festival. After reaching Mina from Muzdalifah, they perform stoning at Jamarat Al-Aqba, sacrifice animals, shave their heads and then leave for Makkah to perform Tawaf Al-Ifada and Sai’, two other pillars of Hajj. In the remaining two or three days of Hajj, the only ritual to perform is stoning at each of the three Jamarat (pillars symbolizing Satan).