Saudi Gazette report

MINA — Pilgrims performed stoning ritual on Sunday, the first day of Tashreeq, at Jamarat in Mina. Wearing normal dress after exiting from ihram the previous day, they threw pebbles at all the three Jamarat or pillars symbolizing Satan.

Pilgrims moved in batches in an orderly and smooth manner from their camps, and upon their arrival at the Jamarat, chanting “Allahu Akbar” (God is the Greatest), they stoned first at Jamarat Al-Sugra (small pillar), then at Jamarat Al-Wusta (medium pillar) and lastly at Jamarat Al-Aqba (largest pillar) seven times each. The pilgrims moved easily and comfortably from one pillar to the next as they hurled pebbles at the pillars. They prayed after stoning the first two pillars and quit quickly after stoning at the third Jamarat, following the tradition of the Prophet (peace be upon him).

Multiple paths were allocated on all the five levels of the Jamarat Bridge Complex to ensure the smooth flow of pilgrims’ movement. Prince Khaled Al-Faisal, emir of Makkah, advisor to Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and chairman of the Central Hajj Committee, and Prince Abdulaziz Bin Saud Bin Naif, minister of interior and chairman of the Supreme Hajj Committee, followed the smooth movement of pilgrims in groups at the Jamarat facility.

Around 900,000 foreign and domestic pilgrims proceeded from their camps in Mina to the Jamarat Complex on their scheduled time this afternoon. The ritual began Saturday by stoning only at Jamarat Al-Aqba. A huge contingent of security forces and health workers as well as volunteers are being deployed in and around the Jamarat Complex to ensure the safety and health of the pilgrims as well as their smooth movement and performance of the stoning ritual.

Stoning at Jamarat is the most repeated rituals of the Hajj. Pilgrims perform the ritual at one Jamarat (Jamarat Al-Aqba) on the first day of stoning on the Day of Sacrifice, Dhul Hijjah 10. In the next two or three days, they hurl seven stones each at the three pillars.

The five-level Jamarat Complex structure around the three stoning sites allows for a smooth flow of pilgrims who are only permitted to move in one direction throughout the area to prevent congestion. All the arrangements are well in place to receive more than 300,000 pilgrims per hour at the Jamarat Complex. The Jamarat Bridge is 950 meters long with a capacity to accommodate 120,000 pilgrims per hour on each floor. There are about 226 environmentally friendly electric vehicles on the Jamarat Bridge to transport and serve pilgrims.

After Sunday’s ritual of stoning, the pilgrims will spend the rest of the time in prayers and supplications in their tents, and most of the pilgrims will leave Mina after performing stoning rituals on Monday afternoon. Pilgrims are allowed to leave on the second day of Tashreeq on Monday after performing the stoning ritual though the annual pilgrimage will come to a close officially on the third day of Tashreeq on Tuesday, Dhul Hijjah 13.