Pilgrims symbolically stoned the devil on Day 4 of the Haj on Sunday. Chanting “God is Greatest,” pilgrims threw seven small pebbles at each of three gray stone walls in the last ritual of Haj. The ritual, will be repeated on Monday as the Haj winds down.

Throughout the day, the weather remained cool with overcast skies. To add to the happiness of the pilgrims, a steady stream of cool winds was blowing across the valley sending excitement among the more than two million pilgrims who are camping in Mina.

As soon as we got off at the Jamrat train station, we were welcomed by a cool draft of air,” said Ahmad Sayeed, a Sudanese pilgrim. “And when we started walking toward the Jamrat complex to carry out the stoning ritual, it looked as if a divine shade had been created to protect the pilgrims,” he said. For the pilgrims, it was the shade of Allah and a sign of His mercy.

The stoning ritual was done with absolute ease. There were no bottlenecks. Even elderly pilgrims could stone the devil with ease and comfort. Huge fans at the Jamrat complex blew humidified air to keep the area cool. At around 4 p.m., the skies opened up and Mina experienced light showers. Pilgrims expressed their joy by coming out of their tents, and exclaiming, SubhaAllah, in unison.

“This is Allah’s sign that our Haj has been accepted,” said Abdul Bari, from Dhaka, Bangladesh. “This means our sins are being washed away.”

With just one day to go for the completion of this year’s Haj, many pilgrims were seen engaged in supplication and prayers.

Kamal Ahmad from London said the whole exercise required mental preparation.

Overcoming the stresses of Haj is a metaphor for what must be done in life, he said. “The aim is to always seek the peace of Allah,” he said. “It teaches us that all of life is a spiritual quest.”

The pilgrims will stream out of Mina today after performing what for many will be a once-in-lifetime journey of faith.

 
[wpResize]