HIBAPRESS – Agencies
Pilgrims began on Wednesday morning to throw stones at the Great Jamarat al-Aqaba in Mina near Mecca, on the first day of Eid al-Adha. This marks the end of the most prominent stages of this year's Hajj season, which saw the participation of more than 1.7 million pilgrims.
From the early morning hours, groups of pilgrims flowed through the Wadi of Mina to throw seven stones at a structure that symbolizes the devil, inside a multi-story facility built by the Saudi authorities to avoid stampede accidents that occurred in previous seasons. After completing the stoning, the pilgrim exits their state of Ihram by shaving or shortening their hair before wearing ordinary clothes. The Saudi authorities are working to organize the movement of crowds through separate entry and exit routes, with a wide security presence in the vicinity of the Jamarat facility to prevent any crowding or stampedes. Pilgrims later head to the Grand Mosque to perform the Tawaf al-Ifadah, before returning to Mina to stay overnight during the days of Tashreeq and complete the stoning of the three Jamarat.
