07 November, 2011

The great Muslim gathering: Millions of pilgrims stone Satan


The great Muslim gathering: Millions of pilgrims stone Satan


Haj pilgrims perform symbolic stoning

Millions of Muslim pilgrims stone pillars representing Satan during the last day of Haj in Saudi Arabia. Lindsey Parietti reports.
Hajj pilgrimage
Muslim pilgrims make their way to throw cast stones at a pillar in Mina, near the Saudi holy city of Mecca. Picture: AP AP
MILLIONS of Muslim pilgrims have flooded a valley near the Saudi holy city of Mina to stone pillars representing Satan, on the penultimate day of the annual hajj.
The most dangerous rite of the annual hajj proceeded peacefully as pilgrims rushed to throw 21 stones on the three pillars that symbolise the devil, the last rite of the annual and compulsory pilgrimage to the Saudi city of Mecca, the birthplace of Islam and its holiest site.
In previous years, hundreds of people have been trampled to death in stampedes triggered by crowds trying to get close to the pillars to take their vengeance on the symbol of the devil.
"This time the stone-throwing process was easy, not like years past," said 33-year-old Calazar Shah, a Pakistani pilgrim on his second hajj journey.
To complete the ritual, pilgrims must throw seven pebbles at each of the three 25-metre pillars on the first day of the three-day Eid al-Adha feast marking the end of the hajj, and another seven on each of the last two days.
Pilgrims then make their way to Mecca's Great Mosque for a "farewell visit" to the Kaaba, a cube-shaped structure into which is set the Black Stone, Islam's most sacred relic.
Today is the third and final day of the stoning ritual and once complete, will mark the end of the hajj.
Saudi authorities have installed a multi-level walkway through the stone-throwing site in a bid to avoid the trampling that caused the deaths of 364 people in 2006, 251 in 2004 and 1426 in 1990.
So far, no major incidents have been reported among the pilgrims, which the Saudi statistics office said numbered 2.93 million this year. The figure includes 1.83 million foreigners.
The hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam and must be performed at least once in a lifetime by all those who are able to make the journey.

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