The plains of Arafat were submerged in a white sea of humanity Saturday for the Standing on Arafat, the peak of the pilgrimage. From early morning, masses of pilgrims crammed into Namirah Mosque to perform Dhuhr and Asr prayers, combined and shortened following the example of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). The worshipers included Prince Khaled Al-Faisal, Emir of Makkah region and Chairman of the Central Haj Committee. The Kingdom's Grand Mufti and Chairman of the Department of Religious Research and Fatwa, Sheikh Abdul Aziz Bin Abdullah Aal Al-Sheikh, led the worshipers after delivering the sermon of Arafat. The Grand Mufti said in his sermon that “Islam is the solution for the problems” of Muslims. He urged Muslims to solve their problems “without interference from their enemies,” condemning those who want to “provoke hostility between you and your leaders.” He said, Islam “is facing challenges and divisions” and urged Muslims to “solve the problems only through peaceful means away from bloodshed.” “To the people I say: Solve your problems by dialogue not through blood... And to the leaders I say: You must consider Allah's dictation when you deal with your people.” In his sermon, the Grand Mufti said believers are brothers and urged them to work hand-in-hand for the welfare of the Ummah. Muslims should not insult each other but should rather see how they can help one another, he said. He said Almighty Allah encourages good qualities such as faithfulness, honesty, justice, patience and generosity and prohibits gossip, mockery, favoritism, nepotism, adultery, seclusion and women traveling without male guardians. Almighty Allah also prohibits theft, murder and tyranny. He said Islam rejects sabotage, terrorism, extremism and anyone undermining the security of a country. Muslims should refrain from these practices which have nothing to do with Islam, he added. The Grand Mufti said scholars must fulfill their obligations by setting up programs that will bring Muslims together and avoid sedition.He urged Muslims to follow Islam in their public and private lives. The message of the religion, which was carried to the people by the Prophet, peace be upon him, is a guide from the darkness of ignorance into the light of knowledge. It was a message brought for all humankind, he added. He said Islam has made it clear that the family is the most important unit in society. Muslim parents should therefore ensure their children are raised according to the teachings of the Qur'an and Prophet's traditions. He slammed certain sections of the media for trying to stereotype Islam and weaken the faith of young Muslims. He said the Islamic media must work hard to counter this trend. The Grand Mufti emphasized that Haj is meant for worshipping Allah and not for protests and wrangling amongst Muslims. Pilgrims on buses and on foot started at dawn to arrive in Arafat, where Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) delivered his farewell sermon. An estimated 2.5 million pilgrims have arrived for this year's Haj. About 1.83 million pilgrims have arrived in the Kingdom from abroad, marking a 1.5 percent increase compared with last year. __
