Long queues of cars in the tunnel under the Haram courtyard in Makkah. Okaz/Saudi Gazette HOLY SITES — The heads of Haj missions have undertaken to hold about 800,000 pilgrims in Mina to avoid overcrowding at the Jamarat and Grand Mosque in Makkah, according to Hatim Hassan Qadi, Undersecretary at the Ministry of Haj for Haj Affairs. The pilgrims have been asked to remain in Mina until Dhul Hijjah 13 — corresponding to Nov. 9. The authorities want the pilgrims to spend three days stoning the Jamarat, rather than complete the ritual in two days, which is permissible under the Shariah. Qadi said this is simply a precautionary measure to prevent any chaos and overcrowding at the Jamarat and then later at the Holy Haram and Central Area as pilgrims rush off to Makkah. He said Dr. Fouad Bin Abdulsalam Al-Farsy, Minister of Haj, had appealed to the heads of the Haj missions to hold some of their pilgrims in Mina. Qadi said the Haj missions have succeeded in convincing 40 percent of the pilgrims to remain in Mina for three days compared to 30 percent last year. They will stay in their camps in the Tent City because they do not have accommodation in Makkah. He said the ministry and Haj missions have succeeded in persuading 150,000 out of 350,000 Arab pilgrims to stay in Mina. In addition, 200,000 local pilgrims from Makkah have been convinced to remain in their homes in the city and not to visit the Grand Mosque. These pilgrims had earlier completed their ritual stoning of Satan in two days. __
