Saudi Gazette MINA — A sea of humanity filled the plains of Arafat on Sunday for the high point of Haj. More than 1.8 million pilgrims gathered from sunrise around the Mount of Mercy and a vast surrounding plain, about 15 kilometers from Makkah. "We feel at ease and are totally benefiting from our pilgrimage," said Soumaya, 30, of Mali. "Everything is very well organized," added her friend, Khadija Bechir, 23. The site of people from more than 160 different countries, with all the men dressed in simple white garments, was breathtaking. Egyptian pilgrim Mahmoud Awny said the feeling of being in Arafat is "indescribable." "All Muslims on earth wish they could have been here today. Thanks to Allah for enabling me to be here," he said. As temperatures soared to 108 degrees Fahrenheit (42 C) in Arafat, volunteers passed water, juice and umbrellas to pilgrims. Guides in orange vests helped to direct pilgrims while police cars patrolled and troops were stationed at regular intervals. "It's marvelous. It's an indescribable feeling," said an Egyptian pilgrim who gave her name only as Louza, 45, as a helicopter monitored the throng. Large crowds of pilgrims flocked to Namirah Mosque to perform "Zuhr" (noon) and "Asr" (afternoon) prayers shortened and combined in pursuant of the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and listened to the sermon delivered by Chairman of the Presidency of the Two Holy Mosques Sheikh Abdul Rahman Al-Sudais. Prince Khaled Al-Faisal, Makkah Emir and adviser to Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, and Grand Mufti and President of Senior Scholar Council and Scholarly Research and Ifta Presidency Sheikh Abdulaziz Al-Asheikh attended the prayers. The pilgrims left Arafat after sunset for Muzdalifa where they will spend the night relaxing and collecting pebbles to stone the Satan in Mina. Early Monday morning they will proceeded to Mina to continue the Haj rituals like slaughtering of sacrificial animals, shaving of hair, getting out of the state of ihram, stoning of Jamarat Al-Aqaba (big Satan) and going to Makkah for Tawaf Al-Ifadah. Meanwhile, in a cable to Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman, Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Naif, deputy premier and interior minister, who is the chairman of the Supreme Haj Committee, said all pilgrims safely arrived in Mina and from there to Arafat. Prince Muhammad himself arrived in Mina on Saturday to follow up on the arrangements for pilgrims. "The transportation went well and the lodging is comfortable," said Salah Gaddoumi, 40, from Sudan, who is on his second Haj. The pilgrims in Mina were on Saturday supplied with 140,000 cubic meters of water which were pumped through the networks of the National Water Company (NWC). A statement by the Saline Water Conversion Corporation said 750,000 cubic meters of saline water were produced for pilgrims in Makkah and the Holy Sites. The Saudi boy scouts guided 2,820 pilgrims to theta camps in Mina, said supervisor of the scouts' camp Abdullah Al-Fahd. — With agencies
