Masses of pilgrims on Sunday embarked on a symbolic stoning of the devil in Saudi Arabia under the soaring summer heat. The ritual marks the final days of the Hajj, or Islamic pilgrimage, and the start of the Eid al-Adha celebrations for Muslims around the world.
The stoning is among the final rites of the Hajj, which is one of the Five Pillars of Islam. It came a day after more than 1.8 million pilgrims congregated at a sacred hill, known as Mount Ararat, outside the holy city of Mecca, which Muslim pilgrims visit to perform the annual five-day rituals of Hajj.
Fourteen Jordanian pilgrims have died from sunstroke during the Hajj pilgrimage, according to Jordan's state-run Petra news agency. The Foreign Ministry said in a statement that it has coordinated with Saudi authorities to bury the dead in Saudi Arabia, or transfer them to Jordan.
Mohammed Al-Abdulaali, spokesman for the Saudi Health Ministry, told reporters that more than 2,760 pilgrims suffered from sunstroke and heat stress on Sunday alone. He said the number was likely to increase and urged attendees to avoid the sun at peak times and drink water. "Heat stress is the greatest challenge," he said.
RAFIQ MAQBOOL / AP
The pilgrims left Mount Arafat on Saturday evening to spend their night in a nearby site known as Muzdalifa, where they collected pebbles to use in the symbolic stoning of pillars representing the devil.
The pillars are in another sacred place in Mecca, called Mina, where Muslims believe Ibrahim's faith was tested when God commanded him to sacrifice his only son Ismail. Ibrahim was prepared to submit to the command, but then God stayed his hand, sparing his son. In the Christian and Jewish versions of the story, Abraham is ordered to kill his other son, Isaac.
On Sunday morning, crowds headed on foot to the stoning areas. Some were seen pushing disabled pilgrims on wheelchairs on a multi-lane road leading to the complex housing the large pillars. Most pilgrims were seen sweltering and carrying umbrellas to protect them against the burning summer sun.
An Associated Press reporter saw many pilgrims, especially among the elderly, collapsing on the road to the pillars because of the burning heat. Security forces and medics were deployed to help, carrying those who fainted on gurneys out of the heat to ambulances or field hospitals. As the temperature spiked by midday, more people required medical help. The heat had reached to 47oC (116.6 oF) in Mecca, and 46o C (114.8o F) in Mina, according to Saudi meteorological authorities.
Despite the suffocating heat, many pilgrims expressed joy at being able to complete their pilgrimage.
"Thank God, (the process) was joyful and good," said Abdel-Moaty Abu Ghoneima, an Egyptian pilgrim. "No one wants more than this."
While in Mina, they will visit Mecca to perform their "tawaf," or circumambulation, which is circling the Kaaba in the Grand Mosque counterclockwise seven times. Then another circumambulation, the Farewell Tawaf, will mark the end of Hajj as pilgrims prepare to leave the holy city.
The rites coincide with the four-day Eid al-Adha, which means "Feast of Sacrifice," when Muslims with financial means commentate Ibrahim's test of faith through slaughtering livestock and animals and distributing the meat to the poor.
Most countries marked Eid al-Adha on Sunday. Others, like Indonesia, will celebrate it Monday.
Once the Hajj is over, men are expected to shave their heads and remove the shroud-like white garments worn during the pilgrimage, and women to snip a lock of hair in a sign of renewal and rebirth.
Most of the pilgrims then leave Mecca for the city of Medina, about 340 kilometers (210 miles) away, to pray in Prophet Muhammad's tomb, the Sacred Chamber. The tomb is part of the prophet's mosque, one of the three holiest sites in Islam, along with the Grand Mosque in Mecca and the Al Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem.
All Muslims are required to make the Hajj once in their lives if they are physically and financially able to do so. Many wealthy Muslims make the pilgrimage more than once. The rituals largely commemorate the accounts of Prophet Ibrahim and his son Prophet Ismail, Ismail's mother Hajar and Prophet Muhammad, according to the Quran, Islam's holy book.
More than 1.83 million Muslims performed Hajj in 2024, Saudi Hajj and Umrah Minister Tawfiq bin Fawzan al-Rabiah said in a briefing, slightly less than last year's figures when 1.84 million made the rituals.
Most of the Hajj rituals are held outdoors with little if any shade. It is set for the second week of Dhu al-Hijjah, the last month in the Islamic lunar calendar, so its time of the year varies. And this year the pilgrimage fell in the burning summer of Saudi Arabia.
This year's Hajj came against the backdrop of the devastating Israel-Hamas war, which has pushed the Middle East to the brink of a regional conflict.
Palestinians in the Gaza Strip weren't able to travel to Mecca for Hajj this year because of the closure of the Rafah crossing in May when Israel extended its ground offensive to the city on the border with Egypt. And they will not be able to celebrate the Eid al-Adha as they used to do in previous years.
Dozens of Palestinians gathered Sunday morning near a destroyed mosque in Gaza's southern city of Khan Younis to perform the Eid prayers. They were surrounded by debris and rubble of collapsed houses. In the nearby town of Deir al-Balah in central Gaza, Muslims held their prayers in a school-turned shelter. Some, including women and children, went to cemeteries to visit the graves of loved ones.
"Today, after the ninth month, more than 37,000 martyrs, more than 87,000 wounded, and hundreds of thousands of homes were destroyed," Abdulhalim Abu Samra, a displaced Palestinian, told the AP after wrapping up the prayers in Khan Younis. "Our people live in difficult circumstances."
Also in the occupied West Bank, Palestinians convened for the Eid prayers in Ramallah, the seat of the Western-backed Palestinian Authority. "We suffer greatly and live through difficult moments with (what's happening to) our brothers in Gaza," said Mahmoud Mohana, a mosque imam.
In Yemen's Houthi-held capital of Sanaa and in Iraq's capital, Baghdad, Muslims celebrated and prayed for the war-weary Palestinians in Gaza.
"We are happy because of Eid but our hearts are filled with anguish when we see our brothers in Palestine," said Bashar al-Mashhadani, imam of al-Gilani Mosque in Baghdad. "(We) urge the Arabic and Islamic countries to support and stand beside them in this ordeal."
In Lebanon where the militant Hezbollah group traded nearly daily attacks with Israel, a steady stream of visitors made their way into the Palestine Martyrs Cemetery near the Shatila Palestinian refugee camp in Beirut early Sunday morning, bearing flowers and jugs of water for the graves of their loved ones, an annual tradition on the first day of Eid.
The cemetery is the burial site of many Palestinian Liberation Organization leaders and militants who died fighting Israeli forces in Lebanon in the 1970s and '80s. More recently, top Hamas official Saleh al-Arouri and two other Hamas members, killed with him in an apparent Israeli airstrike in Beirut's southern suburbs in January, were buried there.
Muslims in Asia on Monday celebrated Eid al-Adha, or the Feast of Sacrifice, with food and prayers for people in Gaza suffering from the Israel-Hamas war.
One of the biggest Islamic holidays, the occasion commemorates Prophet Ibrahim’s test of faith through slaughtering livestock and animals and distributing the meat to the poor. It’s a joyous occasion for which food is a hallmark where devout Muslims buy and slaughter animals and share two-thirds of the meat with the poor and it’s a revered observance that coincides with the final rites of the Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia.
Much of Asia, including Indonesia, Malaysia, India and Bangladesh, observed Eid al-Adha on Monday, while Muslims in other parts of the globe, including Saudi Arabia, Libya, Egypt, and Yemen celebrated the holiday on Sunday.
In Malaysia, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim joined thousands of congregants, including foreign tourists, and offered morning prayers at a mosque near his office in Putrajaya, south of the capital Kuala Lumpur.
Meanwhile at a wholesale market in Selayang, just outside the capital, Muslim workers there knelt on mats placed on a large piece of white cloth laid outside the market to perform their prayers.
In his message, Anwar said the opportunity to go on the hajj pilgrimage to Mecca is one of God’s great gifts and should make one more ascetic and simpler.
“I invite Muslims to live the message of simplicity that is preached in Hajj, to always be humble and not be mesmerized by the attraction of temporary worldly riches,” Anwar said, “Let’s not deviate from this goal. The world should be a bridge to the eternal land.”
Muslims in India, where they comprise 14% of the population, celebrated Eid al-Adha on Monday across the country.
In New Delhi, thousands offered prayers at the historic Jama Masjid, a 17th century mosque. Families assembled early in the morning and many people shared hugs and wishes after the prayers. Numerous merchants with goats gathered on the streets leading to the mosque where people bargained with them for the best price.
Devotees across Bangladesh, a Muslim-majority nation of over 170 million people, on Monday marked the festival in open fields and mosques where many prayed for a better world free from war.
More than 400,000 devotees, the country’s largest congregation, offered their prayers at a field in Kishoreganj district in the morning.
In the capital, Dhaka, a prominent imam led a gathering on the Supreme Court grounds where 35,000 men and women participated
Muslims in Pakistan started celebrating Eid Al-Adha, or the Feast of Sacrifice, on Monday with food and prayers for the people of Gaza and Kashmir, facing “brutal foreign occupation” but fighting for their right to self-determination.
One of the most important Islamic holidays, Eid Al-Adha is a joyous occasion on which food is a hallmark and during which devout Muslims buy and slaughter animals and share the meat with family, friends and the poor. The revered observance coincides with the final rites of the Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia.
As the day began, top leaders shared wishes with the Pakistani people, with President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif both urging the nation to “reaffirm their commitment to the values of brotherhood, sacrifice, and selflessness on this occasion.”
“Sharif said the day serves as an occasion to unite the people and foster the bonds of brotherhood and fraternity as well as to look after the less fortunate among us and make them part of our collective celebration,” state broadcaster Radio Pakistan reported.
“He said on this Eid day, we pray for our Palestinian and Kashmiri brothers and sisters who are bravely facing brutal foreign occupation but remain steadfast in their struggle to achieve their right of self-determination.”
Muslim world mostly observes a three-day holiday on Eid Al Adha. In Kazakhstan, Eid-Ul-Adha 2024 is on 17 June 2024. However, the exact date of Eid Ul Adha 1446 Hijri in Kazakhstan depends on the sighting of the Zil Hajj moon decided by the Ruet-e-Hilal Committee of Kazakhstan.
The Holy Sacrifice embodies values such as generosity, halal, and compassion. It is a manifestation of love, empathy, and mercy among Muslims. On this holy day, Muslims sacrifice animals to show their devotion to God. This holiday fosters unity, mutual respect, and strengthens family values. According to Islamic tradition, the sacrifice should be divided into three parts: one for the family, one for close relatives, and one for the poor.
Since Azerbaijan regained its independence, Eid al-Adha has been celebrated at the state level. Various charitable events are held, with sacrificial meat and food products distributed to low-income families, citizens in need of social protection, and families of martyrs
Russian president Vladimir Putin congratulated the Muslims of Russia on Eid al-Adha holiday.
“Eid al-Adha marks the end of the Muslim pilgrimage to the ancient religious holy places. It serves to unite people and promote the ideals of mercy, justice and mutual understanding in society, and highlights the profound and enduring spiritual values of Islam," Putin wrote.
"It is gratifying that the life of the Muslim Ummah in our country is enriched with good deeds and undertakings, and new initiatives in the area of culture, education, and enlightenment. Muslim organisations pay much attention to strengthening the institution of the family and advancing the patriotic education of the rising generations. They provide active assistance to participants and veterans of the special military operation, to their families and friends. Furthermore, they make a significant contribution to promoting unity of our people and fostering inter-ethnic and inter-faith dialogue in Russia,” he added.
Muslim faithful gathered at mosques and open prayer grounds across Kenya Sunday to observe the Idd ul-Adha prayers, a key religious festival marking the culmination of the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca.
Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga took to social media to extend heartfelt wishes to the Muslim community, expressing hopes for a joyous celebration filled with happiness, serenity, and prosperity. “I wish a wonderful Idd to all of our Muslim brothers and sisters. May this joyous event bring you and your loved ones much happiness, serenity, and prosperity. Eid Mubarak to you all,” Raila conveyed.
Defence Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale, participating in the prayers at General Mahmoud Eid Grounds in Garissa County, emphasized the spiritual significance of Idd-ul-Adha, honoring Prophet Ibrahim’s willingness to sacrifice his son in obedience to Allah. He remarked on the unity displayed during the celebration, which transcends social barriers and unites everyone in shared faith and humanity.
Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Nassir shared prayers and blessings for a festive Eid al-Adha, expressing heartfelt wishes for love and happiness during this sacred period. “Idd Mubarak! May Allah accept all your worship in these days of Dhul Hijjah and bless you with what your heart desires. Wishing all of you a joyous Idd! May your Idd be filled with love and happiness,” Nassir conveyed, echoing sentiments of communal goodwill and celebration among Muslims in Kenya and beyond.
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