Floods of pilgrims on Sunday gathered to pray in ‘Arafah, near Makkah, marking the most important day of the annual hajj.
The Day of 'Arafah is the holiest day in Islam that falls on the 9th day of Dhul Hijja of the lunar Islamic Calendar. This happens to be approximately 70 days after the end of the month of Ramadan. It is the second day of the Hajj pilgrimage and the day after is the first day of the major Islamic Holiday of Eid ul-Adha. At dawn of this day, Muslim pilgrims made their way from Mina to a nearby hillside and plain called Mount Arafat and the Plain of `Arafah. It was from this site that Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) gave one of his last sermons in the final year of his life. Muslims hold that part of the Quranic verse announcing that the religion of Islam had been perfected was revealed on this day.
Muslim pilgrims settled in Arafat, near Makkah to mark the annual haj's most important day.
Nearly 1.5 million Muslims, women, men and children from around the world, and who speak different languages, were all united in prayer in Arafat. Many pilgrims headed to al Rahmah Mountain to pray in peace. Some of them were seen crying while praying. Pilgrimage to Makkah is one of the five pillars of Islam and undertaking it is considered an obligation for Muslims at least once during their lives, if they can afford to do so.
2000 pilgrims from the Maldives are performing hajj this year. The Islamic Ministry authorised 5 private operators to organise Hajj tours this year, with each receiving a quota of 200 pilgrims, while Maldives Hajj Corporation (MHC) was allotted a quota of 1,000 pilgrims.