Cooling water sprayers bring down the temperatures as thousands of Muslim pilgrims in Arafat. WAM

Gulf Today Report

On Tuesday, July 20, Muslims of the world marked Eid Al Adha, the "Festival of Sacrifice," the most important event in the Islamic calendar.

The Hajj is an annual Islamic pilgrimage to Makkah, Saudi Arabia. Hajj is a mandatory religious duty for Muslims that must be carried out at least once in their lifetime as this year around 60,000 coronavirus vaccinated residents perform Hajj under the government’s directions for COVID-19 precautions.

This festival is celebrated throughout the Muslim world as a commemoration of Prophet Abraham's willingness to sacrifice everything for God.

Muslims gather for prayers to celebrate Eid Al Adha in Nairobi, Kenya, on Tuesday. Sayyid Abdul Azim/AP

Earlier, the Hajj pilgrims on the ninth of Dhul-Hijjah scaled Mount Arafat (Mountain of Mercy) on Monday, to perform the most important ritual of the Hajj.

The official spokesman for the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, Hisham Saeed, said that the pilgrimage to Arafat began at five in the morning on Monday, and pilgrims were transported by buses according to the grouping plans through the paths designated for them to the Arafat site.

He explained that approximately 400,000 square metres have been prepared in Al-Mashaar to receive pilgrims, indicating that this area is equivalent to 5 square metres for each pilgrim, and the aim is to improve the services provided to the worshippers, and to implement the precautionary measures and health protocols agreed upon for this year's Hajj.

Saeed revealed the use of modern technology such as the “Smart Hajj Card” to tighten the grouping operations, instant control and make any quick intervention in the event of a breach of this system, stressing that so far no defect has been detected in the system and it is proceeding as planned.

A woman pilgrim recites the Holy Quran at Mount Arafat during the Hajj on Monday. AFP

The Secretary-General of the Automobile Syndicate, Abdul Rahman Al-Mayouf, told the Union of News Agencies of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (UNA) that more than 1,600 buses were equipped with all safety requirements, and were accompanied by 1,400 guides and commanders to supervise their direction.

The paths ensure that the pilgrims adhere to the precautionary measures to combat the coronavirus.

The pilgrims to Muzdalifah will also go by buses and will start after 7pm on Monday. It will continue until ten in the evening Makkah time.

 Women pilgrims take a selfie at Mount Arafat.

The security spokesman for the Ministry of Interior, Colonel Talal Al Shalhoub, confirmed that the security services are working with full preparations in the holy sites of Mina, Arafat and Muzdalifah to implement their plans.

 The Ministry of Health has set up the Jabal Al-Rahma Hospital in the Arafat area, to provide medical care to pilgrims, and equipped a mobile field hospital to provide health services in the Arafat area, north of the Namera Mosque.

About 180 ambulances are also deployed to provide intensive and emergency health services, and Civil Defence centres were deployed in the area.