The over 2 million Muslims that made it to the holy land for the 2023 Hajj have commenced the last symbolic stoning rites at Jamarat in Mina on Friday, before returning to Makkah’s Grand Mosque to complete their holy pilgrimage with the last circumambulation of the Kaaba known as “Tawaf Al ‘Ifadah” and Sa’i (walk between Safa and mount Marwa 7 times).
Muslim News gathered that many pilgrims who have completed the third and last stage of stoning rites at Jamarat Al Kubrah, (the greater wall) are now proceeding to Makkah where they will also have the opportunity to observe their last Juma’ah before returning to their respective countries.
The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, NAHCON has however strongly advised Nigerian pilgrims to return to their tents in Muna and await buses that will convey them back to Makkah, after their Jamarat rites, which involves throwing seven (7) pebbles at three walls.
“As some pilgrims prepare to return to Makkah tomorrow (Friday) after their Jamarat rites. We wish to advise against walking back to Makkah especially for aged, female and sick pilgrims. The distance from Jamarat to the Haram Mosque alone is about 4.9km. So the walking distance will be between 6km to 8km to various accommodations as transportation might be difficult to get”, the statement read, in part.
Recalled that for the first time in ten years, NAHCON, the regulatory body for Hajj and Umrah in Nigeria, successfully airlifted over 95,000 Nigerian pilgrims for this year’s Hajj, before closure of Jeddah on Sunday night.
The Nigerian pilgrims alongside their counterparts from across the world arrived Mina, the city of tents, on Monday, June 26, for the beginning of the annual pilgrimage, the fifth pillar of Islam. They moved to Muzdalifah on Tuesday evening after intensed day of prayers at the plain of Arafat, the peak of Hajj. They have spent between Wednesday and Friday (three days) for symbolic stone pelting at Jamarat.
