About one million Muslim pilgrims on Friday converged on Mount Arafat as part of the Hajj rites. This is the first climb since the covid-19 pandemic prevented international pilgrims from performing the rites.
About 41,000 Nigerian pilgrims joined their counterparts from across the world to climb Mount Arafat, also called Jabbal ar-Rahmah, Mount of Mercy, as part of this year’s Hajj rites.
Today’s rite marks the first time since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic as Nigerian pilgrims as well as others from other countries of the world were barred by the authorities of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia from performing the annual Hajj both in 2020 and 2021.
Pilgrims are expected to spend most part of today at Arafat, as part of Hajj exercise, which commenced on Thursday when they left Makkah to pass the night at Muna, always referred to as the Tent City.
Standing on Arafat holds on the 9th of Dhul Hijjah, which is the 12th month of the Islamic calendar. The rite is obligatory for every pilgrim to perform without which their Hajj will be invalid.
Pilgrims spend the day supplicating to Allah as the assurance that such supplications will be automatically accepted by Allah.
Mount Arafat is where Prophet Muhammad gave his last sermon towards the end of his life in which he proclaimed the equality of man and kindness to women, among others.
