Muslim faithful gathered in Mina valley on Wednesday morning for the annual Hajj pilgrimage’s climax, where they symbolically stoned concrete pillars representing the devil.
This ritual reenacts Prophet Ibrahim’s (AS) stoning of Satan at three locations where the Devil allegedly tried to dissuade him from following God’s command to sacrifice his son Hazrat Ismail (AS).
Over 1.7 million people are participating in this year’s Hajj, with the significant Islamic festival overshadowed by ongoing conflict – specifically, the US-Israeli war against Iran that has drawn in Gulf nations.
A fragile ceasefire established on April 8th has mostly halted fighting, but efforts to end the war have so far been unsuccessful. The Hajj, which includes various outdoor rituals over several days, is taking place during extreme heat this year with temperatures reaching up to 45°C.