Muslims climb Mount Arafat in hajj high point

The Indonesian government will bring back 700 Indonesian haj pilgrims who went to Saudi Arabia through the Philippines before facing legal process, an official has said.

The most important day in the annual five-day Hajj was celebrated by the almost 2 million Muslims who have converged on some of Islam’s most revered sites in Saudi Arabia.

The rivals have no diplomatic relations and have been engaged in a slanging match over the haj since last week. Overall, haj-related business was down by half, he said.

Arafat is the site where the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) gave his last sermon about 14 centuries ago after leading his followers on the pilgrimage.

The white terrycloth garments worn by men throughout the five-day hajj are forbidden to contain any stitching – a restriction meant to emphasize the equality of all Muslims and prevent wealthier pilgrims from differentiating themselves with more elaborate garments.

A teenage Indian pilgrim, who gave her name only as Janifa, said she was “lucky, and very grateful” to have made the pilgrimage with her parents.

The Iranian official said the deadly incidents during last year’s Hajj rituals in Saudi Arabia have “stigmatized” Al Saud.

Saudi King Salman said Tuesday the kingdom rejects any attempt to play politics with the hajj, the annual pilgrimage which has added to tensions between Riyadh and Tehran.

Instead, Saudi media said the imam and preacher of the Grand Mosque in Mecca, Sheikh Abdul-Rahman al-Sudais, delivered the sermon.

Saudi Arabia has stuck by its initial death toll of 769, but figures compiled from officials in more than 30 countries gave a tally nearly three times higher.

The 2015 crush – in which two large groups of pilgrims arrived together at a crossroads in Mina, a few miles east of Mecca, on their way to performing the “stoning of the devil” ritual at the Jamarat area – was the worst disaster to strike the annual pilgrimage in at least 25 years.

Authorities announced an investigation into the tragedy but no findings have ever been released.

From this year pilgrims are given electronic bracelets storing personal and medical information that will help authorities provide care and identify non-Arabic speaking people.

The stoning – expected to continue on Tuesday – coincided with Eid al-Adha, Islam’s feast of sacrifice which is celebrated by more than 1.5 billion Muslims worldwide.

On Sunday, police were seen directing foot traffic and using drones to monitor crowd movement.

“We feel at ease and are totally benefiting from our pilgrimage”, Soumaya, 30, from Mali, told the AFP news agency. This year Iranians have boycotted Hajj pilgrimage and endorsed an alternative event on Saturday at the holy city of Karbala in Iraq.