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Politics left out of haj
18/12/2007 21:02 - (SA)
Mount Arafat - Millions of Muslims marked the zenith of the annual haj on Tuesday by standing in the presence of God on this desert mount, where in Muslim tradition Adam and Eve were reunited after leaving Eden.
The ritual of standing at Arafat is the most spiritual moment of the pilgrimage, when Muslims believe God will give whatever forgiveness they ask for. Politics is the last thing on almost everyone's minds.
But some politics does peek through. Several hundred Iranian pilgrims held their own vigil in their section of the vast tent city where pilgrims are housed, calling on Muslims to unite against the US and Israel which "dominate the Muslim world".
The rally is an annual occurrence at haj, arranged by the Iranian government. An envoy read a statement from Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to the pilgrims, telling them that haj requires pilgrims to show love for God and to "expel, fight and stand up to Satan" - lessons Muslims "have to learn all over the world".
"They are hatching plots in Palestine, Lebanon, Iraq and Afghanistan and pitting one section of Muslims against the other," Ayatollah Mohammadi Reyshahri said, reading the statement.
'Death to America'
A few at the gathering shouted "Death to America" and "Death to Israel" and "There is no god, but God. America is the enemy of God. There is no god but God, Israel is the enemy of God". But there was none of the fist-shaking that marks such chants at rallies back home in Iran - a nod to the haj's spirit against aggressiveness, arguments and disputes.
The protest, directed by Iranian security men, stayed strictly inside the encampment, following Saudi rules banning overt political demonstrations at the haj.
In the fervent early years after Iran's 1979 Islamic revolution, Iranian pilgrims held public protests, leading to frictions with Saudi authorities - climaxing in 1987 when a protest turned into a clash with Saudi police that killed 700. In recent years, Iran has reduced its efforts to the small yearly rally inside the camp.
On Tuesday, most of the Iranian pilgrims paid little attention to the envoy's speech.
Three million pilgrims
Muslims believe that on the day of Arafat, God would give them whatever they ask. Omar said he was asking God to forgive him for not waking up at dawn every morning to perform his prayers because of his long hours as a labourer in Saudi Arabia.
Around three million pilgrims from around the world are attending this year's hajj. They flooded into Arafat late Monday and early Tuesday. Lines of buses, with pilgrims riding on the roofs packed highways leading into the site, while others on foot swarmed between the vehicles.
They climbed the small Mount Rahma, where Muslims believe Adam and Eve were reunited after leaving Eden, and sought God's forgiveness of their sins. They performed noon prayers at the Namira Mosque, where the Prophet gave his last sermon.
Young children and old women begged for money as the crush of pilgrims pressed ahead on their way to Mount Rahma. Some pilgrims spread out prayer beads, bags, umbrellas, and biscuits on the pavement for sale.
Most pilgrims stay in the sprawling tent city, which is divided by country. But thousands of others slept in the open on blankets, in small makeshift plastic tents.
The Arafat rituals end at sunset on Tuesday, after which pilgrims move to the nearby Muzdalifah and spend the night there. They collect stones that they will take with them to Mina the next day with which to pelt the devil. This ritual commemorates Abraham's stoning of Satan when he tried to tempt him to disobey God.
- AP
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