Hajj pilgrims began arriving at Mount Arafat on Wednesday to stand in prayer till sunset in one of the most important days of the Islamic calendar.
Saudi authorities have prepared an integrated traffic plan to help ease the pilgrims’ path from the tent city of Mina to Mount Arafat, a 14.4km trek.
The first train trips from Mina to Arafat also begun transporting pilgrim at dawn on Wednesday, and will continue until the completion of all pilgrims to the next site. Authorities estimate 1.38 million pilgrims will descend to the plains of Arafat this year.
It’s not only pilgrims who will mark the day but also Muslims from around the globe, as Islamic beliefs also dictate fasting on the day will wipe out sins.
It was on this day that Islam’s Prophet Mohammad gave his famous farewell sermon, in 632 AD according to the Gregorian calendar, addressing around 114,000 pilgrims at the time.
Mt. Arafat holds significant value to Muslims given that it is there that Prophet Mohammed gave his last sermon.
Source: Alarabiya
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