Today, Saturday, June 15, marks the pinnacle of the holy Hajj as millions of Muslims gather in Arafat Maidan, resounding with the heartfelt call of ‘Labbaik Allahumma Labbaik’. This gathering, a central ritual of Hajj, sees pilgrims from over 150 countries converge from sunrise to sunset in this sacred arena.
On Friday, June 14, the pilgrims stayed in Mina after journeying from Makkah, donning two pieces of unstitched white cloth known as Ihram, signifying their intention for Hajj. In Mina, they engaged in prayers and other worship activities within their tents. After performing the Fajr prayer today, they moved to Arafat Maidan.
The Maidan will resonate with the powerful recitation: “Labbaik Allahumma Labbaik, Labbaika La Sharika Laka Labbaik, Innal Hamda Wan Ni’mata Laka Wal Mulak, La Sharika Lak” (I am present, O Allah, I am present. You have no partner. All praises and blessings are Yours alone, and all kingdoms are Yours).
Hajj, meaning ‘to desire’, is one of the five pillars of Islam and is obligatory for all financially and physically capable Muslim men and women. Arafat Maidan, 22 km from Makkah, is a 2 km by 2 km field surrounded by mountains on three sides and holds Jabale Rahmat (Mount of Mercy), where the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) delivered his famous Farewell Hajj speech from the Namira Mosque.
The stay at Arafat is considered the climax of Hajj, symbolizing the unity of Muslims worldwide. The Prophet (SAW) emphasized the importance of this ritual, stating that staying at Arafat completes one’s Hajj (Sunan Nasa’i). On this day, the message of Muslim unity, order, and peace is amplified globally, and Allah proclaimed Islam as a complete way of life (Surah Maida, verse 3).
Imam and Khatib of the Holy Mosque, Shaykh Maher bin Hamad Al-Muaikili, will deliver a sermon from Namira Mosque, broadcast live and translated into over 20 languages, including Bengali. Khalilur Rahman, a former student of Makkah Ummul Qura University, will present the Bengali translation.
The pilgrims will perform various rituals from the 8th to the 12th of Zilhajj, including Zuhr and Asr prayers combined on Arafat Maidan, followed by prayers until sunset. After sunset, they will travel to Muzdalifah to spend the night and collect stones for the ritual stoning at Mina. On Sunday, June 16 (10th Zilhajj), they will perform the stoning, sacrifice, and Tawaf, followed by the Sa’i between Safa and Marwa, and return to Mina for further stoning rituals.
Saudi Arabia has welcomed over 1.5 million pilgrims this year, including 1,322 special guests of King Salman from 88 countries, and 1,000 Palestinians affected by Israeli conflicts. Additionally, 4,200 Palestinians from the West Bank and over 17,000 Syrians have joined this year’s Hajj.
To ensure the well-being of the pilgrims, 32 hospitals and mobile clinics with over 5,000 doctors and 32,000 medical staff have been set up around the Hajj sites, alongside emergency services from the Saudi Red Crescent. Extensive security measures and health advisories have been implemented, considering the extreme temperatures.
This year, approximately 1.8 million Muslims, including 85,129 from Bangladesh, have gathered in Makkah to perform Hajj despite the intense heat, demonstrating their unwavering faith and devotion.