Muslim pilgrims on Wednesday carried out the symbolic “stoning of the devil” ritual near the holy city of Mecca, marking one of the final rites of the annual Hajj pilgrimage as Eid al-Adha celebrations began across the world.
From the early hours of the morning, huge crowds of worshippers gathered in Mina, southeast of Mecca, where they threw pebbles at large concrete pillars representing the devil.
The ritual reenacts the story of Prophet Ibrahim, who, according to Islamic tradition, stoned Satan at three locations where he attempted to discourage him from obeying God’s command to sacrifice his son Ishmael.
More than 1.7 million pilgrims are participating in this year’s Hajj, one of the five pillars of Islam that every Muslim is expected to perform at least once in their lifetime if financially and physically able.
The pilgrimage has taken place under severe weather conditions, with temperatures reaching about 45 degrees Celsius in parts of Saudi Arabia. Pilgrims had earlier gathered at Mount Arafat on Tuesday for prayers and reflection before spending the night in Muzdalifah, where they collected pebbles for the ritual.
After completing the stoning ceremony, pilgrims return to Mecca to perform a final circumambulation around the Kaaba inside the Grand Mosque.
This year’s Eid al-Adha festivities have again been overshadowed by tensions and conflicts in parts of the Middle East, including the ongoing fallout from the US-Israeli conflict involving Iran and wider regional instability.
