Haj pilgrims start early for wukuf ritual to beat midday heat
MAKKAH: After gathering in the Plains of Arafah since yesterday, haj pilgrims today began performing the wukuf ritual in pursuit of Allah's forgiveness and with hopes that their prayers will be granted.
The ritual, one of the five pillars of haj, is carried out from after the sun passes its zenith, from the start of Zohor prayer time on 9 Zulhijjah, until before dawn on 10 Zulhijjah.
According to observations, pilgrims took advantage of the cooler morning hours to head to Arafah, as the weather was forecast to become hotter after midday.
The weather forecast indicated that temperatures in the Arafah area would rise from noon until late afternoon, peaking between 2pm and 4pm at around 41-degree Celcius.
In Islam, the significance of wukuf lies in its remembrance of when Prophet Adam and Hawa were sent down from paradise to Earth for disobeying Allah's command and being deceived by the devil.
More importantly, the Plains of Arafah is a place for self-reflection, to regret past sins and sincerely seek forgiveness from Allah. This refers to the site where Prophet Adam and Hawa spent years repenting until their prayers were accepted.
Previously, the Saudi Arabian government announced that pilgrims would not be allowed to leave their tents, especially during the culminating rites in Arafah between 10am and 4pm, due to expected temperatures reaching between 40-degree Celcius and 45-degree Celcius.
Pilgrims were also prohibited from visiting Namirah Mosque and Jabal al-Rahmah (Mount Arafat), popular locations for pilgrims, including those from Malaysia, during the same time frame to minimise the risk of heatstroke.
As of now, Saudi authorities have recorded 41 cases of heat exhaustion among pilgrims.
Last year, the Saudi Health Ministry reported that medical teams treated 2,764 pilgrims suffering from heat exhaustion, in addition to other heat-related conditions.
Saudi Haj and Umrah Minister Tawfiq al-Rabiah reportedly said that to mitigate such risks, thousands of cooling fans have been provided, along with 400 water-based cooling units.
Authorities have also constructed 2.5km of newly completed shaded pathways leading towards Arafah.
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