A sacred shear: Pilgrims line up for the Haj's humble finale
MINA, June 7 — Near the holy city of Mecca, men in white robes stand quietly in a long queue, waiting for the next important act of their Haj pilgrimage: a haircut.
Shaving or cutting the hair comes near the end of the Haj, and marks the moment when pilgrims can change out of the Ihram clothing that signifies purity and devotion.
The barbershop, strategically positioned by the Jamarat complex in Mina, where the 'stoning of the devil' ritual took place on Friday, opens exclusively for the annual Haj and does a roaring trade.
On the pilgrimage's third day, which coincides with the major festival of Eid al-Adha, its barbers typically handle 6,000 customers, said manager Imad Fawzi, an official employed by the Haj organisation.
Inside, men in plastic aprons wield electric clippers and cut-throat razors, shearing scalps on an industrial scale for 60 riyals (RM55) per head.
Despite the rush — there are so many customers that an usher is required — Ahmed, a 28-year-old barber from Egypt, is happy in his work.
'This is a very simple thing to do, but it brings us so much joy,' he says.
'We're happy to serve the pilgrims... and to be able to work in a holy place,' he said.
Fawzi, who grew up in Mecca, called himself a 'child of the Haj'.
'I've been working in Haj since I was seven,' he says.
'This outfit is exhausting'
The once-a-year hairdresser is not the only place for a cut: parts of Mecca and the plain of Mina, on its outskirts, turn into an open-air barbershop at this stage of the Haj.
Leaving the Jamarat, a southeast Asian man took out a razor and started scraping the back of his head as he walked. Further down the street, a group of African men were shaving each other with clippers.
In Mecca, entire streets are lined with barbershops doing brisk business. While men shave their hair, women trim theirs by a fingertip-length.
About 1.6 million pilgrims have gathered in and around Mecca, Islam's holiest city, for this year's Haj, which all Muslims with the means must complete at least once.
Outside the Jamarat barbershop, Hani Abdel Samih is looking forward to changing out of the wrap-around skirt and shawl he has been wearing for the past three days.
'The stoning of the devil at Jamarat requires great effort and we've been wearing these clothes all day,' he said.
'We wanted to wear our everyday clothes and be comfortable, so we went to the nearest barbershop we could find after the Jamarat,' said the Egyptian.
Yet his face was beaming with joy. He said he did not mind the wait for a haircut that bears a special place in his spiritual journey.
'I'm excited, of course! Because this is Sunnah from the Prophet, peace be upon him,' he said, referring to the teachings of the Prophet Mohammed.
'We like (this ritual) and we cannot break it,' he said.
The Haj retraces the Prophet's last pilgrimage, with rites at Mecca's Grand Mosque and Mount Arafat before 'stoning the devil' — throwing pebbles at three giant walls at Jamarat. — AFP
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Malay Mail
14 hours ago
- Malay Mail
A sacred shear: Pilgrims line up for the Haj's humble finale
MINA, June 7 — Near the holy city of Mecca, men in white robes stand quietly in a long queue, waiting for the next important act of their Haj pilgrimage: a haircut. Shaving or cutting the hair comes near the end of the Haj, and marks the moment when pilgrims can change out of the Ihram clothing that signifies purity and devotion. The barbershop, strategically positioned by the Jamarat complex in Mina, where the 'stoning of the devil' ritual took place on Friday, opens exclusively for the annual Haj and does a roaring trade. On the pilgrimage's third day, which coincides with the major festival of Eid al-Adha, its barbers typically handle 6,000 customers, said manager Imad Fawzi, an official employed by the Haj organisation. Inside, men in plastic aprons wield electric clippers and cut-throat razors, shearing scalps on an industrial scale for 60 riyals (RM55) per head. Despite the rush — there are so many customers that an usher is required — Ahmed, a 28-year-old barber from Egypt, is happy in his work. 'This is a very simple thing to do, but it brings us so much joy,' he says. 'We're happy to serve the pilgrims... and to be able to work in a holy place,' he said. Fawzi, who grew up in Mecca, called himself a 'child of the Haj'. 'I've been working in Haj since I was seven,' he says. 'This outfit is exhausting' The once-a-year hairdresser is not the only place for a cut: parts of Mecca and the plain of Mina, on its outskirts, turn into an open-air barbershop at this stage of the Haj. Leaving the Jamarat, a southeast Asian man took out a razor and started scraping the back of his head as he walked. Further down the street, a group of African men were shaving each other with clippers. In Mecca, entire streets are lined with barbershops doing brisk business. While men shave their hair, women trim theirs by a fingertip-length. About 1.6 million pilgrims have gathered in and around Mecca, Islam's holiest city, for this year's Haj, which all Muslims with the means must complete at least once. Outside the Jamarat barbershop, Hani Abdel Samih is looking forward to changing out of the wrap-around skirt and shawl he has been wearing for the past three days. 'The stoning of the devil at Jamarat requires great effort and we've been wearing these clothes all day,' he said. 'We wanted to wear our everyday clothes and be comfortable, so we went to the nearest barbershop we could find after the Jamarat,' said the Egyptian. Yet his face was beaming with joy. He said he did not mind the wait for a haircut that bears a special place in his spiritual journey. 'I'm excited, of course! Because this is Sunnah from the Prophet, peace be upon him,' he said, referring to the teachings of the Prophet Mohammed. 'We like (this ritual) and we cannot break it,' he said. The Haj retraces the Prophet's last pilgrimage, with rites at Mecca's Grand Mosque and Mount Arafat before 'stoning the devil' — throwing pebbles at three giant walls at Jamarat. — AFP
New Straits Times
16 hours ago
- New Straits Times
Inside Saudi's haj-only barbershop, shaving thousands of heads in a day
MINA, Saudi Arabia: Near the holy city of Makkah, men in white robes stand quietly in a long queue, waiting for the next important act of their haj pilgrimage: A haircut. Shaving or cutting the hair comes near the end of the haj, and marks the moment when pilgrims can change out of the Ihram clothing that signifies purity and devotion. The barbershop, strategically positioned by the Jamarat complex in Mina, where the "stoning of the devil" ritual took place on Friday, opens exclusively for the annual haj and does a roaring trade. On the pilgrimage's third day, which coincides with the major festival of Eid al-Adha, its barbers typically handle 6,000 customers, said manager Imad Fawzi, an official employed by the haj organisation. Inside, men in plastic aprons wield electric clippers and cut-throat razors, shearing scalps on an industrial scale for 60 riyals (US$13) per head. Despite the rush – there are so many customers that an usher is required – Ahmed, a 28-year-old barber from Egypt, is happy in his work. "This is a very simple thing to do, but it brings us so much joy," he says. "We're happy to serve the pilgrims... and to be able to work in a holy place," he said. Fawzi, who grew up in Makkah, called himself a "child of the haj." "I've been working in haj since I was seven," he says. The once-a-year hairdresser is not the only place for a cut: parts of Makkah and the plain of Mina, on its outskirts, turn into an open-air barbershop at this stage of the haj. Leaving the Jamarat, a southeast Asian man took out a razor and started scraping the back of his head as he walked. Further down the street, a group of African men were shaving each other with clippers. In Makkah, entire streets are lined with barbershops doing brisk business. While men shave their hair, women trim theirs by a fingertip-length. About 1.6 million pilgrims have gathered in and around Makkah, Islam's holiest city, for this year's haj, which all Muslims with the means must complete at least once. Outside the Jamarat barbershop, Hani Abdel Samih is looking forward to changing out of the wrap-around skirt and shawl he has been wearing for the past three days. "The stoning of the devil at Jamarat requires great effort and we've been wearing these clothes all day," he said. "We wanted to wear our everyday clothes and be comfortable, so we went to the nearest barbershop we could find after the Jamarat," said the Egyptian. Yet his face was beaming with joy. He said he did not mind the wait for a haircut that bears a special place in his spiritual journey. "I'm excited, of course! Because this is Sunnah from the Prophet, peace be upon him," he said, referring to the teachings of the Prophet Mohammed. "We like (this ritual) and we cannot break it," he said. The haj retraces the Prophet's last pilgrimage, with rites at Makkah's Grand Mosque and Mount Arafat before "stoning the devil" – throwing pebbles at three giant walls at Jamarat.
New Straits Times
a day ago
- New Straits Times
Haj pilgrims brave intense heat en route to Mina
MAKKAH: The intense heat, exceeding 40 degrees Celsius, was among the major challenges faced by Haj pilgrims as they made their way to Mina for the 'jamarah' ritual, also known as the 'stoning of the devil.' For this writer, the blazing heat left his 'ihram' attire soaked in sweat as he made the 4.5-kilometre journey on foot from his accommodations in Jalan Malik Abdullah to the main pillar, known as 'Jamratal Kubra' for the stoning ritual. Throughout the trek, fellow pilgrims recited the 'talbiah' and chanted the 'takbir Aidiladha'. To manage the heat, many used umbrellas, spray bottles to douse themselves with water, and even handheld fans to cool themselves. Along the way, Haj officials would frequently spray water towards the pilgrims to reduce their body temperature and reduce the risk of heat stroke. Based on the weather forecast, the temperature is expected to be in the range of 44 degrees Celsius between noon and 4pm, which is when the Haj pilgrims make their way to their destination. The stoning of the Jamratul Kubra is among the items deemed 'wajib' or compulsory when performing the Haj. While not included as part of the 'rukun Haji', the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) had performed the 'jamarah' ritual, which underscores its importance in the Haj pilgrimage. Last night, pilgrims who had completed the 'wukuf' in Arafah began moving to Muzdalifah for the 'mabit', (a momentary rest or overnight stay) to make preparations before the stoning ritual. Scores of buses were seen lined up along the road, bringing pilgrims to Muzdalifah. Despite the large number of pilgrims, the situation remained under control. The 'mabit' in Muzdalifah usually marks a brief pause in the Haj journey, giving pilgrims just enough time to collect the stones they will use for the stoning ritual. After the stoning ritual and 'tahallul awal' are completed, the pilgrims would spend two days in Mina for the 'Nafar Awal' and three days for the 'Nafar Akhir'. Throughout this period, the pilgrims would perform the stoning ritual and throw stones at three pillars - Ula, Wusta and Aqabah - daily. According to the Saudi government, the number of pilgrims for the 1446 Hijrah stood at 1,673,230, including 1,506,576 from outside Saudi Arabia.
