Pilgrims Arrive in Arafat as Hajj Standing Begins

Hajj pilgrim convoys began arriving in Arafat early Tuesday, with officials ensuring that pilgrims were within Arafat’s boundaries for the standing, one of the central rites of the pilgrimage. The gathering marks the day’s most important ritual and sets the course for the movement of pilgrims through the remaining Hajj rites. The Arafat sermon will be delivered at noon, after which pilgrims will perform the noon and afternoon prayers combined and shortened. They will spend the day in supplication, takbir and seeking forgiveness during the Arafat standing. At sunset, the convoys will move to Muzdalifah. There, the sunset and night prayers will be combined and shortened, and pilgrims will spend the night in an atmosphere of worship. In the previous days, pilgrims reached Mina and observed the Day of Tarwiyah there. Their movement was organized in an orderly manner through coordination among security, health and service teams.