More than two million and half Muslim pilgrims came from around the world to gather at the holy site, western of Saudi Arabia, making it one of the largest religious gatherings in the world.
They came here in Mecca to perform Hajj and ask Allah for forgiveness, leaving behind their families, relatives and personal and material interests.
We all have seen heavy rains that poured down Hajj pilgrims at Mount of Arafat, taking it as a sign of peace and mercy. Many of them stopped to pray and repeated calls of "God is greatest."
We also saw people from all over the world who gathered in one place in Arafat camps only for gaining pine love, in addition to celebrities and dignitaries who left their stardom and money in search of God's mercy in this place where everyone is equal.
We were in a holy place among millions of pilgrims who definitely never met before, but however they sit together talking and praying for Allah in a remarkable and spiritual scene that no words can describe.
This is a superpower owned by millions of Muslims in one place.
We were sitting in a camp, specified for the guests of the Ministry of Information, with people I did not know, including media men from Tunisia and Egypt like Aziz Fahmy and his twin brother Naguib Fahmy, and the Director of the Tunisian National Radio Sufian Benaissa.
Saudi Arabia gave a bright image to the whole world on the perfect organization of Hajj, as well as the unparalleled welcome and high-level services provided to the pilgrims.
If you go to Arafat area, you will see streets full of pilgrims and buses, in addition to countless and infinite camps, in which you find yourself along with people of different nationalities.
This demonstrates a verse of Holy Quran that states “Oh mankind, indeed We have created you from male and female and made you peoples and tribes that you may know one another”. (Al-Hujurat-13)
At Arafat, we saw groups upon groups of people were all standing in the direction of Qibla, raising their hands to God making doua’a (supplications).
In fact, it seemed as though it was their hearts that were reaching to the sky. The scene was so vivid that I got goosebumps. If you were there, you would have felt both the calmness and urgency of the prayers. The people were praying as if they were certain they would be answered. Tears were mixed with raindrops on their faces.
It is not surprising that you could see all pilgrims offering cold drinks, foods and desserts to each others for free during the day of Arafat.
It is worthy enough to point out to the kingdom’s projects in expanding Jamarat Al-Aqaba structure, so there is a smoother flow of pilgrims exiting the facility.
The 950-meter long and 80-meter wide structure is designed to support 12 floors and accommodate five million pilgrims in the future if needed. It is at this site that pilgrims throw seven pebbles at a wall in a ritual that symbolizes the stoning of the devil.
During the day of Arafah, pilgrims flocked to Namirah Mosque at the Holy Site of Arafat to perform combined-shortened Dhuhr and Asr prayers and listen to the Arafah sermon.
They were marching in rallies chanting "Oh my Lord, here I am at Your service, here I am. There is no partner with You. Here I am. Truly, the praise, dominion and sovereignty are Yours and true provisions come only from You. There is no partner with You.
Before leaving Mecca, pilgrims shed their white or black robes and don their finest clothes. Mecca becomes a kaleidoscope of colour as pilgrims perform a final, farewell Tawaf known as Tawaf Al Ifadha where they circumambulate the Kaaba one last time.
This step is mandatory but pilgrims have up until the end of Dhu Al Hijjah to perform it.
Translated by Hassanein Tayea
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