MOUNT ARAFAT, Saudi Arabia: Huge crowds of robed Muslim pilgrims prayed on Saudi Arabia’s Mount Arafat on Friday, the climax of the biggest Hajj pilgrimage since the pandemic forced drastic cuts in numbers two years in a row. Groups of worshippers, many holding umbrellas against the fierce sun, recited verses from the Qur'an on the rocky rise, where the Prophet Muhammad is believed to have given his final sermon. Prayers on Mount Arafat, also known as the “Mount of Mercy,” are the highlight of the pilgrimage, capped this year at one million people including 850,000 from abroad after Covid greatly reduced numbers over 2020 and 2021. Pilgrims, many of them in simple white robes and chanting “Oh God, here I am,” reached Mount Arafat on foot or in buses from the tents nearby where they spent the night. After sunset, they will journey the short distance to Muzdalifah, where they will sleep under the stars before performing the symbolic “stoning of the devil” ceremony on Saturday. “I am so happy to be here, like everyone else. This is the biggest Hajj in the coronavirus era, but it isn’t big enough yet,” Egyptian pilgrim Saad Farhat Khalil, 49, told AFP. “There are one million here today, but if the Saudis allowed more, 10 million would have came,” he added. Entry roads were packed with worshippers as helicopters buzzed overhead and volunteers handed out bottles of water and collected rubbish in green plastic bags. “Let’s keep the purest of all lands clean,” read a sign on a large garbage container. The Hajj, usually one of the world’s largest annual religious gatherings, is among the five pillars of Islam and must be undertaken by all Muslims with the means at least once in their lives. In 2019, as in previous years, some 2.5 million Muslims from around the world took part, a figure that dropped to a few thousand in 2020 and 60,000 in 2021. Even though the crowds are back, Covid fears remain and the Hajj is taking place against the backdrop of a resurgence in the region, with some Gulf countries tightening restrictions to keep outbreaks in check. All participants were required to submit proof of full vaccination and negative PCR tests. On reaching their white-tent encampment at Mina on Thursday, they were handed small bags containing masks and sanitiser.

The pilgrimage can be physically draining even in ideal conditions, but worshippers this year have faced an added challenge: scorching sun and temperatures rising to 42 degrees Celsius (108 degrees Fahrenheit). Islam forbids men from wearing hats once the rites start, and many have been seen shielding themselves with umbrellas, prayer mats and even, in one case, a small bucket filled with water. Women, meanwhile, are obliged to cover their heads with scarves. “We can tolerate (the heat). We are here for the Hajj. The more we tolerate, the more our pilgrimage is accepted,” Laila, a 64-year-old Iraqi pilgrim who gave only her first name, told AFP in Makkah, where the rituals started. Saudi officials have touted their preparations for the extreme conditions, highlighting the hundreds of hospital beds allocated for heatstroke patients and the “large number of misting fans” they have provided. A truck has also been allocated to distribute umbrellas, water bottles and small fans. Nevertheless, the National Center for Meteorology, which has set up an office in Mina, is sending warnings to pilgrims on their mobile phones, urging them to avoid outdoor rituals at certain times of the day, especially at noon. On Saturday, Muslim pilgrims will take part in the “stoning,” the last major ritual of the Hajj which has previously led to deadly stampedes, as hundreds of thousands of participants converge on a small space. After the stoning ritual, pilgrims return to the Grand Mosque in Makkah to perform a final “tawaf” or circling of the Kaaba, the cubic structure draped in a gold-embroidered black cloth that is the focal point of Islam. Eid Al-Adha, the feast of the sacrifice that begins on Saturday, marks the end of Hajj.

JEDDAH: In the past, every year at Eid Al-Adha, on the 13th of Dul Hijja, during the traditional “JoJo” Hijazi celebration the people of Makkah received Saudi pilgrims with songs and folkloric chants to honor their completion of the Hajj rituals.

Throughout the years, ways of receiving pilgrims after the Hajj changed and the JoJo celebration almost disappeared.

Atareek in Jeddah, located in Al-Tayebat International City of Science and Knowledge, Al-Faisaliyah District, aims to preserve Saudi and Hijazi traditions celebrating the JoJo.

• The name of JoJo is inspired by an Arabic word in a Hijazi accent, which translates as ‘They have arrived.’ It is part of a well-known folkloric chant that friends and family of pilgrims sing during the celebration.

• JoJo used to celebrate children who went for Hajj with their parents for the first time, to motivate them and to introduce other youngsters to the rituals of Hajj. Later on, the celebration was held for both pilgrims and their children.

Shareefa Al-Sudairi, the founder of Atareek, which has been operating for more than ten years, told Arab News: “Through Atareek, we are trying to revive everything related to the Hijazi heritage and also to represent many cultures of the Kingdom from different regions to help the new generations discover and know about the beautiful traditions of their ancestors.”

The name of JoJo is inspired by an Arabic word in a Hijazi accent, which translates as “They have arrived.” It is part of a well-known folkloric chant that friends and family of pilgrims sing during the celebration.

JoJo used to celebrate children who went for Hajj with their parents for the first time, to motivate them and to introduce other youngsters to the rituals of Hajj. Later on, the celebration was held for both pilgrims and their children.

Al-Sudairi said that one of the highlights of the celebration is when the place is filled with children’s laughter, JoJo chants, and candies.

“Pilgrims sit on the floor, and children gather around them, holding the tips of a sheet over pilgrims’ heads filled with the “noql” type of old Hijazi candies.

“Then they start spinning around while chanting and holding the sheet, and then they finally strew candies all over the place and compete for who will collect more nogl than the other.” Al-Sudairi said.

Nogl candy consists of chickpeas, almonds, pistachios, walnuts, gums, coins and banknotes.

“What we have found during the ten years is that the Hijaz heritage is indeed international; it brings together different cultures linked to many countries,” she said.

“Whenever guests come to Atareek from Morocco, Spain, Egypt, Palestine and other countries, they were able to spot many related cultural heritage elements that remind them of their countries,” Al-Sudairi said.

Atareek is a museum, an art gallery, and a place for celebrations-themed Hijazi folk culture. It receives visits from schools and tourists from all over the world, including several embassies and consulates, as it is considered a landmark accompanying the Abdul Raouf Khalil Museum.

It is characterized by authentic Hijazi heritage, including several paintings on Hijaz themes such as crafts, trades, Saudi coffee and Hajj caravans.

These paintings change throughout the year, gifted by Saudi artists from Abdul Raouf Khalil’s art studio. Many other antique pieces dating back more than 50 years have been donated by well-known Hijazi families to help Atareek preserve and revive Hijazi heritage.

The venue also features large wooden benches called karweet and mirkaz, a type of furniture that is no longer used due to the availability of many other comfortable options.

These benches are usually decorated with “Arabesque,” a type of ancient Islamic art connected to Islamic architecture featuring intricate geometric forms and which require skillful craftsmenship.

Atareek also aims to shed light on the most popular Saudi dishes inspired by all regions of the Kingdom — such as balila, mugalgal, mandi lamb, and Saudi white coffee — served during the JoJo celebration and on the first days of Eid Al-Fitr and Eid Al-Adha.

Al-Sudairi said: “Our utensils are all inspired by what our ancestors used to use, including copper utensils to provide the most authentic experience possible.”

Ninety years ago, the buildings of the first Saudi state were lit by ancient copper lanterns called Atareek, which inspired the name of the venue.

“The word Atareek means lanterns in a Hijazi accent. I gave it this name as the old lanterns are literally used for lightening here, where in the past the presence of these lanterns by the door of any home was used to indicate that there is a happy occasion taking place in that home,” Al-Sudairi said.

JEDDAH: Ramzan Kadyrov, head of the Chechen Republic, arrived in the city of Jeddah, in western Saudi Arabia, on Friday to perform the Hajj pilgrimage, the Saudi Press Agency reported. Upon his arrival at King Abdulaziz International Airport, he was received by Ahmed Abdullah bin Dhafer, director-general of the Royal Protocol Office in Makkah, and a number of officials. Kadyrov arrived in Jeddah from Madinah, where he visited the Prophet’s Mosque and performed prayers earlier on Friday. At the Prophet’s Mosque, he was received by the Assistant Undersecretary for Public Relations and Institutional Communication Jamaan bin Abdullah Al-Asiri, the Commander of the Security Force of the Prophet’s Mosque, Col. Mutaib Al-Badrani, and a number of officials.

ARAFAT: About a million worshippers have begun moving back to Mina through Muzdalifah in preparation for the final stages of their Hajj after earlier converging to witness the Arafat sermon, the most important ritual.

A few minutes after sunset, the pilgrims began moving to the open but rocky plains of Muzdalifah, where they will pray the Maghrib and Isha and collect pebbles for the stoning of the devil ritual at Jamrat Al-Aqabah on Saturday, which is the first day of Eid Al-Adha and the 10th day of Dhul Hijjah.

The following three days — Sunday, Monday and Tuesday — are the days of Tashreeq, on which the pilgrims will throw seven stones on each of the small, medium and big Jamarat.

Ambulances are accompanying the bus caravans on their way to Muzdalifah, while security patrols are enforcing intervals between the vehicles to ensure a smooth traffic flow.

Some pilgrims are traveling on foot via the 25-km walkway that connects Arafat with Mina through Muzdalifah, and is the longest of its kind in the world.

RIYADH: The Mashaer trains have been approved to operate during this year’s Hajj to ensure the rapid movement of pilgrims between Mina, Arafat and Muzdalifah, according to the Hajj Affairs and Transport Department.

The use of this advanced railway system has resulted in the reduction of 50,000 buses from the roads between the holy sites. It was not fully operational during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The trains travel up to 120 kilometers an hour, completing the distance between Arafat and Mina in 13 minutes, and Arafat and Muzdalifah in seven.

• Railway lines reduce bottlenecks on the roads and travel time for Hajj pilgrims.

• The Al-Haramain high- speed train also in service between Madinah, Jeddah and Makkah.

On June 16, Saudi Minister of Transport and Logistics Saleh Al-Jasser inspected the train stations in preparation for the influx of pilgrims.

According to the transport department, every year a total of 20 trains, each 300 meters in length, and with a capacity of 3,500 pilgrims, transports about 70,000 pilgrims in an hour, and around 420,000 pilgrims over six hours between the holy sites, which includes the station at the Jamarat bridge.

The railway company has hired young citizens for seasonal jobs during the Hajj to assist pilgrims. It has also contracted a security company to oversee the boarding of pilgrims onto the Mashaer trains.

The security company specializes in crowd management and training, and have recruited Saudi nationals who speak several foreign languages.

The Mashaer railway lines, which opened on Nov. 13, 2010, was constructed on 22 months.

It initially operated at 35 percent capacity, and later at 100 percent when a driverless system was introduced in 2011.

Saudi Arabia also inaugurated the Al-Haramain high-speed railway in October 2018, that operates between Makkah and Madinah through Jeddah and King Abdullah Economic City in Rabigh.

The trains operate over 450 kilometers of track and at speeds of up to 300 kilometers an hour, a fast, convenient, and safe way to travel between the holy cities.

Sharing his experience of traveling on the Al-Haramain train, Mohammed Zeyad, a public relations manager in Riyadh, told Arab News: “It was a great experience for me, and I’d love to do it again. It’s very clean, safe, fast, and time saving. I traveled from Makkah to Madinah, which took three hours."

“The staff working on the train and on stations are friendly and cooperative, displaying an excellent sense of hospitality. Tickets can be booked easily online,” he added. “It’s a very helpful transport initiative.”

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman sent congratulatory cables to leaders of Muslim countries to extend greetings on the advent of Eid Al-Adha, Saudi Press Agency reported on Friday. The king and crown prince sent the cables “in the interest of communicating with their fellow leaders of Islamic countries every year on the blessed occasion,” SPA said. They also wished for more happy returns, while calling for further progress and prosperity, and lasting security and stability for the Islamic nation. King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman also received cables from Muslim leaders to offer greetings on Eid Al-Adha, and the two leaders sent reply telegrams thanking them for their well-wishes. Eid Al-Adha, the second and biggest of the two main holidays celebrated in Islam, begins on Saturday and will continue until Tuesday.