The sacred Hajj rituals have begun, with the plains of Arafat resonating with millions of pilgrims from across the globe chanting “Labbaik Allahumma Labbaik” (Here I am, O Allah, here I am). Dressed in the traditional seamless white ihram garments, worshippers including thousands of Bangladeshi pilgrims, departed Mina for Arafat before sunrise on Thursday (9th Dhul-Hijjah), required to reach the holy site before Zuhr prayers.
According to the Religious Affairs Ministry, this year’s pilgrimage sees 86,958 Bangladeshis among approximately 1.47 million international participants, with local pilgrims potentially bringing the total to 2 million. The standing at Arafat forms the central rite of Hajj, where worshippers combine shortened Zuhr and Asr prayers while listening to sermons delivered from Masjid-e-Namirah at Arafat’s periphery.
Pilgrims arrived in Arafat on Wednesday (8th Dhul-Hijjah) after assuming ihram and offering Fajr prayers in Mina. The following day will witness the traditional sacrificial rites. The rituals continue with pilgrims spending the night under open skies at Muzdalifah after combining Maghrib and Asr prayers, where they collect pebbles for the upcoming stoning ceremonies.
On Eid day (10th Dhul-Hijjah), worshippers proceed to stone Jamrat al-Aqaba with seven pebbles before performing sacrifices – now streamlined through Saudi government’s SMS notification system. This marks their transition from ihram to regular clothing after hair trimming, followed by Tawaf around the Kaaba and the Sa’i between Safa and Marwah hills.
The subsequent days (11th-12th Dhul-Hijjah) require pilgrims to continue stoning all three Jamarat daily with 21 pebbles total. Those performing optional Tawaf must return to Mina overnight, while special provisions allow women, elderly and physically weak pilgrims to conduct the stoning at night for convenience. Throughout this spiritual journey, from the initial ihram assumption to the final rites, the constant refrain of “Labbaik” maintains the pilgrims’ connection to the divine, uniting diverse worshippers in this profound act of devotion.