The plains of Arafat reverberated with the sacred talbiyah prayers – “Labbaik Allahumma Labbaik” (Here I am, O Allah, here I am) – as over 2.5 million pilgrims, including 87,000 Bangladeshis, gathered on Thursday (8th Dhul-Hijjah) for the pinnacle of Hajj rituals. The sea of white-clad worshippers stood united in devotion from dawn until sunset, seeking divine mercy and spiritual purification at Islam’s holiest gathering.
Renowned Islamic scholar and Imam and Khateeb of Masjid al-Haram Dr Sheikh Saleh bin Humaid delivered the Hajj sermon at Masjid-e-Namirah before Zuhr prayers. Pilgrims remained immersed in worship throughout the day, reciting prayers and seeking forgiveness before departing for Muzdalifah after Maghrib.
Following sunset, pilgrims proceeded to Muzdalifah where they combined Maghrib and Isha prayers, spending the night under open skies while collecting pebbles for the symbolic stoning of Satan at Mina. At dawn on 10th Dhul-Hijjah, they will perform four essential rites: stone-throwing at Jamarat al-Aqaba, animal sacrifice (qurbani), shaving or trimming hair, and finally, Tawaf al-Ziyarah (circumambulation of Kaaba).
The rituals continue on 11th-12th Dhul-Hijjah with stoning all three Jamarat before pilgrims perform the farewell Tawaf, completing their Hajj.
With temperatures soaring to 44°C, Saudi authorities barred 269,000 unauthorised pilgrims from entering Makkah. Meanwhile, four Bangladeshi scholars from Umm al-Qura University – Dr Khalilur Rahman, AFM Wahidur Rahman, Mubinur Rahman, and Najmus Sakib – are translating the Hajj sermon into Bengali.
Bangladesh’s Hajj delegation leader Dr AFM Khalid Hossain and Religious Affairs Secretary AKM Aftab Hossain Pramanik met with Dr Sheikh Saleh bin Humaid in Mina to discuss pilgrimage arrangements.