Muslims worldwide observed Eid al-Adha, commemorating the Prophet Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son, as pilgrims in western Saudi Arabia performed the final major rite of the hajj, known as the’stoning of the devil.’
At dawn, the approximately 1.8 million Muslims performing the hajj pilgrimage this year began ritually stoning three concrete structures representing the devil in the Mina valley, situated outside Mecca, Islam’s most sacred city, casting seven stones at each wall in a symbolic gesture.
The ancient ritual reenacts the legendary moment when Abraham, the patriarch, hurled stones at the devil at three distinct locations, marking the spots where Satan attempted to tempt him from fulfilling God’s command to sacrifice his beloved son, Ismail (Ishmael).
The stoning ceremony has a history of tragic stampedes, including the devastating 2015 incident that claimed the lives of up to 2,300 pilgrims, making it the deadliest Hajj disaster on record.
As a result, the site has undergone significant renovations to improve crowd management and ensure the safety of the millions of worshippers who gather there.
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