Muslims climb Mount Arafat in hajj high point

The numbers are down because of the absence of tens of thousands of Iranians over tensions between their Shiite nation and the Sunni-dominated Gulf kingdom.

While following a route the Prophet Muhammad once walked, the rites of hajj are believed to ultimately trace the footsteps of the prophets Ibrahim and Ismail, or Abraham and Ishmael as they are named in the Bible.

For the first time in almost three decades, 64,000 pilgrims from Iran are not participating in the hajj, after the regional rivals failed to agree on security and logistics.

Amidst tight security by the Saudi authorities, about three million Muslims from across the world, yesterday, relocated to Muna ahead of today’s Arafat, climaxing the 2016 Muslims pilgrimage.

“I have prayed to God to have mercy on us, give us relief and resolve Syria’s crisis”, said Um Fadi, wearing a traditional long black embroidered dress and head scarf native to her home in southern Syria.

A vast expanse of white fireproof tents has been pitched at Mina, to accommodate in excess of 2.5 million pilgrims.

Yet resentment ran deep in the ranks of the Iranian faithful who were barred from Makkah, where the hajj got under way on Saturday.

The hajj is one of the world’s largest pilgrimages.

But unlike in the previous exercises, this year’s critical religious exercise is being conducted under very security, apparently to avoid last year’s stampede at the stoning of the devil, at Jamarat, which led to the loss of over 2000 lives.

The issue of capacity in Mecca has resurfaced as a topic of worldwide concern following last year’s haj disaster, when a crush in the Mina tent city area killed hundreds of pilgrims.

Saudi Arabia announced an investigation into the disaster but no results have ever been released, although a number of safety measures have been taken.

AFP found pilgrims wearing the new bracelets which authorities aim to give each of the more than 1.4 million faithful from overseas, who are expected to be joined by more than 100,000 Muslims residing in Saudi Arabia.

The newspaper did not give a reason for the change.

Digital bracelets have also been issued to the pilgrims to help identify and guide them in the congestion.

“It’s better organised this time”, he said in Mina.

Iran maintains Saudi Arabia doesn’t deserve to manage the holy sites, while Saudi Arabia accuses Iran of making unfair demands for the pilgrimage.

Despite the safety and security measures which Saudi Arabia says it has taken, Iran has questioned the kingdom’s custodianship of Islam’s holiest places.

For the first time in nearly three decades, Iranians will not participate in this year’s pilgrimage to Makkah after talks on logistics and security fell apart.

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“In Iran, the pilgrims… pay to get a visa and go to Hajj”.