Haj sermon calls for forging unity, averting discord

ARAFAT (MAKKAH): Sheikh Yusuf bin Muhammad bin Saeed, the Imam of Masjid Namarah, at Arafat on Tuesday made a clarion call for the Muslim Ummah to forge unity and cohesion among their ranks to reap the benefits in this world and the Hereafter. It would surely lead to the salvation of the Ummah in addition to averting any discords or divisions, he said while addressing a diverse and mammoth gathering of Muslims from around the world.

The sermon was being heard by hundreds of thousands of Muslim pilgrims who crowded the Mount Arafat to pray at the height of an annual Haj.

The Imam, Sheikh Yusuf bin Muhammad bin Saeed, made unity a cause for salvation, and division a cause for punishment. Quoting the verses from the Holy Quran, he reaffirmed the main articles of faith -- the Oneness of Allah and the Prophethood of Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him).

The sermon highlighted the teachings of the Holy Prophet (PBUH), which emphasized unity, cooperation, and the prohibition of disputes and conflicts. It underscored the unifying role of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), who was commanded to convey the message of Allah and bring unity among his followers.

The sermon cited the Quranic verses and the sayings of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) to underscore their importance in the lives of Muslims. It further stressed that linguistic, racial, and ethnic differences and divisions should not lead to any discord among Muslims.

He urged the Muslims to strengthen social, familial, and spiritual bonds and to uphold ties of kinship. He emphasized kindness and goodness towards relatives, neighbours, and the needy while promoting cooperation in righteousness and Taqwa.

The sermon also cautioned the Muslims against following rumours and disinformation that aimed to create divisions and disunity.

According to traditional sayings of the prophet, the Day of Arafat is the most sacred day of the year, when God draws near to the faithful and forgives their sins. By 4am on Tuesday, the hill’s 70-metre-high (40 feet) summit was packed with believers.

They climbed over its rough outcroppings, hauling their personal belongings with them and looking for an open spot.

The ritual at Arafat was attended more than 1.8 million pilgrims had joined this year’s rituals, making it the largest since the Covid-19 pandemic but still short of the more than 2.5 million that authorities expected, the kingdom’s statistics authority said. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman arrived in Mina to assess the well-being of worshippers and the quality of services provided there, according to the official Saudi Press Agency.

The visit came as temperatures soared to their highest levels since the Haj started on Sunday. The health ministry has recorded at least 287 cases of heat stroke and exhaustion since the start of Haj, state media. Six field hospitals with more than 300 beds have been arranged in Arafat, Yasser Bair, a Saudi defence ministry official, told the state-run Al Ekhbariya TV.

Among the pilgrims are amputees from Syria, who rested, with their artificial limbs beside them, at a tent near Mount Arafat. Some took selfies under the clear burning sky before flocking down Mount Arafat after sunset, heading to nearby Muzdalifah where they will spend the night praying.

Overnight and on Wednesday, they will gather pebbles and hurl them at three concrete walls in the symbolic “stoning of the devil” ritual before animal sacrifice, shedding of the Ahram and hair shave or a cut. Then they will return to Holy Kaaba for a final circumambulation, ending the essential three-day process.