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  "path": "/partner/hajj-2026",
  "publishedAt": "2026-05-27T08:45:37.000Z",
  "site": "https://nukta.com",
  "textContent": "\n\n\n\nMore than 1.7 million Muslim pilgrims gathered in the valley of Mina, southeast of Mecca, on Wednesday to perform the stoning of the devil, the climactic final ritual of the annual Hajj pilgrimage.\n\nCrowds threw pebbles at three concrete pillars symbolizing Satan from dawn, marking one of the most significant rites of Islam's holiest pilgrimage.\n\n### Why do Muslims perform the stoning of the devil during Hajj?\n\nThe ritual reenacts Prophet Ibrahim's stoning of Satan at three locations where the devil is believed to have tried to dissuade him from obeying God's command to sacrifice his son Ismail. Pilgrims hurl seven small pebbles at each of three walls, known as the Jamarat, over the days of Tashreeq. The act is a symbolic rejection of evil and an affirmation of submission to God.\n\n### What happens during and after the stoning ritual?\n\nSaudi authorities managed the movement of over 1.7 million worshippers at the multi-level Jamarat Bridge to ensure crowd safety and the smooth flow of pilgrims. After the stoning, pilgrims perform an animal sacrifice, shave or trim their hair, and complete a final circumambulation of the Kaaba, the cuboid structure at the heart of the Grand Mosque in Mecca toward which Muslims turn when they pray. This final day of Hajj coincides with Eid al-Adha, the festival commemorating Ibrahim's willingness to sacrifice his son before the angel Gabriel intervened and provided a goat in Ismail's place.\n\nThe festival is traditionally marked by the slaughter of a sheep, with a portion of the meat distributed to those in need. The pilgrimage is a requirement for all Muslims to complete at least once in their lifetime, provided they have the means to do so.\n\n### What conditions did pilgrims face at Hajj 2026?\n\nThis year's Hajj took place under intense heat, with temperatures reaching 45 degrees Celsius on Tuesday as pilgrims prayed atop Mount Arafat, where the Prophet Muhammad is believed to have delivered his final sermon. Pilgrims then spent the night under the stars at Muzdalifah, between Arafat and Mina, where they collected the pebbles used in the stoning ritual.\n\nThe pilgrimage has, for the third consecutive year, been overshadowed by conflict. The ongoing US-Israeli war with Iran, which has drawn in Gulf nations, cast a shadow over proceedings, though a fragile ceasefire in place since April 8 has largely halted active fighting. Diplomatic efforts to reach a definitive end to the war have so far proved inconclusive.",
  "title": "Hajj 2026: Pilgrims perform stoning of the devil in climactic final ritual at Mina"
}