The ritual takes place on the first day of Eid al-Adha, one of the most important holidays in Islam.
Pilgrims embarked on a symbolic stoning of the devil in Saudi Arabia on Sunday, under extreme heat. This ritual marks the final days of Hajj and the start of Eid al-Adha celebrations for Muslims around the world.
Stoning is one of the last rites of the Hajj, which is one of the five pillars of Islam. It came a day after more than 1.8 million pilgrims gathered at a sacred hill, known as Mount Ararat, outside the holy city of Mecca, where Muslim pilgrims go to perform the five days of annual Hajj rituals.
The pilgrims left Mount Arafat on Saturday evening to spend the night at a nearby site called Muzdalifa, where they collected stones to symbolically stone a stele representing the devil.
The stele is found in another sacred place in Mecca, Mina, where Muslims believe Ibrahim’s faith was tested when God ordered him to sacrifice his only son Ismail. Ibrahim was ready to submit to the order, but God spared his son. In both Christian and Jewish versions of the story, Abraham is ordered to kill his other son, Isaac.
On Sunday morning, crowds headed towards the stoning areas on foot. Most pilgrims had umbrellas to protect themselves from the scorching sun.
Despite the stifling heat, many pilgrims expressed their joy at having been able to complete their pilgrimage.
“Thank God the process took place with joy and good humor,” said Abdel-Moaty Abu Ghoneima, an Egyptian pilgrim. “No one wants more than that.”
Many pilgrims will spend up to three days in Mina, each throwing seven pebbles at three pillars in a ritual symbolizing the expulsion of evil and sin.
These rites coincide with the four days of Eid al-Adha, which means “festival of sacrifice”.
Most countries celebrated Eid al-Adha on Sunday. Others, like Indonesia, will celebrate it on Monday.
Once the Hajj is completed, men are expected to shave their heads and remove the white shroud-like clothing they wear during the pilgrimage, and women are expected to cut off a lock of hair as a sign of renewal and rebirth.
Most pilgrims then leave Mecca for Medina, about 340 kilometers away, to pray at the tomb of the Prophet Muhammad, the Sacred Chamber. The tomb is part of the Prophet’s Mosque, one of the three holiest sites in Islam, along with the Grand Mosque in Mecca and the Al Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem.
All Muslims are required to perform Hajj once in their lifetime, if they are physically and financially capable. Many wealthy Muslims perform the pilgrimage more than once.
More than 1.83 million Muslims performed Hajj in 2024, according to Saudi Minister of Hajj and Umrah, Tawfiq bin Fawzan al-Rabiah, during a briefing.