Thousands of white-clad Muslims, in buses, cars and on foot chanting “Labbaik Allahumma Labbaik” (Here I am, O Allah, here I am), reached Mina on Wednesday in the first leg of the annual pilgrimage. The procession will proceed to Arafat on Thursday. Nearly 2 million pilgrims have come from abroad for what is described as the largest gathering of Muslims in the world. They are joined by nearly 1 million from within Saudi Arabia, including a large number of expatriates. The pilgrims will leave for Maidan-e-Arafat early Thursday morning where they will stay till sunset and offer prayers the whole day seeking forgiveness and blessings from Almighty Allah. Waqoof (Stay in Arfat) is one of the major parts of Haj rituals, observed on the 9th of Zilhaj of the Islamic calendar. Mufti-e-Azam Saudi Arabia will deliver the Haj sermon from Masjid-e-Nimra.
