Hajj Pilgrimage - 2011

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Transcript of Hajj Pilgrimage - 2011

Hajj pilgrimage to MeccaNovember 2011

• Muslims make their way to the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, for the annual hajj pilgrimage. The five-day observance, which ended Tuesday, draws up to 3 million visitors each year, making it the largest yearly gathering of people in the world.

• Chanting "God is great," millions of Muslims on Sunday stoned pillars representing the devil in a symbolic rejection of temptation on the second day of their annual hajj pilgrimage, a day that also marks the start of the Islamic holiday of Eid al-Adha.Vast crowds cast pebbles as they flowed past the three pillars, which now resemble curved walls, in a four-level sprawling concrete structure built to expedite the flow of pilgrims. The ritual will be repeated for two more days, with participants eventually throwing stones at all three pillars.The ritual in the desert valley of Mina commemorates Abraham's stoning of the devil, who is said to have appeared three times to the prophet to tempt him.

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The Grand Mosque is seen from the top of the Hira cave near Mecca.

November 2, 2011 - Mecca, Saudi Arabia

Photo; Hassan Ammar

November 2, 2011 - Mecca, Saudi Arabia

Photo: Hassan Ammar

A Muslim pilgrim prays as visits the Hiraa cave at the top of Noor Mountain.

Muslim pilgrims visit the Hiraa cave, at the top of Noor Mountain.

November 2, 2011 - Mecca, Saudi Arabia

Photo: Hassan Ammar

Birds fly over Muslim pilgrims near the Grand Mosque.

November 3, 2011 - Saudi holy city of Mecca

Photo: Fayez Nureldine

Photo: Hassan Ammar

Tens of thousands of Muslim pilgrims move around the Kaaba (center) inside the Grand Mosque.

November 3, 2011 - Mecca, Saudi Arabia

Tens of thousands of Muslim pilgrims move around the Kaaba, seen at center, inside the Grand Mosque.

November 3, 2011 - Mecca, Saudi Arabia

Photo: Hassan Ammar

Tens of thousands of Muslim pilgrims pray at the Grand Mosque.

Nov. 3, 2011 - Mecca, Saudi Arabia

Photo: Hassan Ammar

Hundreds of thousands of pilgrims gather at the Grand Mosque.

Photo: Wang Bo

November 3, 2011 - Mecca, Saudi Arabia

Tens of thousands of Muslim pilgrims pray outside and inside the Grand Mosque.

November 3, 2011 - Mecca, Saudi Arabia

Photo: Hassan Ammar

Tens of thousands of Muslim pilgrims pray outside and inside the Grand Mosque.

November 3, 2011 - Mecca, Saudi Arabia

Photo: Hassan Ammar

Tens of thousands of Muslim pilgrims pray inside the Grand Mosque.

November 4, 2011 - Mecca, Saudi Arabia

Photo: Hassan Ammar

Muslim pilgrims head to pray on a rocky hill called the Mountain of Mercy, on the Plain of Arafat.

November 4, 2011 - Mecca, Saudi Arabia

Photo: Hassan Ammar

Muslim pilgrims head to pray on a rocky hill called the Mountain of Mercy, on the Plain of Arafat near Mecca. The annual Islamic pilgrimage draws 2.5 million visitors each year, making it the largest yearly gathering of people in the world.

Photo: Hassan Ammar

November 4, 2011 - Mecca, Saudi Arabia

Tens of thousands of Muslim pilgrims pray inside the Grand Mosque.

Novemer 4, 2011 - Mecca, Saudi Arabia

Photo: Hassan Ammar

Saudi special forces stand guard as Muslim pilgrims pray during Friday prayers at the Grand Mosque.

Novemer 4, 2011 - Mecca, Saudi Arabia

Photo: Hassan Ammar

Muslim pilgrims pray in the shade of on of the minarets of the Grand Mosque.

Novemer 4, 2011 - Mecca, Saudi Arabia

Photo: Hassan Ammar

Muslim pilgrims pray on a rocky hill called the Mountain of Mercy, on the Plain of Arafat.

November 4, 2011 - Mecca, Saudi Arabia

Photo: Hassan Ammar

Muslim pilgrim pray outside Namira mosque in Arafat.

Novemer 5, 2011 - Mecca, Saudi Arabia

Photo: Hassan Ammar

Muslim pilgrim pray outside Namira mosque in Arafat.

Novemer 5, 2011 - Mecca, Saudi Arabia

Photo: Hassan Ammar

Muslim pilgrims climb a rocky hill called the Mountain of Mercy, on the Plain of Arafat.

Novemer 5, 2011 - Mecca, Saudi Arabia

Photo: Hassan Ammar

Muslim pilgrims climb a rocky hill called the Mountain of Mercy on the Plain of Arafat.

Novemer 5, 2011 - Mecca, Saudi Arabia

Photo: Hassan Ammar

On Saturday, the second day of the hajj pilgrimage, Muslims gather in the desert plain of Arafat.

Photo: Amel Pain

Novemer 5, 2011 - Mecca, Saudi Arabia

Muslim pilgrims pray on a rocky hill called the Mountain of Mercy, on the Plain of Arafat.

Novemer 5, 2011 - Mecca, Saudi Arabia

Photo: Hassan Ammar

Muslim pilgrims pray on a rocky hill called the Mountain of Mercy, on the Plain of Arafat.

Novemer 5, 2011 - Mecca, Saudi Arabia

Photo: Hassan Ammar

Muslims arrive in Mina on Sunday for the stoning ritual.

Photo: Ammar Awad

Novemer 6, 2011 - Mecca, Saudi Arabia

Thousands of Muslim pilgrims arrive to throw pebbles at pillars during the "Jamarat" ritual, the stoning of Satan, in Mina near the holy city of Mecca.

Photo: Fayez Nureldine

Novemer 6, 2011 - Mecca, Saudi Arabia

A crowd of Muslim pilgrims make their way to throw cast stones at a pillar, symbolizing the stoning of Satan, in a ritual called "Jamarat," the last rite of the annual hajj, in Mina.

Novemer 6, 2011 - Mecca, Saudi Arabia

Photo: Hassan Ammar

Muslim women pilgrims make their way to throw cast stones at a pillar, symbolizing the stoning of Satan, in a ritual called "Jamarat," the last rite of the annual hajj.

Novemer 6, 2011 - Mecca, Saudi Arabia

Photo: Hassan Ammar

Muslim pilgrims cast stones at a pillar, symbolizing the stoning of Satan, in a ritual called "Jamarat," the last rite of the annual hajj, in Mina near the Saudi holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia.

Photo: Hassan Ammar

Novemer 6, 2011 - Mecca, Saudi Arabia

Muslim pilgrims cast stones at a pillar, symbolizing the stoning of Satan, in a ritual called "Jamarat," the last rite of the annual hajj, in Mina.

Novemer 6, 2011 - Mecca, Saudi Arabia

Photo: Hassan Ammar

Novemer 6, 2011 - Mecca, Saudi Arabia

Photo: Hassan Ammar

Muslim pilgrims cast stones at a pillar, symbolizing the stoning of Satan, in a ritual called "Jamarat," the last rite of the annual hajj, in Mina.

Novemer 6, 2011 - Mecca, Saudi Arabia

Photo: Hassan Ammar

Muslim pilgrims cast stones at a pillar, symbolizing the stoning of Satan, in a ritual called "Jamarat," the last rite of the annual hajj, in Mina.

Muslim pilgrims protect their heads from stones thrown by others at a pillar, symbolizing the stoning of Satan, in a ritual called "Jamarat," the last rite of the annual hajj, in Mina.

Photo: Hassan Ammar

Novemer 6, 2011 - Mecca, Saudi Arabia

Muslim pilgrims cast stones at a pillar, symbolizing the stoning of Satan, in a ritual called "Jamarat," the last rite of the annual hajj, in Mina.

Novemer 6, 2011 - Mecca, Saudi Arabia

Photo: Hassan Ammar

The Mecca CLock Tower dominates the city as Muslim pilgrims walking around the Kaaba in the Grand Mosque of the holy city of Mecca during the annual Hajj pilgrimage rituals.

Novemer 7, 2011 - Mecca, Saudi Arabia

Photo: Fayez Nureldine

Tents of Muslim pilgrims recede into the distance at Mina, Saudi Arabia.

Novemer 7, 2011 - Mecca, Saudi Arabia

Ammar Awad

Mina, Saudi Arabia — Muslims cast stones at a pillar symbolizing the devil as part of one of the hajj rituals called jamarah on Tuesday.

Novemer 8, 2011 - Mecca, Saudi Arabia

Photo: Hassan Ammar

Photo: Cheryl Ravelo

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