Pilgrims at the Sacred House of God continue to throw pebbles at the Jamrat in Mina on the second day of Tashreeq today, Friday, while those who are in a hurry prepare to head to the Kaaba to perform the Farewell Tawaf, marking the conclusion of the Hajj rituals.
Those in a hurry must throw the pebbles at the small, medium, and then the large Jamrat before sunset today, otherwise, they must spend the night in Mina. The Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported: "The movement of pilgrims towards the Jamrat Bridge has been smooth, whether they are going to throw the pebbles or returning to their residences in Mina or heading to Mecca to perform the Farewell Tawaf for those who are in a rush."
**Tashreeq Days**
The three days of Tashreeq follow the day of Eid al-Adha, during which pilgrims throw pebbles in Mina, the largest tent city in the world, located east of Mecca and six kilometers away from the Sacred Mosque.
**Sacrificial Meat**
The days of Tashreeq were named as such because pilgrims used to dry the meat of the sacrificial animals by placing them in the sun to preserve them.
Pilgrims threw the pebbles on the first day of Tashreeq yesterday, Thursday, after performing the rites of the Day of Sacrifice on Wednesday, which included throwing the large Jamrat, the sacrifice, and shaving or shortening hair before heading to Mecca for the Tawaf al-Ifadah, preparing for their release from the state of Ihram. Previously, they had moved to Muzdalifah from the plains of Arafat, where they performed the greatest pillar of Hajj.
**Ministry of Hajj**
The Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah stated that the number of pilgrims has reached 1,845,000 from over 150 countries, including approximately 185,000 from within the Kingdom. Expectations indicated that the number of pilgrims would exceed two and a half million this year. In January, Saudi Arabia announced the cancellation of all COVID-19 pandemic restrictions for this Hajj season and would host the same number of pilgrims as before the pandemic spread.
Hajj is a major source of income for the Kingdom. The economic reform plan adopted by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman aims to increase the capacity of Umrah and Hajj to 30 million pilgrims annually and achieve revenues of 50 billion Saudi riyals (13.32 billion dollars) by the year 2030.
**Air Ambulance**
Saudi authorities have emphasized the necessity for pilgrims to adhere to preventive measures, avoid direct sunlight exposure, refrain from standing in long queues, and increase water intake to prevent heat stress, which is the most common illness among pilgrims.
The authorities provide air ambulance services as part of their care for pilgrims and to ensure their safety during the performance of rituals at the Sacred Mosque and the holy sites. The authorities have helicopters equipped for emergencies, such as the stampede incident that occurred in 2015.
