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| December 12, 2008 | (Use j/k keys to navigate) |
The Hajj and Eid al-Adha
Yesterday marked the end of the Muslim festival Eid al-Adha, or "Feast of Sacrifice" - which also marks the end of the Hajj, the annual pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia. One of the pillars of Islamic faith, the Hajj must be carried out at least once in their lifetime by any Muslim who has the ability to do so. This year, nearly 3 million Muslims made the Hajj, without major incident, and are now returning to their homes across the world. Muslims who stayed closer to home celebrated Eid al-Adha, commemorating the the willingness of Ibrahim (Abraham) to sacrifice his son to God. Traditional practices include ritual prayers, the sacrifice of animals (usually sheep), distribution of the meat amongst family, friends and the poor, and visiting with relatives. (41 photos total)

Muslim pilgrims perform the "Tawaf" ritual around the Kaaba at Mecca's Grand Mosque before leaving the holy Saudi city at the end of the annual Hajj pilgrimage on December 10, 2008. The official Saudi News Agency (SPA) reported that the most recent statistics put the total number of pilgrims this year at more than 2.4 million, almost 1.73 million from abroad and 679,000 from within the kingdom, mostly foreign residents. (KHALED DESOUKI/AFP/Getty Images)

Muslim pilgrims are seen inside a building where, for three days, they will cast stones at pillars symbolising Satan in Mina, Saudi Arabia on December 9, 2008. More than two million Muslim pilgrims performed a second round of stoning walls symbolising the devil on Tuesday, as Hajj pilgrimage rituals neared their end. (REUTERS/Ahmed Jadallah) #

Thousands of Muslim pilgrims cast stones at a pillar, symbolising stoning Satan, in a ritual called "Jamarat," the last and most dangerous rite of the annual hajj, near the Saudi holy city of Mina on December 8, 2008. To complete the ritual, a pilgrim must throw 21 pebbles at each of three 25-meter (82-foot) pillars and this year the faithful are being given pebbles in pre-packed bags to spare them the effort of searching for the stones. (KHALED DESOUKI/AFP/Getty Images) #

A Saudi worker sews Islamic calligraphy in gold thread on a drape to cover the Kaaba at the Kiswa factory in the holy city of Mecca on November 29, 2008. The Kaaba cover is called Kiswa and is changed every year at the culmination of the annual Hajj or pilgrimage. The Kaaba, Islam's holiest site which stands in the centre of Mecca's Grand Mosque, contains the holy Black Stone which is believed to be the only piece remaining from an altar built by Abraham. (KHALED DESOUKI/AFP/Getty Images) #

Salwa Al-Masri (back) makes tea for her family as her child helps prepare a humble celebration on the first day of the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha on December 08, 2008 in the Rafah Refugee Camp, Gaza Strip. Abed couldn't buy a sheep to slaughter as a part of Eid Al-Adha celebration. Most of the sacrificial animals in Gaza have been smuggled through tunnels between Rafah and Egypt as Israel still blocks their crossings with Gaza Strip. (Abid Katib/Getty Images) #

Plastic flowers and posters of the dead adorn hundreds of graves as Shiite Muslims visit the graves of loved ones at the Martyr's cemetery in the southern city of Najaf, some 160 kms from the capital Baghdad as Shiites mark the start of the Eid al-Adha on December 9 2008. (QASSEM ZEIN/AFP/Getty Images) #

A Palestinian smuggles a sheep into the Gaza Strip through a tunnel under the Egypt-Gaza border at Rafah on December 5, 2008. The Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha, or the Feast of the Sacrifice which commemorates Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son for God starts Dec. 8 during which sheep are traditionally slaughtered. The Rafah border post with Egypt is the only crossing into Gaza not controlled by Israel, which has enforced a blockade on the territory since Hamas, which Israel regards as a terrorist group, seized power there in 2007. (SAID KHATIB/AFP/Getty Images) #

A Member of the French Council for Muslim Communities visits defaced graves of Muslim World War I soldiers at the Notre-Dame-de-Lorette cemetery in Ablain-Saint-Nazaire, northern France, Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2008. Vandals desecrated at least 500 tombs of Muslim soldiers in northern France on Monday. The desecration near the town of Arras appeared timed with the start of Eid al-Adha, the most important holiday in the Muslim calendar. (AP Photo/Michel Spingler) #

A Muslim woman from southern Thailand prays near check-in counters in the departure hall of Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi airport in Thailand on November 29, 2008. Hundreds of Thai Muslims on a once-in-a-lifetime pilgrimage to Mecca spent many nights sleeping rough at Bangkok's international airport, due to anti-government protests that had paralyzed air travel. (REUTERS/Adrees Latif) #

A Muslim pilgrim reads the koran at Mount Arafat, southeast of the Saudi holy city of Mecca, on December 7, 2008. A human tide washed over Mount Arafat today morning as hundreds of thousands of devoted Muslims gathered for the key moment of the annual Hajj pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia. (KHALED DESOUKI/AFP/Getty Images) #
More links and information
Annual Hajj Pilgrimage Comes to a Close - NYTimes.com, 12/11
The Price of Progress: Transforming Islam’s Holiest Site - NYTimes.com 03.08.2007
The Hajj - Wikipedia Entry
Eid al-Adha - Wikipedia Entry
The Kaaba in Mecca - Google map
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subhan allah,
jazak allah,
Masha-allah!!!! Subhana-Allah... Al Humdu-Lillah..........
Who can deny Allah Subha nawh ta-Allah !!!
Amazing pictures indeed.
I am proud to see different cultures praising the same Creator.
These pictures speak louder than some of the comments !
We don't need to defend our religion. These pictures do that for us.
Proud to be a Muslim .
Wow!!! Amazing pictures....oh n amazing comments b4 me. To all my muslim brothers n sisters who's trying to explain to these people who doesnt know or don't even want to know about Islam,i suggest not to waste ur time in typing.. even if we read the whole meaning of Quran to them,the history of Islam or even lay out the miracles that's happening in this world to them...i don't think they will understand,coz Allah have not or not yet send Nur to their hearts,they have not seen and feel the Nur like we all do...maybe they will, insyaAllah! Before that day comes..these are what we,Muslims,have to face,insults,criticisms,tortures, wrong understanding etc etc...and it's all for good...in the End. Salam!
maslalah beautifuel pictures tehre
Allahu Akbar! Indeed the only religion in the sight of Allah (SWT) is Islam. No shaking.
to Jim, Yogi and truth bringer ....... I just can feel pity for you people. wait to taste the hellfire.
and Mr. hasan, it is useless to speak to these followers of Satan, because their minds are sealed. so just let them burn forever.
alhumdulilla. i m see above this photos in first time in my life, i realy thanks for soudi nation because there is giving good facility to all hajji's
MASHALLAH Wonderful pictures may ALLAH give all Muslims strength, Peace and Unity, and give us all courage and wisdom, so we may help those who are less fortunate than ourselves BISMILLAH.
Masya Allah, allah ya barik fiq
I do really happy being a moslem and proud being a true believer.
hoping our non moslem's brothers and sisters found their truth faith and praise the lord as they do believe after seen this images
I really feel very proud to be a Muslim!
everybody who goes to hajj or ummrah will become a hajee
to yogi,
if faith brings us to blindness and mental imprisonment, what is the way to enlightenment and freedom? if any by your opinion ?
To Ayoob Amojee,
Well, dozens of philosophers have expressed their views on that question!
To me, enlightenment and freedom can only come from seizing reality, not by surrendering to dreams and chimera.
Marvelling at the world wonders, diving into the human experience whatever its hardships, using one's mind for understanding, one's heart for feeling and one's body for doing, trying to do good to your kin, friends and mankind ... that's quite enough to give meaning to one's life and filling it to the fullest!
Mashallah, Subhallah.. By grace of All Mighty Allah I was a part of the Haj this year and it was an experience that cannot be put in words. May Allah bless all the Muslim brothers and sisters with journey of Hajj. I thank the person who has collated, rather taken such wonderful pictures
Great pictures. I was there performing hajj at that time, but I didn't realize how great it was. For example, the picture of tents in Mina. I never thought that it was that many people. (Yeah, I know the number - millions of people - but didn't recognize how big it was. :- )
Looking at the pictures reminds me of the journey and how great it was. How grateful and proud I am to be a Muslim.
Thank you ...
I'M PROUD TO BE A MUSLIM
Alhamdulillah...
I'm really lucky to be moslem... :)
Il y'a des gestes simples qui rappellent ce qu'est la Beauté
Des attitudes, des formes, des postures...
Une beauté qui ne ressemble pas à l'artifice...
mais qui surgit de la vie, des cultures, de la foi....
Il y'a des gestes simples qui rappellent ce qu'est la Beauté
Des attitudes, des formes, des postures...
Une beauté qui ne ressemble pas à l'artifice...
mais qui surgit de la vie, des cultures, de la foi....
MashAllah.. Am so glad im a born muslim..
We are deeply Blessed :)
Subhan Allah . Allah Subhana Wa Ta-ala may shawer his blessing on you, us & on all muslim brothers &sisters
SUBHAN ALLAH ,MAY GOD ALWAYS BLESS USS!!!!!!!!
These picturs are fatastic , mind blowing.Kamal efferts,Mumtaz photography.
May Allah Subhan Hu wa Tala give you a greaty award.
ALHAMDULILLAH MILLIONS OF THANK'S TO ALLAH THAT IM A BORN MUSLIM...
INSHA ALLAH VERY SOON I WILL PERFORM HAJ ALONGWITH MY FAMILY. PLEASE DO REMEMBER ME & MY FAMILY IN DUVA'S. MAY ALLAH SUBHANAWATALAH POUR HIS CHOICEST BLESSINGS ON ALL MUSLIMS AROUND THE WORLD & REWARD US JANNAH.... AMEEN SUMMA AAMEEN...........
Great pictures !!! .... I hope one day all muslims will practice the ritual of Hajj in their daily life. Our quran says that all humans are equal and should be treated equally no matter what cast ,creed or religion he/she belongs to. Peace is the message of islam ... and that is what we need to practice ... Our politicians needs to forget all boundaries difference (created by men), personal economic greed and unite as one, make use of our muslim council to resolve issues of Palestine.... it should not be left for west to resolve this matter .. but considerable measures must be taken to stop bullying attidtude of Isreali government.
Very nice pictures... I was doing Hajj this year and it really was amazing. The feeling of millions of Muslims being together for one reason is really amazing.... I think I lived the best weeks of my life living the one week before, during, and one week after Hajj. Alhamdulillah :)
Read the Quran without reservations....you sure will know how merciful god is and what is islam.
The photo's are wonderful, depicting the face of islam around the world.
MASHAA ALLAH, JAZAAKOUMOULLAH KHAYRAN' C EST TRES TOUCHANT......
Thanks for sending these wonderful pictures.I came from Hajj this year.
SEEING IS BELIVER. Allah HU Akber. Kaba has dinamatic power.
SubHanAllah..I came back Dec/2008 I dreeming day and night about kaba.
Aslaam o alakam wo rehmaat ullah wo barakato hoo,,,,thanks for sending me these heart touching pictures,,thanks so very kindly and ALLAH bless u very richly,,,,mahbob akhtar mian ,,psp,ssp,,,pakistan
Assalam alaykum.
Do not stop inviting people to Islam even if they refuse at the begining and remember how prophet Muhammed peace be upon him suffer to make this truth to reach all of us today.
I invite all of you to this website
It is for the living people who have hearts and minds and not for dead.
http://www.islam-guide.com/
A man with a beautiful soul has always something good to say..
but not necessarily those who have beautiful things has beautiful soul..
the beauty of creation is found between a man and his own heart.
Thanks for so valuable pictures & comments. We have rejoiced these so much. May Allah accept your good efforts & bless you with all the best. Wassalam.
Subhanallah..
It's very2 amazing facts that those pictures tell us..
I hope I can go and perform Hajj someday..Inshaallah
all are very very good thanks to whom pıct them up may allah protect all the muslıms aspeccıally ın fılıstın...laılaheıllahüllah...
insallah will be continued to be in seratalmustkim all of as and our sister and brothers
to yogi,
your reply is a contradiction to itself, if anything the prophets are a reality, and the greatest philosophers of all time, not because they were knowledgeable but rather because their knowledge was divine knowledge. to cast aside their warnings and teachings cannot be regarded as surrendering to dreams! look around at all the nine to five people - they have surrendered to dreams - fruitless and pointless dreams at that. only a fool would cast aside religion as having no basis in a "real world" - look around we are turning what god made into man made !
Alhumdullilah, Allah u Akbar - Allah is the Greatest. Right now and every second someone around the globe is making salaah and ibadaat. My the Almighty uplift the entire Ummah and give them strength in these very trying times we face and make the Ummah strong and protect every one of us Insha Allah
only we muslims have to trust on God then on us,we can defeat any one.we have Allah's power with us.get reunite!
believe me!
Masha Allah
To Ayoob Amojee,
The prophets themselves are obviously real, but the stories they told are just tales, myths and legends. Look around: nowhere shall you find the slightest trace of any divine presence or will, except inside your own mind. The words "divine" or "god" have no meaning in the real world. Dreams and chimera. Coming back in the real world would allow to resolve real problems, instead of fighting for false problems created by false assumptions.
Pretty pictures. I wonder whether the law that infidel must not enter mecca is still in place, and that therefore all these photographs must have had to be taken by muslims ... or else.
Do not like the fact that only muslims are permitted to be there. Christian churches are opened to all humans.
ElHamdulillah Muslims around the world but the picture with the palatinien in Gazza (refah tunnel). The situation is a massage for us.
Muslims Wake up
SubhanAllah.. AllahuAkbar.
allahuma shalli ala sayyidina Mudammad sholatan tubaalighuna hajja baitikal harrom wa ziaratii habibika sayyidina Muhammad saw wa siihati wa afiyatin wa bulugil marrom warzuqna wa ali wa shbihi ajmain/
allahu akbar..
follow the quran'u save
After Watching Pictures I just Wanna Say From My heart Is "LA ILAHA ILLALAHO MOHAMMAD UR RASSULALLAH"
THIS IS WHAT ISLAM IS.
MASHALLAH.
ALLAH O AKBAR
I AM PROUD TO BE A MUSLIM
LET US ALL SAY TO GATHER.
LAILLAHA ILLALLAH LA
MOHAMMED DU RASOOLALLAH
NAFIS
this picture into this year thank god I went to all the Muslims are Allah ordain
to yogi,
do yourself a favour and look at the miracle, not at
the action and make the distinction - take a look
search belt of rocks or splitting of moon on google.
do this before the americans / jews remove all trace
of this miracle also - like they are doing in iran and
iraq and hope to do in palestine!
why do you have so much objection to islam is it
because you condone these actions against the
muslims? have the muslims been the instigators?
To Ayoob Amojee :
I don't see why you think Americans/ Jews would remove all proof that the moon was once split: that would be such a great scientific discovery! It would open so many new scientific fields to explore! Unfortunately, as all other legends such as the splitting of the Red Sea in the Bible or the instant drying of the Pacific Ocean in some Fijian tales, it doesn't make any sense. And the picture of a local crack in the moon's surface, as there are so many on the moon and on all celestial bodies, doesn't change that.
I do not have any particular objection to Islam, no more no less than to Christianity or any other religion that wants to keep humanity stuck in tales invented hundreds or thousands of years ago by a handful of people for their own needs or objectives.
to yogi,
You asked for proof , i show you proof, just as the prophets did to the people of the time and they chose to mock them etc just as you do now, what troubles me is the fact that you can waste so much of your precious time trying to convince the people you believe are lost to believe you! Of course it wont make sense to you because you cannot see the miracle - that is where faith comes in which you dont have
i have always believed in ALLAH and i will do for the rest of my life.... people like jews and other who don't believe in these pics then what i say is you are not human. O ALLAH I AM SOOO PROUD TO BE MUSLIM. I LOVE U ALLAH. let jews do want their want, their wouldn't go to far because their don't have the power which muslim has. so all my brothers, sisters stick with your believe beacuse only we muslim know that ALLAH is there and with us all the time....right....because we can FEEL ALLAH. beauitful pics mashallah.................
To Ayoob Amojee : Trying to have people thinking instead of believing is not a waste of time.
dang comment on the pics no one cares about your religious views
All the pictures are remarkable. We are feeling proud ourself watching Khana Kaba so close. God bess you whoever is the representative for these pictures.
it is wonderfull work gazakukullah khairan for it my Allah 'subhanahuwataala 'acsept all this people pryiers and enter all of al gannah without hesab
IT IS REALLY WONDERFUL. THE PEOPLE OF OTHER FAITH SHOULD WATCH.
thanks.. simply beautiful pictures..
bring peace to the heart
Pretty pictures. I wonder whether the law that infidel must not enter mecca is still in place, and that therefore all these photographs is so beautiful....
maashaallah - Labaik Allahumma Labaik .....................Laaa sharika laka labaik - Let us keep our Imaan [faith] as strong - come any obstacles - our hope our faith is House of Allah s.w.t. as we see in these photos
Oh Allah !! Guide those who are astray from religion - a religion that teaches us from cradle to grave - wajibats - sunnahs - ethics - history - you name it.
Let us keep up the good work always with strong faith and patience. - amen
May God pls. give me and my family chance to make Hazri/presence at all these place, to bow down my self.
To Yogi,
U dont seem to believe in any religion but i request u - try to understand ISLAM instead of criticising without knowing anything, it hurts to see a person like u !
To leen,
Sorry if I hurt you; I do not criticise Islam itself, I just disapprove of religions, they all work the same whatever the peculiar details of one or the other. Even when they promote great principles it's for wrong reasons, appealing to belief instead of reason and dividing the world between "us" and "them".
sobhana llah wa la ilaha illa llah wa llaho akbar
Salaam,
Subhanallah! Im speechless! thank you brother for sharing this with us. May Allah bless you and may Allah grant all muslims peace and the opportunity to perform hajj, Inshallah.
Dr Karisma Fatima Khurrum
These are magnificent and have to be seen to believe how stunning the photos
are .I honestly hope to one day be able to perform Hajj and visit the Holy city too
Maashaallah: Wah loved it.
oh veri gut islam (may name muzafer macedonian)gut allah muhamet /s.l.a.
ALLAH LAILAHE ILALLAH
MUHAMET RESULULLAH
Al hamdu Lillah! Simply superb.
Qur'an:9:5 "Fight and kill the disbelievers wherever you find them, take them captive, harass them, lie in wait and ambush them using every stratagem of war."
Please stop misquoting the Qur'a, the verses of Surah 9 are the following:
5. Then when the Sacred Months (the Ist, 7th, 11th, and 12th months of the Islâmic calendar) have passed, then kill the Mushrikûn (see V.2:105) wherever you find them, and capture them and besiege them, and prepare for them each and every ambush. But if they repent and perform As-Salât (Iqâmat-as-Salât), and give Zakât, then leave their way free. Verily, Allâh is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.[]
6. And if anyone of the Mushrikûn (polytheists, idolaters, pagans, disbelievers in the Oneness of Allâh) seeks your protection then grant him protection, so that he may hear the Word of Allâh (the Qur'ân), and then escort him to where he can be secure, that is because they are men who know not.
VIRAR A BUNDA PRA MERDA? PODE DEIXAR....
@Me : I'm a disbeliever in any form of religion including Islam, I do not repent, I do not seek believer's protection. So should I be killed when the Sacred Months are past ?
@Yogi,
I'm in a Muslim ~ Atheist dilemma myself. It'd be really interesting to chat with you. Are you interested?
@Yep
I'd be glad to discuss, even though I'm not sure I'll be of much help!
Anyway you can post your thoughts here if you think the discussion is of general interest, or mail to a mail account I've opened specifically for this -> atyogi.mail -at- gmail.com
Absolutely amazing pictures. Thank you. May God guide us all to the right path. Ameen!
i am very happy to seen and i get good picture about hajj and i could show my frieds
i like this i want this pictures and messages
Güzell Rabbim bizlere de nasip et o mübarek topraklara varmayı !!!
allah akbar ya rabi onsor elmuslimines wa ahdihom ila tawba nasouha
mashallah all the great pictures masalam.
brought tears to my eyes .!!!!.. SUBHANALLAH!!
great pictures. loved the one with the goat in the backseat !
allah akbar this is the best
SUPER
There is no god but Allah and mohamed is his Prophet
Labbaitaullahummalabbai.....Alhamdulililah I was born as a muslim and am proud to be our Prophet Mohammad Sallaullahhi Alaihiwasalam follower.May Allah protect all my beloved muslims brothers and sisters all over the world.Insyallah I will be performing Hajj in one ot two years time.
Subahan Allah, Alhamdulillah, Laillahailallah, Wallahuakhbar, Lahaulawallakuwatailabillahiylazim, Hasbiallahwanekmaalwakiel, Allahumasaliaalasydinamuhammad....
Mashalla so beautiful! We r very lucky to be muslims.
Allah hu akhbar.
May Allah blessed you all, my brothers and sisters.
Only those who are given guidence are guided.
Subahanallah.
to yogi: quote: "@Me : I'm a disbeliever in any form of religion including Islam, I do not repent, I do not seek believer's protection. So should I be killed when the Sacred Months are past ?"
certainly not. that verse was revealed for a specific context. perhaps you would like to read about Islam? the translation of the Holy Qur'an is a good place to start, in it are many signs for those who reflect.
Also, you could read the biography of the greatest man this world has seen, the best of creation, the noble Messenger, Muhammad, (may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) who was sent as a mercy to all of mankind, including YOU.
"Only in the remebrance of Allah can the heart find peace."
May you find that peace.
Allahhuakbar....can't wait to be there again.....
Masha Allah.... May Allah shower His blessings upon all the ummah of Mohamaed (SAW), inshaAllah... Ameen...
so whats the moral of this?:)
Muslims pick up your cameras! (and your video cams and your pens and your paintbrushes.) Don't just sit and watch. Be part of it. DO something!
I'm really feel very proud to be a Muslim!And very lucky to be a Muslim.
thank you very much for posting these pictures. My five year old son has been very curious about what happens in Hajj and these photos really helped me to expalin to him.
beautiful shots u have captured.
THERE ARE SOOO MANY PEOPLE-MUSLIMSS MASHALLAH SE!!!!!
there are a lot of people who are proud of being a Muslim! could someone tell me why are you proud? what have you done in this world to make you feel proud?
I was born muslim but i really don't believe in god or any religion if you look and study the religions we have on this planet you can obviously see all are the same lie or it's better to say all are the same way for gettin people calm, because they did not have any Law at the time so those men who you call prophet were just like you and me but more intelligent, that's it.
just live your life the way you like and don't hurt anyone else.