Malaysian Pilgrims To Proceed To Arafah In Stages From Saturday

From Zabidi Ishar MAKKAH, Sept 10 (Bernama) -- All 22,320 Malaysian pilgrims will proceed to the plain of Arafah in stages from Saturday, to join millions of Muslims from around the world in a mass gathering of Wukuf on Sunday. Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Jamil Khir Baharom said 22 buses had been allocated to each maktab to take the Malaysian pilgrims to Arafah, about 25 kilometres from here. As such, he reminded the Malaysian pilgrims to observe personal health, maintain discipline and stay focus in completing their pilgrimage. "This is the pinnacle of the Haj rituals which requires the pilgrims to have sound physical and mental health, especially with the temperature reaching over 50 degrees Celsius," he said. Wukuf is performed soon after the Zohor prayer on the 9th of Zulhijjah, during which pilgrims would perform obligatory prayers and recite verses from the Holy Quran while remain in the sacred plain of Arafah until dawn the following day. --BERNAMA