Saudi Arabia: More than 1.5 million pilgrims perform stoning ritual in Mina

Pilgrims walked through the vast tent city near Mecca carrying pebbles collected overnight in Muzdalifah before throwing seven stones at each of three large pillars representing the devil.

Images from Mecca showed thousands of worshippers circling the Kaaba inside the Grand Mosque as Saudi authorities deployed extensive security and crowd management measures during one of the busiest days of the pilgrimage season.

The ritual commemorates the story of the Prophet Ibrahim, who according to Islamic tradition resisted the devil’s attempts to stop him from obeying God’s command to sacrifice his son Ismail. After completing the stoning ceremony, many male pilgrims shaved their heads while women cut a small portion of their hair, marking the final stages of Hajj. Some pilgrims also carried out animal sacrifices linked to Eid al-Adha, celebrated worldwide by Muslims.