A R C H I V E S
Madinat al-Muslimeen Islamic Message Board
| Pilgrims converge in Mecca, many with prayers for |
|---|
| jannah |
| 01/14/05 at 16:46:16 |
| Pilgrims converge in Mecca, many with prayers for Tsunami victims 04:40 PM EST Jan 14 MECCA, Saudi Arabia (AP) - Many pilgrims streaming into Islam's holy city for the annual hajj prayed Friday for the more than 157,000 people killed in last month's tsunami that devastated southern Asia, and asked God to give survivors the courage to cope. The tragedy weighed heavy as the spiritual journey geared up, with Indonesia - the world's most populous Muslim nation with 220 million people - hit hardest. One Indonesian man spoke of his surprise at dozens of strangers, noticing his nationality printed on the pouch around his neck, approaching to offer condolences for the more than 100,000 Indonesians to die Dec. 26. Another found a relatively quiet spot to pray for a lost friend. Mohamed Saleh, a teacher from Jakarta, stood outside the city's Grand Mosque and prayed, his hands raised and his eyes filled with tears. "I have lost a friend in the tsunami, and I pray for him and the souls of all those that have perished," said Saleh, 50. "I pray that God will mend broken hearts and give them courage to overcome the grief." Inside the mosque, pilgrims circled the kaaba, a cubic stone structure toward which Muslims turn for five-times daily prayers. Pilgrims customarily circle the kaaba to start and finish hajj rituals, which can be stretched over days but peak Thursday with prayers on Mount Arafat, where Islam's founding Prophet Muhammad delivered his final sermon. Two million Muslims perform the pilgrimage each year, a once-in-a-lifetime duty of all able-bodied Muslims who can afford it. Many go repeatedly; it is believed to cleanse the soul and wipe away sin. By Friday, traffic into Mecca was bumper to bumper. |
Madinat al-Muslimeen Islamic Message Board |