Millions of Muslims gather for hajj pilgrimage

AP ^ | 7 Dec 08 | None given

[SkyPilot]

Nearly 3 million pilgrims chanting prayers converged Saturday in a valley just outside the holy city of Mecca at the beginning of the 5-day hajj pilgrimage, a lifelong dream for many Muslims.

The pilgrims from about 100 countries left Mecca after completing the first ritual of the hajj by circling the sacred Kaaba stone structure seven times inside the Grand Mosque, which Muslims all over the world face during their five daily prayers.

Dressed in white robes, pilgrims piled into and on top of buses on their way to a ritual of prayer and reflection in Mina, 3 miles east of Mecca.

The journey caused massive traffic jams on roads to Mina, where pilgrims will spend the night in white, fireproof tents. Some pilgrims chose to walk the route.

The hajj, packed with symbolism and ritual, is one of the five pillars of Islam. Every able-bodied Muslim who can financially afford to must perform it at least once in his or her lifetime.

For Ahmed Malek, a pilgrim from the Maldives, the hajj teaches that all people are equal before God.

[SkyPilot]

For Ahmed Malek, a pilgrim from the Maldives, the hajj teaches that all people are equal before God.

Interesting. That is not what the Koran says.

[RushIsMyTeddyBear]

Wonder how many will be trampled this year? :-/

[rickmichaels]

When Ahmed says “people”, he means Muslims. Infidels like you and me are still subhuman, descended from pigs and apes, and only worthy of death.

[2ndDivisionVet]

Too many more Mumbais, and that stone will cease to exist.

[rickmichaels]

Yup. Seems to happen every year. If I recall correctly, hundreds of them burned to death a few years ago when their tents caught fire at one of their campsites.

[jws3sticks]

Millions of Muslims gather for hajj pilgrimage

The "Word" has it, following Mecca, they are all booked to come to the Mall in WDC and live the rest of their lives there. Insha'Allah!

While I could be wrong, I think I have "Insha'Allah" spelled correctly but the Freep Spell Check disagree.

Times are a changing.

[SECURE AMERICA]

Ah yes the Religion of Peace and Tolerance. In the several dozen photos i just viewed, I saw an amazing lack of females. Must be another one of Islams tolerate tenents.

[Born In America]

Seems like there is probably a J Star flying around that could lock on and paint the target(s)....

[Kiss Me Hardy]

I’m keen to seduce as many Muslim women as possible, leading them by the light of my manly loins to the infidel way. Hard to make little Muslims without a female ingredient in the carnal kitchen.

[GulfWar1Vet]

Where are the Portapotties?

Can you imagine the stink?

[Iron Munro]

“Millions of Muslims gather for hajj pilgrimage”

Attendance at the “Freethinkers Association” is zero.

[trebb]

Can you imagine the slant of the story if it were Christians making a trek???

[freerites]

I thought i’d see this thread perhaps without an insult but .. come on guys can we be a bit more civil? It’s a very holy day for them, no need to throw around random cuts on innocent ppl.

[Joe Boucher]

About 20 years ago a 747 on its way to this event went down.
The investigators found that someone made a fire in the aisle to heat some tea and it caused problems for the jet.
Jet crashed./

[mkjessup]

Another target rich environment.

[mkjessup]

I thought i’d see this thread perhaps without an insult but .. come on guys can we be a bit more civil? It’s a very holy day for them, no need to throw around random cuts on innocent ppl.

It's a death cult that is dedicated to the eradication and enslavement of Western society, and the death of every infidel, that's you and me bub.

Wait 'til you're getting the Nick Berg treatment at the end of a rusty blade gripped by one of the practitioners of that 'Religion of Peace', and get back to me, ok?

[freerites]

yeah we have a word for them, “Extremists” just the way blacks view the still existant KKK.

quit while yer ahead buddy, no need to label a whole group for a big explosion, it goes 2 ways.

[mkjessup]

yeah we have a word for them, “Extremists” just the way blacks view the still existant KKK.

The KKK, even on it's worst day never crashed airliners into buildings and killed 3000+ people.

quit while yer ahead buddy, no need to label a whole group for a big explosion, it goes 2 ways.

a.) I'm not your buddy, n00b, and

b.) in case you missed it on 9/11, there was already a 'big explosion', thanks to the 19 Muslim hijackers who attacked our Nation.

Maybe if you grovel enough, they'll let you polish their shoes, I'm sure they'll see that you would rather live on your knees, than die on your feet.

[hershey]

I’m thinking all kinds of things, but I won’t say a word.

[ALASKA]

I was on a Olympia Air flight from Athens to Cairo in the ‘80s, and people were cooking in the aisles with small camping type stoves......