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HAJJ PRACTICALITIES
MINA (8TH OF ZIL HAJJ)
Makkah to Mina
From the Haram to the Jamaraat is 4.5 km and walking time is about one hour. Part of the walk is through mountain tunnels, (which have blower-extractor fans), and part of the walk is under massive shed structures.
While walking in the shed, try to keep in the centre beam as Hujjajj usually camp on the sides of the shed because their tents are at a distance. They generally spend the next few days here, under the sheds. Here, food and toilet/ shower facilities are available and the Jamaraats are accessible via these sheds too.
1) Requirements
- Small to medium-sized school satchel, ("back pack"), with shoulder straps. This can be used as hand luggage from your hometown.
- Lightweight bedding e.g. sleeping bag, though not necessary, as even “Hajji Mat” will suffice. These mats are available in Saudi Arabia.
- Vaseline, medium-sized bottle, non-perfumed, for prevention of chaffing of the inner aspects of the thighs, especially of the males.
- Tissue roll.
- Drinking flask, thermos type, with shoulder strap, bought in Saudi Arabia.
- Light coloured, (preferably white), collapsible umbrella, bought in Saudi Arabia.
- Two used, unsewn bed sheets, single-bed size, brought from home country. These can be useful either as Ihraam, (in an emergency), or for covering oneself when resting in Mina/Arafat/Muzdalifah, or for screening purposes in the tents.
- Hand-held garden water-spray bottle, (usually used by barbers as well), bought in Saudi Arabia. Useful for cooling oneself whilst walking.
- Dry foodstuff brought from home country although franchised takeaways present in Mina.
- Money, (about 150 Riyals), for personal expenses plus money for Qurbaani, (about 400 Riyals per share), if pre-arrangement has not been made.
- Small cloth purse-bag for carrying pebbles. Some prefer a small, empty drinking water bottle.
- Use comfortable walking gear in Ihraam. Note that rubber pata-pata, (tropicals), or surf sandals, (beach thongs), are ideal as far as Ihraam is concerned but may not be ideal for walking long distances as we are not used to do so. Therefore shop around for comfortable footwear in your hometown. Tie an elastic band on the walking gear so that the elastic band goes round your ankles. This will prevent the slippers from getting “snatched away” from your feet in the crowds.
- Thermal blanket or thick shawl for use in Muzdalifah as it can be quite cold at night here since it is winter currently at the time of Hajj.
- Black marker for general use.
- Hotel card with attached photo, room number, passport number and Saudi identity card number.
- It is advisable to leave other documents, (e.g. tickets and excess money), at your hotel, either in the safety deposit box or in your lockable luggage.
- Small Qur'aan, (pocket size), and a lightweight thin Mussallah - the latter bought in Saudi Arabia.
- Hajj rites Kitaab - pocket size.
- Small bathing towel, bathing soap, (non-scented), soap dish, toothbrush and small sized toothpaste.
- One set of ordinary clothes.
- One extra pair of walking gear in case of loss of the first pair but these are usually available en-route.
- Enough personal medication and blister plasters for the Six Days of Hajj. Hypertensives, asthmatics and diabetics should ensure that they pack extra medication and give the same to a fellow Haajee for safekeeping in case they should misplace their own.
- Sunglasses or dark glasses for protection against the glare of the sun and/or against the reflection from the white marble.
- Collapsible cup for drinking purposes.
- Collapsible stool for sitting if you have a back or joint problem and are unable to sit for long on the floor.
Note that ladies should pack their items in their own back packs as it may be awkward for them to go to the men's tents in Mina and Arafat to get their requisites.
All the above mentioned items are to be carried by you from Makkah to Mina, (about 5 km), Mina to Arafat, (about 12 km), Arafat to Muzdalifah, (about 6 km), Muzdalifah to Mina, (about 6 km), and back from Mina to Makkah, (about 5 km).
2) Procedure for Pedal Hujjaajj
Familiarisation
Acquaint yourself with the area around your camp in Mina when you arrive there. Identify some distinguishing landmarks for easy location of your camp in case you get disorientated, or for easy accessibility on your return from Muzdalifah on the 10th of Zil Hajj. Ideally, the Muassassas office is supposed to display colour-coded billboards prominently at the entrance of each of their camps for easy identification.
Make a note of your tent number and the corridor number the tent is located in. This is indicated on top of the door flap and at the corner of the intersecting corridors. Next go outside and look at the nearest tall pole to your camp. This is colour-coded with a given set of numbers which appears as a fraction e.g. xx/yy. Each consequential pole has similar numbers in a chronological order. This pole will be used to identify the location of your particular camp.
There is a mortuary next to the mosque in Mina. If someone in your group is missing for a long time then this is one place to try to locate him.
Overhead Bridges
There are three overhead bridges in Mina; two are for vehicles and one for pedestrians only.
- King Khalid Bridge which is the closest to the Jamaraat, and near the Al-Maalim Mosque. This bridge is for vehicles only.
- King Abdul Aziz Bridge which is closer to Muzdalifah and near Mina Mosque. This bridge is also for vehicles only.
- The pedestrian-only Jamaraat Bridge which is near the Al-Bayah Mosque.
In Mina
During your stay in Mina avoid joining discussion groups because these invariably tend to be discussing worldly affairs rather than Deeni affairs.
In certain tents in the vicinity, or even in your own tent, Hajj lectures will be conducted regularly by knowledgeable people. Try and attend these.
Do not be concerned about what is happening in other tents or what is being eaten there, or which “big cats”, etc. are in those tents.
If you have a choice, do not choose a tent near the toilets or any cooking area or near the entrances as these spots are always busy. Try and select a tent near the middle or at the rear of the camp.
If you are in a big tent in Mina then choose a sleeping area closer to the rear and away from the Qiblah so that your "spot" is not in the front line but the back row for Salaat. The front and middle areas are normally used for eating, Salaat and lectures.
If you are a smoker then be mindful of the others in the tent. Rather do it outside.
Ensure that you visit the ablution/toilet block at least half an hour to one hour before Salaat times, as these facilities can be quite congested. Endeavour to keep your Wudhu henceforth.
Rely mainly on fresh fruits, drinks, juices, tea, biscuits, cakes, cucumber, dry foods, yogurt and ice-cream during your stay in Mina although franchised takeaways are now operating in this area. In addition, now a buffet service is provided by many tour operators.
Al Azizya shopping centre is nearby and has got good restaurants and one could go there for one decent meal per day but too much time is taken up. This place could be reached either by taxi or on foot.
Demarcate your sleeping area on the “floor” of the tent with a marker, for easy identification on your return on 10th Zil Hajj. This floor is a thick carpet laid on sand and the tents themselves are air-cooled/conditioned, fireproof structures made of fibreglass.
Do not venture to go to Masjid-e-Khaif, unless you are absolutely positive of the route, as you can easily get lost.
Mina boundary demarcated by huge, colour-coded billboards although area not geometrically symmetrical. These boards are turquoise in colour.
B] Non-Pedal Hujjaajj
1) Requirements
Will carry all the items as for Pedal Hujjaajj except for items “c”, “f”, “h” and “u”, although there is no harm in carrying them.
2) Procedure
The transfer to Mina from Makkah on 7th or 8th Zul Hajj will depend entirely on how soon the coach is released to the operator by the authorities and how the traffic situation is. The coach is not released until midnight of 7th of Zil Hajj and it could be at your hotel in either half an hour or six hours later. Once you have boarded the bus and the bus leaves, the towelling may well take between one and five hours because of the traffic gridlock.
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