ARAFAT – After the torrential rains, some two million pilgrims seeking Allah’s mercy and forgiveness were greeted with bright, sunny weather around Mount Arafat for the climax of the Haj.

At the spot where Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) delivered his farewell sermon here some 14 centuries ago, a sea of pilgrims supplicated their Lord.

At dawn yesterday pilgrims flocked from Mina, mostly by foot, to Arafat to pray until sunset. They set up tents on the plain, squatted on the side of the road in shelter tents, or stayed at the nearby Namira mosque.

After sunset, pilgrims moved from Arafat to Muzdalifah to stay the night and collect pebbles.

Today, on Eid Al-Adha – the Day of Sacrifice - they will be back in Mina, to stone the Jamarat. The ritual takes place over three days and represents the defiance of the devil and commitment to resist temptation.

Some pilgrims felt blessed with the good weather on Arafat Day.

“God gave us a reprieve from the rainfall on the most important day of Haj. It shows His immense clemency,” said Indonesian pilgrim Abdulwadood Asegaf.

“We are going to avoid going up Mount Arafat this time because it is too muddy,” he added.

Wednesday’s rainfalls, the heaviest in the Kingdom’s western region, prevented thousands of people from getting to Makkah from Jeddah but caused no pilgrim deaths. A total of 77 people reportedly lost their lives due to the heavy rainfall in Jeddah, according to Civil Defense.

“The rain was a blessing from God. We are now going to pray to beg for God’s forgiveness and mercy, for the good of our children and of all Muslims,” said Egyptian pilgrim Nasser Abu Ahmed.

Nigerian businessman, Mustafa Abu Bakr, said Muslims from different parts of the world and different walks of life renew their allegiance to Allah on Arafat.

“We will pray for world peace,” he said.

The movement of pilgrims from Mina to Arafat was smooth, with no accidents, said Prince Khaled Al-Faisal, Emir of Makkah, Thursday at a press conference.

It was a spiritual and safe standing on Arafat, and the health situation of pilgrims was reassuring, he added.

The Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdulaziz Aal Al-Sheikh delivered the annual Arafat sermon at the Namira Mosque. He said Islam would always prevail despite the plots of its enemies because it is the true religion.

He said, however, that the Ummah had lately been challenged, with non-Islamic thoughts creeping into the Islamic creed of some Muslims.

The Sheikh also warned against terrorism in the name of Islam and against changing the true meanings of the Qur’an and the Sunnah, as understood by the early Salafit scholars. “The world looks for a savior, and Islam is its savior,” he said.

The Ka’ba was dressed with a new black silk Kiswa covering yesterday. At a total cost of SR20 million, the Kiswa, made anew every year, is embroidered with phrases from the Holy Qur’an using 150 kg (330 pounds) of gold and silver thread.

The safety situation at the holy sites was reassuring despite Wednesday’s sudden downpour, according to Civil Defense spokesman Maj. Abdullah Al-Harthi. He said his organization had plans ready to deal with the flooding, and had 300 buses to evacuate people if necessary. The rains tapered off yesterday but meteorologists predicted further showers.

Hassan Al-Bushra, an epidemiologist at the Cairo office of the World Health Organization, said “there is no evidence” that the rain would worsen the spread of the swine flu virus. It is carried in the air, by sneezes, coughs and touch. It is not waterborne. The rain could even be beneficial if it means crowds are smaller, he said.

So far, four pilgrims have died from swine flu since arriving in the Kingdom, and 67 others have been diagnosed with the virus.

The crowds, seven people for every square meter, provide a perfect environment for the spread of swine flu, said Shahul Ibrahim, a consultant at the Haj from the United States’ Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

“Ideally you should be one meter away from someone to avoid catching the disease,” he said.

But most visitors were too caught up in the exhilaration of the spiritual experience to worry. Nigerian pilgrim Omar Issa said he chose not to get a swine flu vaccination.

“I am not afraid of anything because God protects me. I came here for a religious reason, I am here to worship God,” he said.

The Kingdom’s biggest worry for the months ahead of the Haj was swine flu. The Saudi government has been working with the United States’ Center for Disease Control and Prevention to set up clinics and take precautions to stem any outbreak.

Signs at the airport and around the holy sites urge the faithful to cover their faces when they cough, wash their hands often and wear a mask. The swine flu vaccine is available free at the airport. More than 100 clinics have been set up at the holy sites, and large supplies of Tamiflu and other anti-flu medications are on hand. – -SG with input from Agencies __