Then the pilgrims stand together on the wide plain of Arafat and join in prayers for God’s forgiveness, in what is often thought of as a preview of the last judgment
In previous centuries the Hajj was an arduous undertaking
Today, however, Saudi Arabia provides millions of people with water, modern transport, and the most up-to-date health facilities.
The close of the Hajj is marked by a festival, the EID AL-ADHA, which is celebrated with prayers, slaughtering an animal to feed the needy, and the exchange of gifts in Muslim communities everywhere. This, and the EID AL-FITR, a celebration commemorating the completion of the fasting of Ramadan, are the two holidays celebrated by Muslims worldwide.