Pilgrims coming from abroad hit a record high this year, Crown Prince Naif Bin Abdul Aziz, Deputy Premier and Minister of Interior and Chairman of the Supreme Haj Committee, said Friday. He said 1,828,195 pilgrims came from outside the Kingdom this year, registering an increase of 27,274 from last year. Of these, 989,776 are males representing 54 percent of the total number of pilgrims, while 838,419 are females. The Crown Prince said 1,684,876 pilgrims came by air, 128,350 by land and 14,969 by sea, representing 183 nationalities. Crown Prince Naif expressed his sincere greetings and heartfelt congratulations to King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, on the occasion of the completion of the entry of pilgrims to the Kingdom. Meanwhile, more than 2.5 million pilgrims began Friday the Tarwiah (Watering) Day, named after a tradition when pilgrims watered their animals and stocked water for their trip to Arafat. Many pilgrims will use the Mashair Railway to go to Arafat and its surrounding plains where they will gather for the peak Day of Arafat, Saturday. The Mashair Railway will operate for the first time this year at its full capacity of 72,000 people per hour to ease congestion and prevent stampedes. The dual-track light railway connects the three holy sites of Mina, Muzdalifa and Arafat. The train will replace 30,000 cars previously used, said project director Fahd Abu Tarbush. “The train this year is restricted to pilgrims coming from inside Saudi Arabia and the Gulf states, as well as 200,000 pilgrims coming from south Asia,” Tarbush was quoted as saying by a news agency. The Mashair Railway will transport 500,000 pilgrims from Mina, passing by Muzdalifa, reaching to Arafat, in addition to one million pilgrims on the Tashreeq days, which are on the 11th, 12th and 13th of the Muslim month of Dhul Hijjah. “To me, this is a miracle. I've been dreaming of going to Haj for years, and this dream is now being fulfilled,” 67-year-old Nigerian pilgrim Salahuldin Mohammed said. Another pilgrim, 58-year-old Mohammed Sadoreen from Palestine, said: “I couldn't believe the day has come when I would see this sacred place. This is the first time I have come to Haj.”
