The correct answer is Muzdalifah.The collection of pebbles is a specific rite that takes place during the night stay at Muzdalifah, an open area located between the plains of Arafat and the valley of Mina. This ritual occurs on the... Read More
The correct answer is Muzdalifah.The collection of pebbles is a specific rite that takes place during the night stay at Muzdalifah, an open area located between the plains of Arafat and the valley of Mina. This ritual occurs on the night of the 9th of Zulhajj, immediately following the Day of Arafah. While pilgrims are permitted to pick up stones from Mina if they forget or lose them, the established Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) is to gather them from the grounds of Muzdalifah before departing for the stoning ceremony.
Muzdalifah is a significant site in Islamic history, often referred to as Al-Mash’ar al-Haram. After the sunset of the 9th of Zulhajj, millions of pilgrims arrive at this location to perform their combined Maghrib and Isha prayers. The environment here is one of humility; pilgrims spend the night under the open sky, resting on the ground. It is during this period of reflection and rest that the search for pebbles begins.Historically, the Prophet (PBUH) instructed his companion, Fadl ibn Abbas, to pick up the pebbles for him during the Farewell Pilgrimage. This act transformed a simple physical task into a documented ritual that billions have followed for over fourteen centuries. The pebbles are usually described as being the size of a date stone or a chickpea (larger than a grain of sand but smaller than a walnut).
The stones gathered at Muzdalifah are intended for the ritual known as Ramy al-Jamarat, which symbolizes the rejection of the devil (Shaitan). According to the traditions of the Hajj, a pilgrim typically collects 49 or 70 pebbles, depending on whether they plan to stay in Mina for two or three days after the day of Eid.On the 10th of Zulhajj (Yawm al-Nahr), the first seven pebbles are used to stone the Jamarat al-Aqaba (the large pillar). In the following days of Tashreeq (the 11th, 12th, and 13th), seven stones are thrown at each of the three pillars: Jamarat al-Sughra (small), Jamarat al-Wusta (medium), and Jamarat al-Kubra (large). The act of picking these stones from the earth of Muzdalifah serves as a transition from the spiritual "standing" at Arafat to the active "striving" of the stoning ritual in Mina.
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