On Eid al-Adha (the 10th day of the month of Dhu al-Hijjah), pilgrims must strike only one of the three jamraat; specifically, the larger one; with seven pebbles. After the stoning is completed on the day of Eid, every pilgrim must cut or shave their hair. On each of the following two days, they must hit each of the three walls with seven pebbles, going in order from east to west. Thus at least 49 pebbles are needed for the ritual, more if some throws miss. Some pilgrims stay at Mina for an additional day, in which case they must again stone each wall seven times. The pebbles used in the stoning are traditionally gathered at Muzdalifah, a plain southeast of Mina, on the night before the first throwing, but can also be collected at Mina.
Until 2004, the three jamarāt (singular: jamrah) were tall pillars. After the 2004 Hajj, Saudi authorities replaced the pillars with 26-metre-long (85 ft) walls for safety; many people were accidentally throwing pebbles at people on the other side. To allow easier access to the jamarāt, a single-tiered pedestrian bridge called the Jamaraat Bridge was built around them, allowing pilgrims to throw stones from either ground level or from the bridge.
The jamarāt are named (starting from the east):
- the first jamrah (al-jamrah al-'ūlā), or the smallest jamrah (الجمرة الصغرى al-jamrah aṣ-ṣughrā),
- the middle jamrah (الجمرة الوسطى al-jamrah al-wusṭā),
- the largest jamrah (الجمرة الكبرى al-jamrah al-kubrā), or Jamrah of Aqaba (جمرة العقبة jamrat al-ʿaqaba).
The historical significance of Jamarat ritual hails from Prophet Ibraheem when the devil appeared to him three times. At each of the appearances, Angel Jibraeel (Gabriel) told Prophet Ibraheem (Abraham) to pelt the devil. Thus, the basis of the significance of the ritual.
The ritual re-enacts Abraham (Ibrāhīm)'s pilgrimage to Mecca as explained by the Muslim historian al-Azraqi:
When he [Abraham] left Mina and was brought down to al-Aqaba, the Devil appeared to him at Stone-Heap of the Defile. Gabriel (Jibrayil) said to him: "Pelt him!" so Abraham threw seven stones at him so that he disappeared from him. Then he appeared to him at the Middle Stone-Heap. Gabriel said to him: "Pelt him!" so he pelted him with seven stones so that he disappeared from him. Then he appeared to him at the Little Stone-Heap. Gabriel said to him: "Pelt him!" so he pelted him with seven stones like the little stones for throwing with a sling. So the Devil withdrew from him.All three jamarāt represent the devil: the first and largest represents his temptation of Abraham against sacrificing Ishmael (Ismāʿīl); the second represents the temptation of Abraham's wife Hagar (Hājar) to induce her to stop him; the third represents his temptation of Ishmael to avoid being sacrificed. He was rebuked each time, and the throwing of the stones symbolizes those rebukes.
The stoning of the jamarāt also represents the repudiation of man's self and the act of casting aside one's low desires and wishes.
The stoning of the Devil is one of the most important rituals of the Hajj. After standing on the plain of Arafat, pilgrims spend the night on a plain called Muzdalifah. There, they gather 70 stones with which to pelt three stone pillars representing the Devil. The next day, the day of Eid-ul-Adha, pilgrims stone the largest of the three pillars with seven stones. Then, for the next three days, pilgrims pelt each of the three stone pillars with seven stones. This, along with a final circumambulation of the Ka'bah, completes the rituals of the Hajj.
The stoning of the Devil ritual reenacts part of the story of Abraham and his sacrifice of his son. God told Abraham in a dream to slaughter his only son--Ishmael in Muslim belief--as a sacrifice to God. Abraham consulted Ishmael about this, and Ishamel told his father to comply immediately. On his way to sacrifice his son, the Devil appeared three times to Abraham to dissuade him from fulfilling his duty. Abraham stoned the Devil with seven stones each time he appeared to him.
This ritual also has a spiritual significance. By stoning the pillars, pilgrims openly declare their enmity to the Devil. This ritual is particularly emotional for many pilgrims. The pillars actually become the Devil for many pilgrims, and people can be heard screaming, "Because of you, I did..." It can also be particularly dangerous, as recent news reports have shown, because of the sheer number of pilgrims doing the same thing at the same time. Last year, when I went on Hajj, twice, my wife and I were almost trampled to death.
Thus, those who are not strong enough can designate someone else to throw stones on their behalf. In addition, many scholars have advocated stoning the pillars at different times of the day and night so as not to crowd other pilgrims. My wife and I, in fact, stoned the pillars in the wee hours of the morning.
Despite its potential dangers, stoning of the pillars is a wonderful part of the Hajj ritual. I would not hesitate to do it again. What Is Stoning the Devil?
