About 2 million Muslim pilgrims crammed cars and buses Sunday and clung to the roofs of moving vehicles as they headed toward Mina, a tent city that comes to life only during the Hajj. Chanting "at thy service, Oh God, at thy service," pilgrims started their journey in the early hours, causing a massive traffic jam on roads leading to Mina, where they will spend the night in 44,000 white, fireproof tents.

The pilgrims will leave Mina at dawn Monday for the short trek to Mount Arafat, marking the climax of the pilgrimage.
Before leaving Makkah, hundreds of thousands of pilgrims completed the first ritual of the Hajj by circling the Kaaba, the large cubic stone structure that Muslims face during their five daily prayers.

About 500,000 pilgrims from inside Saudi Arabia joined about 1.5 million foreigners in this year's Hajj, which is taking place under tight security because of fears of demonstrations against a possible U.S.-led war in Iraq.

The United States has heightened its terror alert status after intelligence reports pointing to a possible attack timed to coincide with the pilgrimage.

Anti-U.S. sentiment is running high in the Muslim world because of America's perceived support of Israel against the Palestinians and its threats of war against Iraq - examples many Muslims see as campaigns against their faith.

In a statement carried late Saturday on the official Saudi Press Agency, Saudi authorities said accidents so far this year had been "insignificant." More than 20,000 security personnel are deployed in Makkah and medical facilities are available.

Many pilgrims this year have said they were praying to God to support the Islamic nation against its enemies and hoped that another war in the region could be averted.

"We are opposed to this war (in Iraq) and with the will of God it won't happen," Abdel Latif bin Fadl of Tunisia said late Saturday.

Still, a spiritual atmosphere and sense religious duty prevailed over politics.

"I would not have come back again if I had not been enjoying the religious atmosphere here. And I am willing to come again, God willing. May God forgive us for all our sins," said Hassan La'lou, a 43-year old Syrian pilgrim performing the rituals for the fourth time.

The pilgrimage to Makkah, birthplace of the Prophet Muhammad [PBUH] and home to Islam's holiest mosque, is required once in a lifetime for all Muslims who are able-bodied and can afford the trip. There are more than 1 billion Muslims worldwide.

According to Islamic teachings, the Hajj is a spiritual journey that cleanses the soul and wins absolution. According to tradition, a Muslim who performs the Hajj washes away his sins and returns to his home as free of sin as a newborn.

The Hajj peaks Monday with prayers at Mount Arafat, a gentle hill 12 miles southwest of Makkah. The time spent at Mount Arafat is believed to symbolize Judgment Day, when Islam says every person will stand before God and answer for his deeds.

Muhammad, Islam's prophet, [PBUH] delivered his last Address to the Nation at Mount Arafat in March of 632, three months before he died. Muslims believe that during this speech, the last passage of their holy book, the Quran, was revealed to Muhammad [PBUH]

From Mount Arafat, the pilgrims will move to nearby Muzdalifah, where they collect pebbles to stone three pillars symbolizing the temptations of the devil.

Then, pilgrims and Muslims around the world, celebrate the start of Eid al-Adha, or the feast of sacrifice, by slaughtering a camel, cow or sheep and sharing the meat with the poor on Tuesday.

PHOTO CAPTION

Muslim pilgrims arrive at Arafat to perform wuquf February 10, 2003. Under the shadow of looming war in Iraq, two million pilgrims prepared to start the five-day haj ritual at Islam's holiest site in Saudi Arabia on Sunday, with many expressing deep anger at the United States. REUTERS/Shamil Zhumatov