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Mina, A Witness of Victory over Satan
Mina
is the place where pilgrims spend certain nights of Dhul-Hijjah to
throw pebbles at the three Stone-Built Pillars (Jamarat).
Allah Almighty says: “Do celebrate the praise of Allah during
the appointed days.” These are the days of Mina, `Eid and the
three Post-`Eid Days of Tashreeq. Mina is a small suburb cut by a
road alongside of which are two rows of houses. That road begins
from Makkah and reaches `Arafah. The houses of Mina are built with
hard solid rocks. Most of these houses are of two levels and are
not used only in the period of Hajj “Pilgrimage”. This suburb
extends between Jamarah Al-`Aqabah from the direction of Makkah and
by Muhassir Valley from the direction of Al-Muzdalifah. The
Name “Mina” Why? There
are many reasons behind giving this suburb such name: 1-
Due to the sacrifices being slaughtered in pilgrimage for the sake
of Allah. This is the most famous reason behind the name. 2-
Because Adam wished for Paradise therein. 3-
And because people used to come together therein, as Arabs call the
place where people come together and meet one another as
“Mina”. The
Borders of Mina Ibn
Juraij said: “I asked `Ata’: ‘Where is Mina?’ He (`Ata’)
replied: It extends from Al-`Aqabah to Muhassir Valley.’” Al-Fasi
also said that Mina’s border is straightly from Al-`Aqabah to
Muhassir. While Imam Ash-Shafi`i said: “The borders of Mina are
between the villages of Muhassir Valley and the nearest Jamarah
to Makkah, i.e. Al-`Aqabah Jamarah at which Allah’s
Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, took the
pledge of allegiance from Al-Ansar. Neither Muhassir nor Al-`Aqabah
nor any of their plains nor mountains nor their inhabited or
uninhabited areas is considered a part of Mina. However, the
surrounding mountains facing Mina are considered of Mina, while the
mountains facing the other side are not considered of Mina. The
Distance Between Mina and Makkah The
distance between Mina and Makkah is, according to Ar-Rafi`i, six
miles. But An-Nawawi confirms in many of his books that it is three
miles. In his book “Al-Qura”, Al-Muhib Al-Tabari states
that the distance between Mina and Makkah is four miles. The
Dwellings of the Prophet and his Companions in Mina The
Prophet’s residence in Mina used to be on the left of the
Imam’s Musalla (Place of Prayer). He used to let his wives
dwell in the House of Imarah, while he used to make his Companions
dwell behind that House. Also the Prophet, peace and blessings be
upon him, made gesture to the people to stay and dwell in certain
places. In another narration, “He (the Prophet) used to make Al-Muhajirin
settle down in their Mountain Paths “Shi`b Al-Muhajirin”
and make Al-Ansar settle down in their Mountain Paths “Shi`b
Al-Ansar”. However, Mina’s mountain paths are behind the
House of Imarah. When
`Umar Ibn Al-Kattab, may Allah be pleased with him, asked Zaid Ibn
Sujan: “Where is your residence at Mina?” He replied: “At the
left-hand side of Mina.” Then `Umar said: “This is the
residence place of the merchants, so don’t reside therein.” On
the authority of Sufyan, `Umar added: “My residence is at the
merchants’.” The Messenger of Allah settled down in Al-Kheif
Mosque. `Abdullah Ibn Abu Bakr reported the Messenger of Allah as
saying: “When we reach Makkah, Allah willing, we will stay in Al-Kheif.
Al-Kheif is a mosque in Mina in which the Confederates-“Al-Ahzab)
allied against us”. I (`Abdullah Ibn Abu Bakr) then asked `Uthman:
“What ally? He (`Uthman) replied: “The Confederates.” The
buildings of Mina have special merits and are of great importance.
Isma`il Ibn Umaiyah reported that `A’ishah, Mother of the
Believers, may Allah be pleased with her, asked the Messenger of
Allah for permission to build a water closet in Mina but he
refused. That is why `Umar Ibn `Abdul `Aziz, used to forbid hiring
the houses of Makkah. He also used to command for the leveling of
Mina. However, the people used to pay for lease and abide therein
secretly. The
Wells of Mina There
are fifteen wells in Mina, including Al-Hijamiya near Jamarat
Al-`Aqabah, Kiddanah, `Ammarah, Al-Kulaibiyyah, Al-Sha`abaniyah,
Umm Al-Humam renewed by the wife of Al-Mansour, the governor of
Yemen; in addition to some other wells. Mina
in the Pre-Islamic Era `Amr
Ibn Luhay was the first one to bring idols to Mina as he placed
seven idols therein. He placed an idol on the road between the
mosque of Mina and the first Jamarah, another on the First Jamarah,
and a third one called `Adim in a nearby place. On the Middle
Jamrah, there was a fourth idol while on the brink of the valley a
fifth one was placed and another idol on the Greatest Jamarah. The
last one is also near the Greatest Jamrah. He then divided the
pebbles to twenty one using them each three pebbles for an idol to
be thrown accompanied by saying: “You (the idol being thrown by
the pebbles) are greater than that one (the next). Throwing
the Pebbles “Jimar” Throwing
the Pebbles is one of the rituals and obligatory acts of
Pilgrimage, as explained by Allah’s Messenger, peace and
blessings be upon him, in his well-known Farewell Pilgrimage.
Throwing the Pebbles is a symbol of the unity of all Muslims on one
goal. If Muslims realize this unity and work for it, their victory
over their enemy will easily be achieved. The
Meaning of Throwing the Pebbles The
word “Jimar” refers to two things: 1- the small pebbles. 2- the
Stone-Built Pillars (Jamarat) at which pilgrims throw these
small stones in the Day of Sacrifice and the three Post-`Eid Days
of Tashreeq. The Stone-Built Pillars “Jimar” are three; the
Greatest Jamarah of Al-`Aqabah; the Middle Jamarah
and the Smallest Jamarah. All these Jamarat are in
Mina from the direction of Makkah. The distance between one Jamarah
and the other is one hundred and twenty meters. However, throwing
the pebbles means hurling the small stones at the stone-built
pillars in a specific way and order. The
First One to Throw Pebbles It
was Prophet Ibrahim, peace and blessings be upon him, the first one
who threw pebbles. It has been reported that when Gabriel took
Ibrahim to show him the rituals of Pilgrimage, he passed by the Jamarah
of Al-`Aqabah, while Satan was there blocking their way. At that
moment, Gabriel asked Ibrahim to pronounce “Allahu Akbar”
Allah is Most Great and to throw pebbles at him (Satan). That was
repeated twice again at the second and the third Jamarah.
The time of Throwing the Pebbles is due to be in the period between
staying in Muzdalifah and standing for worship there. The first Jamarah
of Al-`Aqabah is to be thrown after sunrise on the 10th day of
Dhul-Hijjah. On each day of the Days of Tashreeq, there are three Jamarat
to be thrown by twenty one pebbles; with seven pebbles at each one
of the three Jamarat. However,
it is permissible for a pilgrim to do the throwing in two days
instead of three and to leave on the third day as Allah Almighty
says: “But if any one hastens to leave in two days there is no
blame on him, and if anyone stays on there is no blame on him, if
his aim is to do right.” Pebbles are to be picked from Al-Muzdalifah,
but, according to Ahmad, one may pick pebbles from anywhere one
wants.
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