By Ajape Sefiu A.
Also known as Al-Mashar Al-Haram or Al-Mashar, Muzdalifah is a region located between Mount Arafat and Mina, near Makkah in the Hejazi region of Saudi Arabia. According to Islamic history, pilgrims are instructed to spend the night of 9th Dhul Hijjah at Muzdalifah under the open sky.
Muzdalifah is also the place where pilgrims gather pebbles to hurl at the pillars of Jamarat.
Unlike Mina, there are no tents or any other accommodation facilities at Muzdalifah. Even though there are plenty of lights, as the night progresses, it can get difficult to distinguish between people.
The boundaries of Muzdalifah are indicated by large purple signposts. There is also a masjid named Mashar Al-Haram, meaning ‘the sacred monument.’ It is located at the site of what used to be a small mountain.
When staying at Muzdalifah, there are two things that you can do:
Pray: It is advised to spend the night at Muzdalifah praying to Allah SWT, asking for His blessings and forgiveness.
Rest: To be well-prepared for the following three days of Hajj, a pilgrim must also make sure to rest a bit at Muzdalifah.
