Hj. Zulheimy Ma'amor: JOURNEY OF FAITH: MUZDALIFAH (2017)

Tuesday, 30 December 2025

JOURNEY OF FAITH: MUZDALIFAH (2017)

During the 2017 Hajj season, Muzdalifah was a significant part of the journey for approximately 42,200 Malaysian pilgrims (2.35 million pilgrims who performed from all over the world in 2017). This stage of the Hajj is often described as one of the most spiritually intense and physically demanding moments of the pilgrimage.

** Total attendance from Ministry of Hajj Mekkah is 2,352,122 pilgrims for 2017.

Here is a breakdown of the experience for Malaysian pilgrims at Muzdalifah in 2017:

The Overnight Stay

After performing Wukuf in Arafah on the 9th of Zulhijjah (August 31, 2017), Malaysian pilgrims moved to the open plains of Muzdalifah.

Arrival: Most arrived after sunset via buses arranged by Lembaga Tabung Haji (TH). Muzdalifah is an open area near Mekkah on the way to our next stop, Mina. The distance from Arafah to Muzdalifah is 10.9 km.
Accommodation: Unlike the tents in Arafah or Mina, pilgrims spent the night "under the stars" on simple mats provided by TH.
Rituals: They performed combined Maghrib and Isha prayers and spent time in Dhikr (remembrance of God).
A key task here was collecting 49 or 70 pebbles for the Ramy al-Jamarat (stoning of the devil) ritual in Mina. However, for the Hajj 2017 season, the Muassasah provided pebbles for each pilgrim, eliminating the need to collect them at Muzdalifah.
At midnight, we moved from Muzdalifah to Mina to perform the stoning (Ramy) at Jamrat al-Kubra. The distance from Muzdalifah to Mina is only 6 km.

Logistics and Coordination

Tabung Haji’s 2017 operation was notable for its focus on the safety of elderly pilgrims:

Masyair Operation: Muzdalifah is part of the "Masyair" phase (Arafah-Muzdalifah-Mina). TH deployed hundreds of officers and medical staff to monitor the movement of pilgrims during this transit.
Cleanliness Initiative: A hallmark of the Malaysian contingent in 2017 was the "Cleanliness Campaign." Pilgrims were encouraged to use garbage bags provided by TH to ensure Muzdalifah was left clean before they departed for Mina at dawn.

Challenges Faced

Crowd Density: 2017 saw a significant increase in the global Hajj quota. This led to heavy traffic congestion on the roads between Arafah and Muzdalifah, meaning some pilgrims arrived much later than expected.
Weather: Temperatures were high, reaching over 40°C during the day and remaining warm at night, requiring constant hydration efforts by the medical teams.