MINA — A large number of Hajj pilgrims started leaving the tent city of Mina on Friday afternoon, the second day of Tashreeq, after performing the ritual of casting stones at three Jamarat, pillars symbolizing Satan. Chanting “Allahu Akbar'' (God is the greatest), pilgrims hurled stones first at Jamarat Al-Sugra (small pillar), then at Jamarat Al-Wusta (medium pillar) and lastly at Jamarat Al-Aqaba (largest pillar), seven times each. They prayed after stoning the first two pillars and quit quickly after stoning at the third Jamarat, following the tradition of the Prophet (peace be upon him). They performed the ritual in a serene, spiritual atmosphere, managed through comprehensive organization by the relevant authorities. Crowd movement along the Jamarat Bridge remained smooth and safe as pilgrims adhered to designated one-way tracks. After completing the ritual, traffic divided smoothly between those returning to their Mina accommodations and those proceeding to Makkah for the Farewell Tawaf to hasten their departure. The pilgrims, who are in a rush, are allowed to leave Mina for Makkah before sunset on the second Tashreeq day or else they will have to stay an extra day in Mina and have to pebble the Jamarat the next day, the third Tashreeq Day on Saturday. The pilgrims who will stay back in Mina on Friday night will leave the tent city after completing the stoning ritual on Saturday afternoon. Although Hajj, one of the five pillars of Islam, concludes officially on Saturday, the third day of Tashreeq, pilgrims are allowed to leave a day earlier. The authorities have made elaborate arrangements for the departure of pilgrims from Mina as per a two-day schedule prepared by them so as to avoid any congestion at the Jamarat Bridge as well as to ensure their smooth movement to the Grand Mosque to perform the Tawaf Al-Wida. Pilgrims started the stoning ritual Friday afternoon in an orderly and peaceful way. They performed the stoning ritual emulating Prophet Ibrahim’s stoning of the devil at the three spots where he is said to have appeared trying to dissuade him from obeying God’s order to sacrifice his son, Ismail. The ritual is the renunciation of evil in all its forms and a promise never to fall prey to the machinations and intrigues of Satan, the cursed. The pilgrims moved easily and comfortably from one pillar to the next as they hurled pebbles at the pillars. Multiple lanes were allocated for the smooth movement of pilgrims to the multi-level Jamarat Bridge complex. Pilgrims proceeded from their camps in Mina to the Jamarat Complex on their scheduled time on Friday afternoon. They reached the Jamarat on board Mashaer Train and buses while pilgrims staying in tents located near the Jamarat walked on foot to the facility. After completing the stoning ritual, a large number of pilgrims returned to their accommodation in Mina camps, packed their baggage and boarded buses that took them to Makkah to perform Farewell Tawaf.