During Hajj, pilgrims perform the stoning ritual associated with Eid al-Adha at Mina.
Mina is a valley east of Mecca and an important station of the Hajj pilgrimage. Pilgrims stay there during several days of the pilgrimage and throw pebbles at three stone pillars or walls known as the Jamarat. The ritual commemorates Abraham’s rejection of Satan’s attempts to dissuade him from following God’s command.
The major stoning begins on 10 Dhu al-Hijjah, the date of Eid al-Adha, and continues on the following days for pilgrims who remain in Mina. The modern Jamarat Bridge complex helps manage the enormous crowds.
Mina is sometimes confused with Arafat, where pilgrims stand on the ninth day of Dhu al-Hijjah, or Muzdalifah, where many collect pebbles and spend part of the night. These are separate Hajj locations.