Good Deed: #72 Rami-Pelt the jamarat 10,11,12 Dhil Haj
- Narrated Salim bin Abdullah: ‘Abdullah bin ‘Umar used to do Rami of the Jamrat-ud-Dunya with seven small pebbles and used to recite Takbir on throwing each stone. He, then, would proceed further till he reached the level ground, where he would stay for a long time, facing the Qibla to invoke (Allah) while raising his hands. Then he would do Rami of the Jamrat-ul-Wusta similarly and would go to the left towards the level ground, where he would stand for a long time facing the Qibla to invoke (Allah) while raising his hands. Then he would do Rami of the Jamrat-ul-‘Aqaba from the middle of the valley, but he would not stay by it. Ibn ‘Umar used to say, “I saw Allah’s Apostle doing like that.”Bukhari 2:26:808
- Narrated ‘Ubaidullah bin ‘Abdullah: Ibn Abbas’ said, “Usama rode behind Allah’s Apostle from ‘Arafat to Al-Muzdalifa; and then Al-Fadl rode behind Allah’s Apostle from Al-Muzdalifa to Mina.” Ibn Abbas added, “Both of them said, ‘The Prophet kept on reciting Talbiya till he did the Rami of Jamrat-al-‘Aqaba.’ ” Bukhari 2:26:616
- Narrated Wabra: I asked Ibn ‘Umar, “When should I do the Rami of the Jimar?” He replied, “When your leader does that.” I asked him again the same question. He replied, “We used to wait till the sun declined and then we would do the Rami (i.e. on the 11th and 12th of Dhul-Hijja).” Bukhari 2: 26:802:
- Narrated ‘Abdur-Rahman bin Yazid:I performed Hajj with Ibn Masud , and saw him doing Rami of the big Jamra (Jamrat-ul-Aqaba) with seven small pebbles, keeping the Ka’ba on his left side and Mina on his right. He then said, “This is the place where the one on whom Surat-al-Baqara was revealed (i.e. Allah’s Apostle ) stood.” Bukhari 2:26:805
- Narrated Ibn Abbas:The Prophet was asked about the slaughtering, shaving (of the head), and the doing of Rami before or after the due times. He said, “There is no harm in that.” Bukhari 2:26:790
Pelting of Jamarat
Action Plan
The ritual of stoning the devil
On the 10th day of Dhu al-Hijjah (Eid ul-Adha), pilgrims must hit the large jamrah only with seven pebbles. On each of the following two days they must hit each of the three walls with seven pebbles, going in order from east to west. At least 49 pebbles are needed for the ritual, more if some throws miss. Some pilgrims stay at Mina for an additional day; in this case they must again stone each wall seven times.
The pebbles used in the stoning are traditionally gathered at Muzdalifah, a plain southeast of Mina, on the night before the first throwing, but can also be collected at Mina.
Historical and spiritual significance
The ritual re-enacts Abraham’s pilgrimage to Mecca as explained by the Muslim historian al-Azraqi:
When he [Abraham] left Mina and was brought down to (the defile called) al-Aqaba, the Devil appeared to him at Stone-Heap of the Defile. Gabriel said to him: “Pelt him!” so Abraham threw seven stones at him so that he disappeared from him. Then he appeared to him at the Middle Stone-Heap. Gabriel said to him: “Pelt him!” so he pelted him with seven stones so that he disappeared from him. Then he appeared to him at the Little Stone-Heap. Gabriel said to him: “Pelt him!” so he pelted him with seven stones like the little stones for throwing with a sling. So the Devil withdrew from him.
All three jamarat represent the devil: the first and largest represents his temptation of Abraham against sacrificing Ishmael, the second represents the temptation of Abraham’s wife Hagar to induce her to stop him, and the third represents his temptation of Ishmael to avoid being sacrificed. He was rebuked each time, and the throwing of the stones symbolizes those rebukes.
The stoning of the jamarat also represents the repudiation of man’s self (literally the “internal despot”, al-Nafs al-Amarah) and the act of casting aside one’s low desires and wishes. As one Islamic theologian puts it,
If one is able to crush the al‑Nafs al‑Amarah during the stoning of the Jamarah al‑’Uqbah [the jamrah of Aqaba], then one has taken the next step in attaining closeness to Allah, and since between the servant and Allah there is no more than the distance of one step, if one has been able to take this step and make it past one’s own low desires and wishes, then that which follows is the level of closeness to Allah.
During those two or three days after the Eid that one is in Mina, one must stone the three Jamarat, meaning that one must trample upon his internal despot (al-Nafs al-Amarah), the external despot of the Shaitan from the Jinn (Iblis and those like him), and the Shaitan from among the Humans (the enemies of religion and of humanity).
The stoning of the three Jamarat is in essence, the trampling upon the despots and waging war against all of them. When one focuses on them and the hatred for them, then one automatically focuses with complete attention upon one’s self – and rightfully so – while stoning the Jamarat, one must focus entirely upon one’s self.
Source: Stoning the devil
Other resources
How to perform Rami/pelt the jamarat
O shaytaan I am going to throw you down – Zain Bhikha