MINA: As thousands of pilgrims on Monday made their way toward the Jamarat to perform the ritual of stoning the devil, marking the final rite of Hajj, several members of the Saudi Arabia Scouts Association were seen standing by ready to assist.

“This is what we do, we guide pilgrims, our goal is to be rewarded by Allah and we are honored to serve pilgrims,” scout Mohammed Abdullah Al-Kuwaikibi told Arab News.

The pilgrims arrived at the massive building to stone the Jamarat Al-Aqabah, or the big pillar, the place where the Prophet Ibrahim threw seven pebbles at the devil.

“We are currently in Arafat, Mina, and Muzdalifah along with other colleagues where we offer guidance to lost pilgrims and help them to move between (the areas to perform their) rituals,” Al-Kuwaikibi said.

The scouts also provide advice on how the rituals should be performed, including when to change from their Ihrams, slaughter animals, and where to get their hair trimmed or shaved, one of the last acts of the annual pilgrimage.

Often they provide some water or simply have a chat to lift the spirits of those who may be tired from the demanding requirements of the Hajj.

Osama Abdulrahman Thikerallah, a scout and student at King Faisal University in Al-Ahsa, stationed at the Jamarat with several colleagues, told Arab News he was there to help lost pilgrims get back to their camps.

“Of course, we’ve served pilgrims from all around the world. We (speak) Arabic, foreign languages, Turkish … most languages, really,” he added.

Every year, the scouts work closely with the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah to assist pilgrims. 

Al-Kuwaikibi said that the scouts help with healthcare, guidance on rituals, preventing violations, and helping to clean up waste.