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Over 2m perform Haj today

MENA, (Saudi Arabia): Hundreds of thousands of chanting Muslim pilgrims marched from Mecca to the plains of Mena in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday on this year's Haj pilgrimage.

In buses and cars or on foot, row after row of the faithful left Mecca after performing the Tawaf, circling the cube-shaped Kaaba in the Grand Mosque, Islam's holiest site, seven times and walking seven times between nearby Safa and Marwa.

As they left Mecca they joined in a chant: "Here I am, oh God, here I am, associate no one with thee..."

Many in the sea of white-clad believers were so moved by the ritual that tears streamed down their faces as they left for Mena, 11 km (seven miles) away, retracing the steps of the Prophet Mohammad (PBUH).

Saudi officials said the Haj, in some years marred by fires, stampedes and political conflict, had been trouble free.

More than two million pilgrims from over 100 countries are performing Haj, seeking repentance, purification and spiritual renewal in a ritual performed by millions of Muslims every year for the past 14 centuries.

On the plains of Mena, most of the pilgrims were to spend the night in 43,000 flameproof tents before setting out to Mount Arafat on the climax to the Haj.

The tents have been provided to avert a fire like one that killed more than 340 people in 1997. Other pilgrims were seen sleeping at streetcorners and under bridges.

Saudia Arabia's news agency SPA quoted Iyad bin Amin Madani, the Saudi minister of pilgrimage affairs and endowments, as saying the ascent to Mena had been trouble free.

The faithful will spend their time praying, reading the Quran or sleeping in preparation for a gruelling climb on Mount Arafat where they will spend Wednesday praying for forgiveness.

Traffic to Mena flowed despite the huge number of cars and buses on the highways, bridges and tunnels. Those on foot followed specially assigned routes for pedestrians, including covered areas for shelter from the sun.

Helicopters hovered to report on any emergencies.

At Mena, more than 6,000 food shops were to feed the crowds. Bakeries were set to make five million loaves of bread per day.

Saudi Arabia appeared to have smoothed the way for a Haj free of political tension.-Reuters