1.
GV TILT DOWN Mecca Mosque
0.50

2.
GV PAN INT. Mosque
0.21

3.
GV Stone in Ka'ba
0.30

4.
SV King Faisal Kissing stone & walks away Followed by officials
0.42

5.
CU & SV Pilgrims kissing Black Stone (3 shots)
0.56

6.
AV Arafat from Mecca
1.07

7.
GV PAN Tents in Arafat
1.20

8.
GV Pilgrims past camera (2 shots)
1.31

9.
SV Children in tent (2 shots)
1.36

10.
SV Man washing leg
1.38

11.
SV Man cutting meat
1.41

12.
SV & GV Pilgrims (2 shots)
1.50

13.
GV & CU Pilgrims throwing stones at effigy of Satan (4 shots)
2.05

14.
GV PAN Country Palace in Mina
2.11

15.
SV Guard outside
2.13

16.
SV INT. King shakes hands of pilgrim Leaders (3 shots)
2.26



Initials SGM/0034



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: King Faisal of Saudi Arabia joined a million and a half Moslem pilgrim making their devotions at the holy places of Arafat and Mecca on Saturday (13 January).

Every Moslem must, if he is physically able, make a "haj" (pilgrimage) to Mecca, in Saudi Arabia, at least once in his lifetime.

The sacred journey, which sees whole tented cities spring up and disappear again within days, includes a visit to Ka'ba, a small stone building believed to have been built by Abraham. Moslems believe Arafat is where Adam and Hawa (or Eve to other religions) met after fleeing from the Garden of Eden.

Another sacred act of the "haj" is the kissing of the Black Stone of Mecca, built into the Ka'ba wall.

SYNOPSIS: Mecca, the most sacred city of Islam, is again the centre of an annual visit by pilgrims. It's estimated that a million and a half Moslems are visiting the city on their Haj -- the sacred journey that every Moslem must take at least once if he is physically able.

One of the most holy places is the Ka'ba, which is said to have been built by the prophet Abreham. King Faisal, Monarch of Saudi Arabia, in which Mecca and most of the holy places lie, carried out his annual devotion in kissing the sacred Black Stone built in the wall of the Ka'ba. Then came the long queue of pilgrims, to whom this act is one of the most significant events of their lifetime.

Another holy place is Arafat. This is where Adam and Hawa -- or Eve, as she is know in other religions -- are said to have been reunited after becoming separated as they fled from the Garden of Eden. They prayed for forgiveness here -- and Allah forgave them. Moslems believe that every pilgrim who goes to Arafat leaves completely free of sin.

Tented city spring up at the holy sites to house the pilgrims as they arrive.

Another part of the pilgrimage is the traditional stoning of an effigy of Satan. This is said to commemorate the action of Mohammed in throwing stones at the devil when he tried to tempt him into sin.

At King Faisal's country palace in Mina east of Mecca, the leading pilgrims from each country are invited each year to meet the monarch. By now they are all "Hajis" -- a Moslem title that tells everyone they have made the faithful pilgrimage.