ARAFAT, Feb 10: Saudi Arabia’s senior religious official on Monday asked more than two million Haj pilgrims to be united in their defence against the enemies of Islam.

Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdulaziz al Sheikh, whose sermon marks the highpoint of rites at Mount Arafat, told the faithful “the enemies of Islam are targeting the Ummah” and warned they were trying to deviate Muslims from their religion.

He did not make any direct reference to the recent deployment of more than 100,000 US troops in the Persian Gulf and the Middle East in preparation for a possible invasion of Iraq.

He called on Muslims to adhere to the principles of their faith as a way to win over their enemies and said the enemy would not win with troops and weapons.

“The struggle today is religious and economic. The enemies are trying to use any pretext to attack this nation” to control its economy, the mufti said in the sermon.

“Don’t you see the tragedies that have been inflicting the Ummah? ... Don’t you see how the enemies are gathering and are preparing to wage war on you? ... This has been caused by us because we abandoned the religion,” he said.

With the setting of the sun, the pilgrims began their descent from Mount Arafat after culmination of the Haj and made their way to nearby Muzdalifa to collect pebbles for Tuesday’s stoning of the devil in the Mina Valley.

The pilgrims earlier set out from Mina on foot and in buses and small vehicles for Mount Arafat.

“Here I am Allah, answering Your call, there is no God but You,” the sea of humanity, all dressed in white, chanted as they approached Arafat.

The faithful spent the day praying for forgiveness and beseeching God for success in a symbolic enactment of the Final Judgment at the scene of the Holy Prophet’s (pbuh) last sermon. Many trucks, parked by the side of the road, were distributing food and water free to pilgrims.

A number of Arab leaders, including Kuwaiti Amir Sheikh Jaber al Ahmad al Sabah, Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh and Tunisian President Zine al Abidine Ben-Ali also performed Haj.—AFP\dpa