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CNN Live Saturday

Muslims Converge on Mecca for Hajj

Aired February 08, 2003 - 18:38   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: Feelings among the Muslims making their pilgrimage to Mecca during the current period of Hajj are very different. CNN's Hala Gorani is in the Muslim holy city.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HALA GORANI, CNN CORRESPONDENT (on camera): Up to two million people are expected to converge onto Mecca, Saudi Arabia, for the pilgrimage called the Hajj, one of the five pillars of Islam. Every Muslim man and woman is expected to perform the Hajj at least once in his or her lifetime, if that person is financially able to do so and is also in good enough health to make the trip.

It is a spectacular site. The grand holy mosque at the center of Mecca here in Saudi Arabia can hold more than one million people. The capacity of the ground floor alone, or the Kabah (ph), the cube people circle around reciting prayers is 500,000.

Of course, this is the time when Muslims from around the world and from many continents are gathering here in Saudi Arabia, where there is a sense that a U.S.-led attack against Iraq is perceived as being an attack against Islam. I've spoken to many people on the streets here of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, who say that if the U.S. attacks Iraq, it's attacking a Muslim country, and therefore attacking Muslim brothers and sisters. So political discussions, as well as the religious pilgrimage, on the top of many people's agenda here in Saudi Arabia.

This is Hala Gorani, reporting from Mecca, CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com






Aired February 8, 2003 - 18:38   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: Feelings among the Muslims making their pilgrimage to Mecca during the current period of Hajj are very different. CNN's Hala Gorani is in the Muslim holy city.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HALA GORANI, CNN CORRESPONDENT (on camera): Up to two million people are expected to converge onto Mecca, Saudi Arabia, for the pilgrimage called the Hajj, one of the five pillars of Islam. Every Muslim man and woman is expected to perform the Hajj at least once in his or her lifetime, if that person is financially able to do so and is also in good enough health to make the trip.

It is a spectacular site. The grand holy mosque at the center of Mecca here in Saudi Arabia can hold more than one million people. The capacity of the ground floor alone, or the Kabah (ph), the cube people circle around reciting prayers is 500,000.

Of course, this is the time when Muslims from around the world and from many continents are gathering here in Saudi Arabia, where there is a sense that a U.S.-led attack against Iraq is perceived as being an attack against Islam. I've spoken to many people on the streets here of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, who say that if the U.S. attacks Iraq, it's attacking a Muslim country, and therefore attacking Muslim brothers and sisters. So political discussions, as well as the religious pilgrimage, on the top of many people's agenda here in Saudi Arabia.

This is Hala Gorani, reporting from Mecca, CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com