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Muslims 'stone the devil' as almost million-strong hajj winds down

Muslim pilgrims cast pebbles in the "stoning of the devil" ritual marking the start of the Eid al-Adha holiday on Saturday, as this year's expanded hajj pilgrimage was winding down.

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Hosting the pilgrimage is a matter of prestige and a powerful source of political legitimacy for Saudi rulers, the custodians of Islam's holiest sites. Barring overseas pilgrims for the past two years had caused deep disappointment among Muslims worldwide, who typically save for years to take part. The hajj, which costs at least $5,000 per person, and umrah pilgrimages that occur at other times of the year are a major engine of Saudi Arabia's tourism sector.