PLAIN OF ARAFAT, Saudi Arabia, January 31 (IslamOnline.net & News Agencies) - More than two million pilgrims descended Mount Arafat on Saturday, January 31, and began readying themselves for the stoning of the devil a day later.

At sunset, pilgrims starting streaming to nearby Muzdalifa, a few kilometers from the plain of Arafat, where they will stay for the night.

On Sunday, February 1, the faithful will throw pebbles at three pillars in Mina on the spot where the devil appeared to Prophet Abraham, reported Agence France-Presse (AFP).

Eid al-Adha begins the same day, with the sacrificial killing of sheep, goats and cows in commemoration of Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son Ismail at God's command.

Standing on Mount Arafat, where Prophet Mohammad delivered his last sermon 14 centuries ago, before sunset is the high point of the hajj, and pilgrims who fail to make it here on time must repeat their pilgrimage in future.

Men clad in a two-piece seamless white cloth -- which mark a state of purity that erases all differences of race, class or culture - and women fully covered except for the hands and face, had flocked to Arafat on foot or in buses, small vehicles and pick-ups.

Arafat is a small plain, some 250 meters (yards) above sea level, surrounded with high mountains from all directions. Pilgrims stay the day under thousands of tents and in the open.

The Saudi Interior Ministry put at 1,419,706 the number of pilgrims coming from various world countries, 16,083 less than last year.

Hajj Minister Iyad Madani said they were joined by some 250,000 pilgrims from within Saudi Arabia, in addition to faithful from among Makkah residents.

In a special hajj sermon, Saudi Arabia's grand mufti and its highest religious authority said terror and violence must be "mercilessly crushed."

"Islam has forbidden violence in all its forms; it has forbidden hijacking airplanes, ships and other means of transport and has forbidden all acts that would undermine security," said Sheikh Abdul Aziz al-Sheikh told some two million pilgrims in and outside Namirah mosque.

"God says the penalty of those who fight God and his prophet and spread violence and terror is to be killed, crucified or have their hands and legs chopped off."

The prominent scholar questioned why "Islam is branded by some as the religion of terror given its strong opposition to terror.

"You must know of Islam's firm stance against all these terrible crimes that are attributed to it."

The sermon preceded a hajj prayer that combines the daily Muslim mid-day and afternoon prayers to mark Prophet Mohammed's "farewell sermon."

Saudi Arabia has been battling militants believed linked to Al-Qaeda since a string of bombings killed 52 people in Riyadh in May and November last year.

This year hajj is taking place amid tight security measures imposed by the Saudi authorities, who have warned that they will not tolerate any attempt to undermine security.

Thousands of police, soldiers and paramilitary troops were stationed along the routes to Arafat as helicopters hovered overhead.

"Everything is proceeding well," one police officer told AFP.

"It is a very big and overwhelming feeling over here, and we hope - in God's will - that the Muslims will become united," pilgrim Nasser Bou-Lwad was quoted as saying.