1.5m pilgrims reach Makkah as hajj begins today

More than 1.5 million Muslims will begin the annual hajj pilgrimage in the Saudi holy city of Makkah today.

Crowds of worshippers have already begun to gather in Makkah in the days ahead of the hajj, the focal point of the Islamic calendar.

Saudi officials said they expect the number of pilgrims this year to exceed those in 2023, when more than 1.8 million people performed hajj.

The pilgrims included 4,200 Palestinians from the occupied West Bank who arrived in Makkah earlier this month, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Awqaf and Religious Affairs.

Palestinians in the Gaza Strip were not able to travel to Saudi Arabia for hajj this year because of the Israeli offensive in the enclave that began eight months ago.

“We are praying for Palestine to be free and for Palestinians to liberate their land and to be like other nations, to live in peace and not always to have war,” said Ibrahim al-Hadhari, an Algerian pilgrim, as he was standing in the Grand Mosque court waiting for evening prayers yesterday.

The annual pilgrimage, one of the world’s largest religious gatherings, coincides again this year with the hot Saudi summer, with officials predicting average highs of 44 degrees Celsius, reports AFP.

The pilgrims gather in Mina on the first day of hajj, where they spend time preparing spiritually before heading to the plain of Arafat.

The Day of Arafat is considered the most significant day of hajj where pilgrims engage in deep prayer and reflection, seeking forgiveness and blessings.

Following this, they proceed to Muzdalifah at night to collect pebbles, then move to perform the symbolic stoning of the devil at Jamarat, culminating with the celebration of Eid Al-Adha through the ritual of animal sacrifice.

One of the world’s largest religious gatherings, the hajj is one of the Five Pillars of Islam. All Muslims are required to undertake it at least once in their lives if they are physically and financially able to do so.

Those in the hajj view the pilgrimage as an opportunity to strengthen their faith, wipe out old sins and start new.