Pilgrims flock to Mecca: Saudi Arabia sees record numbers for Hajj

In recent days, real crowds have appeared in Saudi Arabia. Over 1.5 million Muslims from abroad are said to be present, and even more are expected. All this is because of the Hajj, which every faithful Muslim should participate in at least once in their lifetime.

The four-day Hajj, which this year will begin in mid-June, involves a series of rituals performed in Mecca and its surroundings. It is a spiritual pilgrimage that cleanses the soul of sins and grants forgiveness to its participants. It is considered one of the five pillars of Islam – alongside the profession of faith, prayer, almsgiving, and fasting. Every Muslim should undertake the pilgrimage at least once in their lifetime if they have the necessary means. According to foreign media, the Hajj is considered the "largest gathering of people on the planet."

The authorities of Saudi Arabia announced on Wednesday, 12 June, that over 1.5 million Muslims from abroad had arrived for this year's pilgrimage to Mecca by Tuesday, and this is not the end yet.

The vast majority of foreign pilgrims arrived in Saudi Arabia by plane, and their number will still grow before the official start of the Hajj on Friday, 14 June. Hundreds of thousands of Saudi residents will also participate in the pilgrimage.

According to Saudi authorities, more people will participate in this year's pilgrimage than last year when the number reached 1.8 million, approaching pre-pandemic levels. In 2019, as many as 2.4 million Muslims participated in the Hajj.

This year, among the pilgrims are 4,200 Palestinians from the West Bank. Due to the ongoing eight-month war between Israel and Hamas, Palestinians from the Gaza Strip did not join them.

On Tuesday, the pilgrims circled the Kaaba, the place of worship containing the Black Stone, seven times. The Kaaba is the holiest site in Islam, and every pilgrim must perform this ritual immediately upon arriving in Mecca and then before leaving it.

On Friday, the pilgrims will head to Mount Arafat for a day-long vigil and then to the valley of Muzdalifah, where they will collect stones later in the valley of Mina to stone three pillars symbolising the devil.