Muslim pilgrims walk around the Kaaba, the cubic building at the Grand Mosque, during the annual Hajj pilgrimage, in the Muslim holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Wednesday, June 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil)
An Afghani Muslim pilgrim, looks on as he prepares to enter the Grand Mosque, during the annual Hajj pilgrimage in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Monday, June 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Amr Nabi)
A Muslim pilgrim on a wheelchair in the Kaaba, the cubic building at the Grand Mosque, during the annual Hajj pilgrimage, in the Muslim holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Wednesday, June 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil)
A Muslim pilgrim prays as others walk at the Kaaba, the cubic building at the Grand Mosque, during the annual Hajj pilgrimage, in the Muslim holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Wednesday, June 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil)
ARAFAT, Saudi Arabia (AP) — More than 1.5 million foreign pilgrims are in Saudi Arabia for this year's Hajj, a government spokesperson said Wednesday.
Hajj is one of the , a religious obligation involving rituals and acts of worship that every Muslim must fulfil if they have the money and are physically able to do it.
Hajj Ministry spokesperson Ghassan Al-Nuwaimi provided an approximate number for foreigners at this year’s pilgrimage. He did not say how many domestic pilgrims were taking part. Last year, there were 1,611,310 pilgrims from outside the country.
On Wednesday, pilgrims streamed into , some making the journey on foot, carrying their luggage through temperatures nudging 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit). Others carried the elderly.
People paused to sit on the ground to rest or eat before heading to their camps.
Mount Arafat, a rocky hill southeast of Mecca, holds immense significance in Islam. Arafat is mentioned in the Quran and it is where the Prophet Muhammad is said to have given his last sermon on his final Hajj.
According to traditional sayings of the prophet, the Day of Arafat is the most sacred day of the year, when God draws near to the faithful and forgives their sins.
Pilgrims remain in Arafat, in prayer and reflection, from after midnight until after sunset. After sunset Thursday, pilgrims will go to the desert plain of Muzdalifah to collect pebbles, which they will use in a ritual.
Saudi Arabia has spent billions of dollars on crowd control and safety measures, but the mass of participants makes ensuring their safety difficult. One of the greatest challenges at the Hajj in recent years has been the .
Earlier in the week, Health Minister Fahad bin Abdulrahman Al-Jalajel told The Associated Press that 10,000 trees have been planted to provide more shade, there is increased hospital bed capacity, and the number of paramedics has tripled.
The ºÃÉ«tv Press. All rights reserved.
For many Indigenous communities, access to financial services and economic opportu…
Trust in international money transfers has long been tied to physical places: a ba…
Sorry, an error occurred.
Already Subscribed!
Cancel anytime
Thank you .
Your account has been registered, and you are now logged in.
Check your email for details.
Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password.
An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account.
No promotional rates found.
Secure & Encrypted
Thank you.
Your gift purchase was successful! Your purchase was successful, and you are now logged in.
| Rate: | |
| Tax: | |
| Today's total: | |
| Begins: | |
| Transaction ID: |
A receipt was sent to your email.
