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More than 1.5 million foreign pilgrims are in Saudi Arabia for this year’s Hajj, according to a Saudi government spokesperson.
Hajj is one of the Five Pillars of Islam, a religious obligation involving rituals and acts of worship that every Muslim must fulfil at least once in their lifetime, 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.
It’s almost 160,000 fewer pilgrims than last year and a far cry from the pre-pandemic boom, when attendance would regularly push past 2 million. There was a record-breaking Hajj in 2012, when more than 3.16 million Muslims took part.
On Wednesday, pilgrims streamed into Arafat, some making the journey on foot, carrying their luggage through temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit).
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 – Peace be upon him – 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 sun down on Thursday, pilgrims headed 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 heat.
Earlier in the week, Health Minister Fahad bin Abdulrahman Al-Jalajel revealed that 10,000 trees have been planted to provide more shade as a governmental initiative to protect people from heat related medical emergencies.
He also added that bed capacities at hospitals were greatly increased, and the number of paramedics and medical professionals has tripled.
Additional sources • AP