- Mount Arafat witnessed an overwhelming gathering of Muslim pilgrims.
- The Hajj considered one of the five pillars of Islam.
- It is obligatory for all Muslims who are financially and physically capable.
Mount Arafat witnessed an overwhelming gathering of hundreds of thousands of Muslim pilgrims as part of the annual Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, amidst scorching temperatures reaching 48°C.
Clad in white robes, groups of worshippers recited Quranic verses on the hill, a site where the Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) delivered his final sermon.
The Hajj considered one of the five pillars of Islam, is obligatory for all Muslims who are financially and physically capable, and Saudi authorities anticipated it to be the largest in history.
However, according to the kingdom’s statistics authority, this year’s Hajj saw over 1.8 million participants, making it the largest gathering since the COVID-19 pandemic, yet falling short of the initial expectation of more than 2.5 million attendees.
On the following day, the pilgrims will engage in the symbolic “stoning of the devil” ritual, where they will collect pebbles and throw them at three concrete walls. Subsequently, they will conclude their pilgrimage by returning to the Grand Mosque in Makkah, Islam’s most sacred site, to perform the final circumambulation around the Kaaba.
