Saudi Arabia has invested billions in safety measures, including planting 10,000 trees to provide shade…
Hajj, one of Islam’s Five Pillars, is a religious duty requiring Muslims who are able and can afford it to perform specific rituals.
Ghassan Al-Nuwaimi, a spokesperson for the Hajj Ministry, confirmed the number of foreign pilgrims but did not disclose how many domestic pilgrims are participating. Last year, over 1.6 million foreign pilgrims attended.
Pilgrims arrived in Arafat on Wednesday, some walking under temperatures nearing 40 degrees Celsius (104°F), with others helping the elderly. Mount Arafat, southeast of Mecca, is highly significant in Islam, marking where Prophet Muhammad delivered his last sermon.
According to tradition, the Day of Arafat is the most sacred day, when God forgives sins. Pilgrims stay in prayer from after midnight until sunset. After sunset on Thursday, they will travel to Muzdalifah to collect pebbles for a ritual.
Saudi Arabia has invested billions in safety measures, including planting 10,000 trees to provide shade, increasing hospital capacity, and tripling paramedics, said Health Minister Fahad bin Abdulrahman Al-Jalajel.