The annual Hajj pilgrimage, one of the five pillars of Islam, has officially begun in Saudi Arabia with over 1.5 million faithful arriving from abroad. The event unfolds amid a fragile cease-fire related to the conflict with Iran and the global energy crisis.
Hajj Passport Forces Commander Saleh bin Saad al-Murabba said that as of Friday, more than 1.5 million pilgrims had entered the kingdom, a number expected to rise further.
For many, reaching Mecca is the realization of a lifelong dream. Samya Abdul Moneim, a devotee from Egypt, expressed immense gratitude for making the trip that every financially and physically able Muslim is required to undertake at least once in their lifetime. “I’m in a state of blessing and happiness,” she said in Mecca on Sunday. “It’s an indescribable feeling. Thank God, I’m blessed.”
Before moving to the sprawling tent city of Mina, pilgrims performed the ritual of circling the cube-shaped Kaaba at the Grand Mosque under blistering heat, many shielding themselves with umbrellas and handheld fans. Volunteers distributed water and misting fans to help people cope with the extreme temperatures.
For many, the Hajj is both a physical challenge and a spiritual transformation. “This year’s Hajj is truly a restart for me,” said Youssef Chouhoud, a political scientist from the United States, speaking from Mina. “It’s the hardest thing many of the faithful will ever endure. But nothing meaningful comes easy.” He added that he was inspired by seeing other pilgrims “compete with each other in doing good deeds and helping one another along the way.”
The pilgrimage takes place as the United States, Iran, and regional allies discuss a “memorandum of understanding” that Washington believes could reopen the Strait of Hormuz and ease the energy crisis caused by U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran and Tehran’s closure of the waterway. Despite the uncertainties, many pilgrims said they are relying on their faith.
On Tuesday, the faithful will gather on the plain of Arafat, the spiritual climax of the Hajj, where they will stand in prayer, seek forgiveness, and remember loved ones back home.
