Huge crowds of Muslim pilgrims dressed in white robes walked solemn circles around the Kaaba, Islam’s holiest site, at Mecca as the biggest Hajj pilgrimage in several years began in Saudi Arabia on June 25 (Sunday).
Record breaking attendance
With an anticipated attendance of over 2 million worshipers from 160 countries, this year’s Hajj has the potential to break all previous records. About 1.6 million foreign pilgrims had already arrived in Mecca by late Friday, according to Saudi officials.
An anonymous official from the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah expressed confidence in surpassing the historic milestone, predicting that the number of pilgrims would exceed 2.5 million.
In 2019, 2.5 million individuals participated in Hajj, while only 10,000 were allowed in 2020 due to the global outbreak. The number rose to nearly 59,000 in 2021. In 2022, there were 899,353 pilgrims, with 779,919 from outside Saudi Arabia and 119,434 from within the Kingdom, according to the Saudi General Authority for Statistics.
"ونحن ضيـوف الله جئنا لبيتـه *
— وزارة الحج والعمرة (@HajMinistry) June 26, 2023
نريد القِرى نبغي من الله حسنـاه"#أذن_بالناس #بسلام_آمنين#مكة_والمدينة_في_انتظاركم_بشوق pic.twitter.com/HF9vjsBnQO
Participants expressed profound gratitude and joy as they performed the sacred ritual. Abdel-Azim, a 65-year-old Egyptian retiree, who had saved up for 20 years to pay the $6,000 fee to take part, described his experience as he performed the ritual.
“I am living the most beautiful days of my life,” he said. “The dream has come true.”
Steps of Hajj
The Hajj, considered one of the fundamental pillars of Islam, is obligatory for all Muslims who possess the means to undertake the journey at least once in their lifetime.
- Preparation and Intention
- Enter the state of Ihram
- Tawaf x7
- Safa and Marwa
- Clip/Shave Hair (Umrah ends)
- Resting and Praying
- Enter a state of Ihram
- Arrive at Mina
- Day of Arafat
- Muzdalifah (under the night sky)
- Rami (stoning of the devil)
- Hady
- Shaving of the Head
- Tawaf al-Ifadha
- Sai
- Rami (stoning of the devil)
- Spend the night at Mina
- Rami (stoning of the devil)
- Farewell Tawaf al-Wida
Step-by-step guide to performing Hajj
Over the course of four days, pilgrims will engage in a series of rituals within Mecca and its environs, culminating in the pinnacle of the Hajj at Mount Arafat on Tuesday. It is believed to be the location where Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) delivered his final sermon. Here is a list of major rituals that pilgrims would be performing during the last four days of Hajj:
- Intent and ihram – The very first step is to make a pure intention and to enter ihram – a pilgrim’s sacred state.
- Tawaf and Sai – Pilgrims then perform Tawaf, which means circling the Kaaba in an anticlockwise direction seven times, and sai, which refers to running between the Safa and Marwa hills.
- Mina, the tent city – On the 8th of Dul Hijjah, pilgrims travel by foot on pilgrim paths or take a bus for the 8km (five-mile) journey to Mina, a tent city just outside of Mecca. The pilgrims spend the day in Mina, in prayer and remembering Allah.
- Arafat Day – The Day of Arafat is considered one of the most important days. After making the 15km journey from Mina, pilgrims spend the day at Jabal Arafat (Mount Mercy) in reverent prayer. The site is particularly revered as the place where the Prophet Muhammad delivered his last sermon. Around the world, many Muslims choose to fast on this day.
- Towards Muzdalifah – After sunset, it is time to move to make the 11 km trip to Muzdalifah where the pilgrims will spend the night under the stars. Many also begin collecting 49 pebbles here for the next day’s rites of stoning Satan.
- Stoning the devil (rami) – The symbolic stoning of the devil is based on historical tradition as Muslims believe that the devil tried to dissuade Prophet Ibraham from heeding Allah’s command and the prophet responded by throwing stones to scare him off. The act of throwing stones is repeated for the next two days, pelting the three pillars using seven pebbles each.
- Eid Al Adha – The 10th of Dul Hijjah is also Eid al Adha, a day celebrated by Muslims around the world. On this day, Muslim pilgrims should also sacrifice an animal either a camel or lamb, and the meat should be distributed to the needy.
- Leaving Muzdalifah – The pilgrims arrive back in Mina before dawn to perform the first rami, throwing seven pebbles at the largest of three columns known as Jamarat al-Aqaba.
- On the 12th day of Dul Hijjah, the men shave their heads or trim their hair. Women can trim their hair by the length of a fingertip.
- Farewell tawaf – Then the pilgrims can remove their white ihram clothes. Many will then proceed to Mecca to perform tawaf and sai again. They also engage in duaa (prayers) asking Allah for forgiveness and mercy.
- Many pilgrims also visit Medina, the second holiest city in Islam, before heading home.
The Hajj has just commenced in Makkah, Saudi Arabia. More than a million pilgrims will proceed to the Tent City of Mina today, where they will engage in reflection and prayer. May Allah Almighty make it easy for them and accept their worship. Aameen#Hajj1444 #Mina #Hajj2023 pic.twitter.com/KbIzGRjxSs
— Mufti Menk (@muftimenk) June 25, 2023
Mina, the world’s largest tent city, made necessary preparations to accommodate the influx of pilgrims, including the provision of food supplies and the deployment of security forces to maintain order.
Hajj in summers
This year’s Hajj presents an additional trial due to its timing during the summer season, subjecting worshipers to the scorching sun throughout the predominantly outdoor rituals. Police officers, carrying white umbrellas to shield against the intense heat, patrolled the mountainous city, inspecting hajj permits at checkpoints.
With temperatures reaching 45 degrees Celsius (113 degrees Fahrenheit), water was generously splashed on pilgrims, and over 32,000 health workers stood ready to address cases of heatstroke, dehydration, and exhaustion.
Despite temperatures hitting 46C (115F), hajj pilgrims in Mecca told AFP they were undeterred by the intense summer heat.
— AFP News Agency (@AFP) June 26, 2023
Saudi authorities say more than 32,000 health workers are on hand, and bottles or water are being distributed free of charge.
➡️ https://t.co/mTdeGp57qT pic.twitter.com/7iIjvGZdci
Enhanced safety measures
In contrast to previous incidents, which resulted in tragedies like the 2015 stampede claiming numerous lives, recent years have seen improved safety measures and a lack of major incidents.