Nearly 2 million Muslim pilgrims begin annual Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia
Pilgrims will ascend Mount Arafat, the peak of Hajj pilgrimage, on Thursday
ISTANBUL
Nearly two million Muslim pilgrims began the soul-searching journey of the Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday.
The pilgrims circled the Kaaba in the heart of the holy city of Mecca and began moving to Mina, a vast tent city on the way to Mecca, marking the first step of the Hajj rituals.
The pilgrims will spend the night in Mina in prayers and supplication, in preparation for ascending Mount Arafat, the peak of the Hajj, on Thursday.
The Saudi channel Al-Ekhbariya said the pilgrims will reach Mina via buses and trains “under organized transportation plans” and “in a clear commitment.”
According to official figures released by Saudi authorities, more than 1.47 million Muslims have arrived in Saudi Arabia for the Hajj pilgrimage. The total number is expected to increase with local pilgrims to reach two million.
Last year, over 1.8 million Muslim pilgrims from 200 countries around the world performed the ritual.
The Hajj pilgrimage is the fifth pillar of the Islamic faith – a ritual that must be performed by all Muslims, if financially viable, at least once in their lives.
The ritual includes several rituals meant to symbolize the essential concepts of the Islamic faith and to commemorate the trials of the Prophet Abraham and his family.
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