Hajj: 1 million pilgrims descend on Mecca

In Mecca, shortly before the hajj, all the town squares are already busy. As they enter the holy city in Saudi Arabia, the faithful begin to prepare themselves for the event with a host of rituals. Many already wear white robes and they are no longer allowed to shave, comb their hair or cut their nails.

Saudi Arabia is expecting one million pilgrims again this year for the first time since the pandemic restrictions. They must all be vaccinated and adhere to strict hygiene rules. In the past two years, the pilgrimage had taken place in a vastly reduced form. In 2020, only 1,000 worshippers residing in Saudi Arabia were admitted, compared to 60,000 last year.

With temperatures currently hovering around 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit), the pilgrims try to protect themselves from the blazing sun with colorful umbrellas. The mosque is open at the top and services take place here in all weather conditions, even when it rains.

One stop during the pilgrimage is the sevenfold circumambulation of the Kaaba. Inside the shrine, which is covered with a black cloth, is a small room called the penance room. The interior walls are covered to half their height with marble, perfumed with scented oil. Tablets with Koranic inscriptions are embedded in the marble.

According to legend, Adam built the Kaaba after being expelled from paradise. In fact, it was initially a pre-Islamic sanctuary. Later, Abraham and his son Ishmael are said to have rebuilt it as a place of pilgrimage after the archangel Gabriel handed them the Black Stone. Believers worship it by kissing, touching or pointing with their hands.

The Black Stone is located at the eastern corner of the Kaaba. It is set into the wall at a height of about 1.5 meters (around 4 feet) above the ground. Broken into several fragments, it is now held together by cement and a silver border. The origin and physical composition of the Black Stone are unknown — it has not yet been scientifically examined.

The pilgrims make their way to Mina near Mecca. The ritual stoning of the devil takes place there. Time and again in the past, accidents and mass panics have occurred in this section. The Saudi government rebuilt the access bridges to better coordinate the crowds. Nevertheless, this part of the hajj remains dangerous.

At the National Center for Security Operations, the Grand Mosque and surrounding places are continuously monitored on countless screens. After the mass panic in 2015, in which hundreds of pilgrims lost their lives, the police came under heavy pressure amid accusations that they blocked various alternative routes. Several reconstruction measures followed in order to make the event safer.

The day at Mount Arafat is dedicated to prayer and repentance. According to Islamic tradition, the Prophet Muhammad gave his farewell sermon on Mount Arafat to his followers who accompanied him on the pilgrimage at the end of his life. Afterwards, the pilgrims spend the night in the nearby Muzdalifah Valley, and finally, back in Mina, celebrate the festival of sacrifice, Eid al-Adha.