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Yahoo
a day ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Muslims gather in Mecca for the Hajj pilgrimage
Faith is an integral part of millions of Americans' daily lives. 'One Nation Under God' is committed to reflecting America's voices, values and communities, covering stories of faith and religion, from the latest headlines to stories of hope. Subscribe here. (NewsNation) — More than 1.5 million Muslims from around the world gathered in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, for the Hajj, an Islamic pilgrimage to Islam's holiest city. The religious trip is a once-in-a-lifetime duty for every Muslim who is financially and physically capable. This year's pilgrimage attracted 1,673,230 Muslims, the majority of them from outside Saudi Arabia, according to an X post from Saudi Arabia's Hajj Ministry. It's the lowest number of pilgrims in 30 years, excluding during the COVID pandemic. What does the Catholic Church say about artificial intelligence? Muslims gather in Saudi Arabia to take part in religious rituals and acts of worship to fulfil one of the Five Pillars of Islam, a religious obligation. It's a chance to seek God's forgiveness and repent for one's sins. Mount Arafat, a rocky hill southeast of Mecca, is of great significance in Islam. Arafat is where the Prophet Muhammad is said to have given his last sermon on his final Hajj. A visit to Arafat marks the spiritual climax of the pilgrimage when Muslims pray, fast and ask God to forgive their sins. Antisemitism top challenge for 78% of Jews: Israeli survey Muslim pilgrims perform 'tawaf,' which entails circling the Kaaba, a cube-shaped structure in Mecca, counterclockwise seven times. The Kaaba is the focal point toward which Muslims face during their daily prayers from anywhere in the world. Pilgrims also retrace the path of Hagar, the wife of Prophet Ibrahim, Abraham to Jews and Christians, who Muslims believe ran between two hills seven times searching for water for her son. Muhammad was a religious and political leader born in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, in the sixth century who Muslims believe was the last of the prophets. His teachings, along with the Quran, form the basis of Islamic religious belief. Noah's Ark: Researchers claim they may have found it in Turkey The core Islamic practice of praying five times a day, known as salah in Arabic, serves as a reminder of one's relationship with God and a way to purify the soul. According to Pew Research Center, there are around 2.5 billion Muslims in the world, making Islam the second-largest religion after Christianity. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Khaleej Times
2 days ago
- Politics
- Khaleej Times
Hajj 2025: UAE leaders congratulate Saudi King on successful season
As the wrapping up of Hajj 2025 season nears, UAE leaders have expressed their congratulations to Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz on the success of organising the pilgrims' journey to the Muslim holy sites. This year, more than 1.6 million Muslims are performing the sacred pilgrimage, with majority of them from outside Saudi Arabia, according to the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah. UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan has sent a message to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques to congratulate him on the successful season. Sheikh Mohamed expressed "his sincere congratulations on the success of the Hajj season this year, which was achieved by the grace of Allah the Almighty, and thanks to the generous care of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, his wise government and its institutions, to ensure that pilgrims can perform their rituals in tranquillity and safety". Similar messages were sent by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, and Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court. Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, Sheikh Humaid bin Rashid Al Nuaimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Ajman, Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah, Sheikh Hamad bin Mohammed Al Sharqi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Fujairah, and Sheikh Saud bin Rashid Al Mualla, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Umm Al Quwain also congratulated the Saudi king on the occasion. After a year that saw fatalities because of heat during Hajj, the kingdom has imposed higher penalties this year for anyone attempting to perform Hajj without a permit, including fines of up to 20,000 Saudi Riyals, arrest, and deportation. The kingdom also suspended short-term visas for 14 countries earlier this year, and security personnel can be seen across holy sites in Makkah.
5 days ago
Hajj attendance falls to 30-year-low excluding the COVID-19 pandemic period
ISLAMABAD -- This year's Hajj in Saudi Arabia attracted the lowest number of pilgrims for 30 years, excluding the COVID-19 pandemic period, according to figures released Thursday. The annual Islamic pilgrimage attracted just 1,673,230 Muslims, the majority of them from outside Saudi Arabia, according to a post from the country's Hajj Ministry on the social platform X. Authorities did not immediately offer an explanation for the low turnout. It's almost 160,000 fewer pilgrims than last year and a far cry from the pre-pandemic boom, when attendance would regularly push past 2 million. There was a record-breaking Hajj in 2012, when more than 3.16 million Muslims took part. The kingdom ran a pared-down pilgrimage during the COVID-19 pandemic, sharply reducing the scale of the Hajj between 2020 and 2022 while still allowing a small number of the faithful to take part in the annual event. The Hajj in 2023 was the first to be held without restrictions since the start of the pandemic in 2020. At the Hajj, Muslims gather in Saudi Arabia to unite in religious rituals and acts of worship as they fulfil one of the Five Pillars of Islam, a religious obligation. It can be the spiritual experience of a lifetime for them and a chance to seek God's forgiveness and the erasure of past sins. But inflation and economic crises around the world are putting the Hajj out of reach for some. Excess heat and tougher rules for entry may have also deterred potential pilgrims from heading to Saudi Arabia this year. Earlier Thursday, pilgrims gathered in Arafat to spend hours in worship and contemplation. The rocky hill holds immense significance in Islam. Arafat is mentioned in the Quran and it is where the Prophet Muhammad is said to have given his last sermon on his final Hajj. On Friday, pilgrims will head to the vast tent city of Mina to carry out the symbolic stoning of the devil ritual by throwing pebbles at pillars.
Asharq Al-Awsat
5 days ago
- Politics
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Saudi Arabia's Hajj Minister to Asharq Al-Awsat: No Effort Spared in Serving the Pilgrims
Saudi Minister of Hajj and Umrah Dr. Tawfiq Al-Rabiah stressed that the Kingdom is keen on providing the best services and procedures to the Hajj pilgrims. In remarks to Asharq Al-Awsat, he said that no effort has been spared in serving them. The Hajj and Umrah Ministry had sought during its preparations for this year's Hajj to coordinate with Hajj affairs offices from across the globe. It held 78 preparatory meetings that helped in elevating readiness and coordination with concerned authorities. All this aims to allow the pilgrims to perform the rituals smoothly and at ease, stressed the minister. Moreover, Al-Rabiah highlighted the Masar Nusuk app that played a role in documenting and organizing service providers, ensuring a fair and transparent operational environment. The ministry is keen on providing high quality services at appropriate prices and achieving operational sustainability in line with the goals of Saudi Vision 2030, he added. The ministry has so far received over 1.5 million pilgrims from across the globe, he revealed. Al-Rabiah also underlined the cooperation between his ministry and Interior Ministry in implementing the 'No Hajj without a Permit' campaign. The campaign aims to preserve the security and safety of legal pilgrims and prevent any violations or victims of Hajj scams, he said. The Nusuk app has played a role in documenting the personal and health information of pilgrims, as well as their residency status, he explained. The app acts as an ID for the pilgrims as they move from one holy site to another during the Hajj, he went on to say. This has helped limit violations. Al-Rabiah noted that his ministry sought to tackle challenges early on, such as the preparedness of infrastructure and modernizing services for the pilgrims. Over 62,000 inspection tours have been held and some 6,300 reservations have been made and dealt with immediately, reflecting a keenness on ensuring quality of services, Al-Rabiah said. Al-Rabiah also revealed that efforts have been made to boost environment sustainability at the Hajj. Over 170,000 square meters of area have been provided with shade from the sun and 20,000 plants have been planted to provide vegetation cover and reduce temperatures. Efforts have also been exerted to limit the use of plastic and increase reliance on clean sources of energy, he added. Hajj services are also benefitting from advanced technologies and artificial intelligence, said Al-Rabiah. They are being used in crowd management, analyzing data and other areas. The Nusuk app has been developed to become a 'digital companion' to the pilgrims, boasting over 100 services, Al-Rabiah said. The Hajj and Umrah Ministry is constantly following up on new technologies to benefit from them in servicing the pilgrims, he stressed. On approval ratings for the Hajj, the minister revealed that the rate increased from 74 to 97 percent in the past three years, including this Hajj season. On whether other countries have reached out to Saudi Arabia to benefit from its experience in organizing such a massive event as the Hajj, Al-Rabiah confirmed that his ministry held the Hajj and Umrah Conference and Exhibition to that end. Delegations from 100 countries took part and over 670 agreements were signed for countries to benefit from Saudi Arabia's expertise, Al-Rabiah stated.
New Indian Express
5 days ago
- New Indian Express
Hajj attendance falls to 30-year-low excluding the COVID-19 pandemic period
ISLAMABAD: This year's Hajj in Saudi Arabia attracted the lowest number of pilgrims for 30 years, excluding the COVID-19 pandemic period, according to figures released Thursday. The annual Islamic pilgrimage attracted just 1,673,230 Muslims, the majority of them from outside Saudi Arabia, the country's Hajj Ministry said. Authorities did not immediately offer an explanation for the low turnout. It's almost 160,000 fewer pilgrims than last year and a far cry from the pre-pandemic boom, when attendance would regularly push past 2 million. There was a record-breaking Hajj in 2012, when more than 3.16 million Muslims took part. The kingdom ran a pared-down pilgrimage during the COVID-19 pandemic, sharply reducing the scale of the Hajj between 2020 and 2022 while still allowing a small number of the faithful to take part in the annual event. The Hajj in 2023 was the first to be held without restrictions since the start of the pandemic in 2020. At the Hajj, Muslims gather in Saudi Arabia to unite in religious rituals and acts of worship as they fulfil one of the Five Pillars of Islam, a religious obligation. It can be the spiritual experience of a lifetime for them and a chance to seek God's forgiveness and the erasure of past sins. But inflation and economic crises around the world are putting the Hajj out of reach for some. Excess heat and tougher rules for entry may have also deterred potential pilgrims from heading to Saudi Arabia this year. Earlier Thursday, pilgrims gathered in Arafat to spend hours in worship and contemplation. The rocky hill holds immense significance in Islam. Arafat is mentioned in the Quran and it is where the Prophet Muhammad is said to have given his last sermon on his final Hajj. On Friday, pilgrims will head to the vast tent city of Mina to carry out the symbolic stoning of the devil ritual by throwing pebbles at pillars.
