Latest news with #MuslimPilgrims
Khaleej Times
6 hours ago
- Health
- Khaleej Times
Look: Hajj pilgrims brave heat to pray at Mount Arafat ahead of Eid Al Adha
Muslim pilgrims prayed atop Mount Arafat on Thursday during the high point of the annual Hajj pilgrimage, as Saudi officials called on participants to refrain from being outside during the hottest hours of the day. Thousands of pilgrims began to gather before dawn around the hill and the surrounding plain where the Prophet Mohammed is believed to have given his last sermon. While some arrived early to take advantage of the relatively cool morning, carrying colourful umbrellas, many pilgrims will remain for hours of prayers and Koran recitals until the evening in the most arduous portion of the Hajj. After sunset they will head to Muzdalifah, halfway between Arafat and the sprawling tent city of Mina, where they will gather pebbles so they can perform the symbolic "stoning of the devil". Stay up to date with the latest news. Follow KT on WhatsApp Channels. "This is something that I used to see every year on the TV screen during Hajj and I always thought: 'I wish I could be here'," said 33-year-old Ali from Pakistan, one of 1.5 million pilgrims who had arrived in Saudi Arabia for the pilgrimage. "I've been trying to get here... for the past 3 years," he added as he gazed at the mount. "I feel very blessed." Hundreds of pilgrims dressed in white dotted the mount itself, with many more at its foot praying or taking pictures. Earlier this week, Saudi authorities called on pilgrims to stay inside their tents between 10am and 4pm on Thursday, when the desert sun is at its harshest. Fans spraying mist and providing cool air were dispersed at the foot of the mount. Temperatures this year have already exceeded 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) as one of the world's largest annual religious gatherings, bringing together devotees from around the globe, kicked off earlier this week. Officials have beefed up heat mitigation efforts aiming to avoid a repeat of last year's hajj, which saw 1,301 pilgrims die as temperatures reached 51.8C. "I came here early to (avoid) the sun and later I will pray inside my tent," said 54-year-old Adel Ismail, from Syria. To make this year's pilgrimage safer, authorities have expanded infrastructure, deployed thousands of extra personnel and relied on an arsenal of high-tech tools to help better manage crowds. Authorities have mobilised more than 40 government agencies and 250,000 officials, doubling their efforts against heat-related illness following the lethal heatwave of 2024. Shaded areas have been expanded by 50,000 square metres (12 acres), thousands more medics will be on standby, and more than 400 cooling units will be deployed, the Hajj minister has told AFP. Through tears of joy, Iman Abdel Khaleq said she had wanted to perform the Hajj for 10 years and was overwhelmed with emotion as she arrived at Arafat. "It's a big dream for me that I had almost given hope up of realising," the woman in her fifties told AFP from the foot of the mount. Authorities said a majority of the deaths in 2024 were among unregistered pilgrims who lacked access to amenities like air-conditioned tents and buses. This year, they have also cracked down on unregistered pilgrims looking to sneak into Mecca, relying on frequent raids, drone surveillance and a barrage of text alerts. Hajj permits are allocated to countries on a quota basis and distributed to individuals by a lottery. But even for those who can obtain them, the steep costs prompt many to attempt the Hajj without a permit, even though they risk arrest and deportation if caught. Saudi Arabia earns billions of dollars a year from the Hajj, and the lesser pilgrimage known as Umrah, undertaken at other times of the year.
Arab News
11 hours ago
- Climate
- Arab News
Muslim pilgrims pray at Mount Arafat in Hajj apex
MOUNT ARAFAT, Saudi Arabia: Muslim pilgrims prayed atop Mount Arafat on Thursday during the high point of the annual Hajj pilgrimage, as Saudi officials called on participants to refrain from being outside during the hottest hours of the day. Thousands of pilgrims began to gather before dawn around the hill and the surrounding plain where the Prophet Mohammed is believed to have given his last sermon. While some arrived early to take advantage of the relatively cool morning, carrying colorful umbrellas, many pilgrims will remain for hours of prayers and Qur'an recitals until the evening in the most arduous portion of the Hajj. After sunset they will head to Muzdalifah, halfway between Arafat and the sprawling tent city of Mina, where they will gather pebbles so they can perform the symbolic 'stoning of the devil.' PHOTO GALLERY: Pilgrims pray at Mount Arafat for Hajj 2025 'This is something that I used to see every year on the TV screen during Hajj and I always thought: 'I wish I could be here',' said 33-year-old Ali from Pakistan, one of 1.5 million pilgrims who had arrived in Saudi Arabia for the pilgrimage. 'I've been trying to get here... for the past 3 years,' he added as he gazed at the mount. 'I feel very blessed.' Hundreds of pilgrims dressed in white dotted the mount itself, with many more at its foot praying or taking pictures. Earlier this week, Saudi authorities called on pilgrims to stay inside their tents between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. on Thursday, when the desert sun is at its harshest. Fans spraying mist and providing cool air were dispersed at the foot of the mount. Temperatures this year have already exceeded 40° Celsius (104° Fahrenheit) as one of the world's largest annual religious gatherings, bringing together devotees from around the globe, kicked off earlier this week. 'I came here early to (avoid) the sun and later I will pray inside my tent,' said 54-year-old Adel Ismail, from Syria. To make this year's pilgrimage safer, authorities have expanded infrastructure, deployed thousands of extra personnel and relied on an arsenal of high-tech tools to help better manage crowds. Authorities have mobilized more than 40 government agencies and 250,000 officials, doubling their efforts against heat-related illness. Shaded areas have been expanded by 50,000 square meters (12 acres), thousands more medics will be on standby, and more than 400 cooling units will be deployed, the Hajj minister has said. Through tears of joy, Iman Abdel Khaleq said she had wanted to perform the Hajj for 10 years and was overwhelmed with emotion as she arrived at Arafat. 'It's a big dream for me that I had almost given hope up of realizing,' the woman in her fifties said from the foot of the mount.
Malay Mail
14 hours ago
- Malay Mail
Muslim pilgrims gather at Mount Arafat for Haj's spiritual peak amid Saudi heat warnings
MOUNT ARAFAT, June 4 — Muslim pilgrims prayed atop Mount Arafat on Thursday during the high point of the annual Haj pilgrimage, as Saudi officials called on participants to refrain from being outside during the hottest hours of the day. Thousands of pilgrims were beginning to gather before dawn around the hill and the surrounding plain where the Prophet Mohammed is believed to have given his last sermon. While some arrived early to take advantage of the relatively cool morning, many pilgrims will remain for hours of prayers and Quran recitals until the evening in the most arduous portion of the Haj. After sunset they will head to Muzdalifah, halfway between Arafat and the sprawling tent city of Mina, where they will gather pebbles so they can perform the symbolic 'stoning of the devil'. 'This is something that I used to see every year on the TV screen during Haj and I always thought: 'I wish I could be here',' said 33-year-old Ali from Pakistan, one of 1.5 million pilgrims who had arrived in Saudi Arabia for the pilgrimage. 'I've been trying to get here... for the past 3 years,' he added as he gazed at the mount. 'I feel very blessed.' Hundreds of pilgrims dressed in white dotted the mount itself, with many more at its foot praying or taking pictures. Earlier this week, Saudi authorities called on pilgrims to stay inside their tents between 10am and 4pm on Thursday, when the desert sun is at its harshest. Temperatures this year have already exceeded 40°Celsius as one of the world's largest annual religious gatherings, bringing together devotees from around the globe, kicked off earlier this week Officials have beefed up heat mitigation efforts aiming to avoid a repeat of last year's Haj, which saw 1,301 pilgrims die as temperatures reached 51.8°C. 'I came here early to (avoid) the sun and later I will pray inside my tent,' said 54-year-old Adel Ismail, from Syria. To make this year's pilgrimage safer, authorities have expanded infrastructure, deployed thousands of extra personnel and relied on an arsenal of high-tech tools to help better manage crowds. Authorities have mobilised more than 40 government agencies and 250,000 officials, doubling their efforts against heat-related illness following the lethal heatwave of 2024. Shaded areas have been expanded by 50,000 square metres, thousands more medics will be on standby, and more than 400 cooling units will be deployed, the Haj minister has told AFP. Authorities said a majority of the deaths in 2024 were among unregistered pilgrims who lacked access to amenities like air-conditioned tents and buses. This year, they have also cracked down on unregistered pilgrims looking to sneak into Mecca, relying on frequent raids, drone surveillance and a barrage of text alerts. Haj permits are allocated to countries on a quota basis and distributed to individuals by a lottery. But even for those who can obtain them, the steep costs prompt many to attempt the Haj without a permit, even though they risk arrest and deportation if caught. Large crowds at the Haj have proved lethal in the past, most notably in 2015 when a stampede during the 'stoning the devil' ritual in Mina killed up to 2,300 people in the deadliest Haj disaster. Saudi Arabia earns billions of dollars a year from the Haj, and the lesser pilgrimage known as umrah, undertaken at other times of the year. — AFP
CTV News
4 days ago
- General
- CTV News
Saudi Arabia stops 269,678 Muslims without Hajj permits from entering Mecca
Muslim pilgrims use umbrellas to shield themselves from the sun as they gather outside Nimrah Mosque to offer the noon prayers in Arafat, on the second day of the annual hajj pilgrimage, near the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Saturday, June 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool, File) MECCA, Saudi Arabia — Saudi Arabia has stopped more than 269,000 people without permits for the annual Hajj pilgrimage from entering Mecca, officials said Sunday, as authorities crack down on illegal journeys into the city. The government blames overcrowding at the Hajj on unauthorized participants. It also says they made up large numbers of those who died in last year's searing summer heat. The number of expulsions highlights the scale of unauthorized pilgrimages — as well as the demand to perform the Hajj. There are currently 1.4 million Muslims in Mecca officially, with more expected to arrive in the days to come. There are fines of up to US$5,000 and other punitive measures, like deportation, for anyone performing the Hajj without a permit. The policy includes citizens and those with Saudi residency. At a press conference in Mecca, officials said they had stopped 269,678 people without permits from entering the city. According to the rules, only those with permits are allowed to perform the pilgrimage, even if they live in the city year-round. Officials have also imposed penalties on more than 23,000 Saudi residents for violating Hajj regulations and revoked the licenses of 400 Hajj companies. Lieutenant General Mohammed Al-Omari told the media: 'The pilgrim is in our sight, and anyone who disobeys is in our hands.' The Hajj is the annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca and involves a series of religious rituals. It's a once-in-a-lifetime obligation for every Muslim who can afford it and is physically able to do it. But it has been marred in recent years by concerns about extreme temperatures, with pilgrims performing their rituals outdoors in peak daylight hours. Historically, deaths are not uncommon at the Hajj, which has seen at times over two million people travel to Saudi Arabia for a five-day pilgrimage. It has also seen fatal stampedes and other accidents. Saudi Arabia's Civil Defense said Sunday that drones were being used for the first time at the Hajj. These can be used for surveillance and monitoring, as well as extinguishing fires. Baraa Anwer, The Associated Press
