Annual Hajj pilgrimage started on Friday in Saudi Arabia with authorities anticipating a turnout of about 2 million Muslims from across the globe despite scorching temperatures.
After circling the Kaaba, the revered cube-shaped structure within the Grand Mosque in Mecca, pilgrims proceeded to the nearby Mina Valley, where they would spend the night in a vast tent city.
On the following day, they journeyed to Mount Arafat, approximately 20 kilometres east of Mecca, where they will remain until sunset, marking the pinnacle of the Hajj pilgrimage.
With temperatures expected to soar to 43 degrees Celsius in and around Mecca, authorities advised pilgrims to carry umbrellas for protection during the rituals.
Hajj, one of Islam’s five pillars, is a mandatory religious duty for Muslims to undertake at least once in their lifetime, provided they are physically able and financially capable of travelling to the birthplace of Prophet Mohammed.
Men dress in seamless white garments and women in loose attire, performing identical rites in a display of religious solidarity, equality, and spiritual rejuvenation.
The pilgrimage occurs from the eighth to the twelfth day of Dhu al-Hijjah, the final month of the Islamic lunar calendar.