Nearly 1M Muslims complete Hajj pilgrimage

MECCA, Saudi Arabia

Around 1 million Muslims in the holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia completed the Hajj and became pilgrims on Saturday.

Spending the day in prayers on the plains of Arafah and then arriving at Muzdalifah, Muslims took part in the symbolic "stoning of the devil" at Jamrat al-Aqaba.

Muslims performed Tawaf al-Ziyarah – the ritual of walking back and forth seven times between the two small hills of Safa and Marwa.

They completed the Hajj pilgrimage after shaving the head and removing the white ihram garment.

Saudi authorities, which did not accept pilgrims from abroad in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, announced that nearly 1 million Muslims under the age of 65 would be allowed to perform this year's Hajj.

The Hajj, the pilgrimage to Islam's holiest site Kaaba in Mecca, is one of the five pillars of Islam. Muslims are required to perform it at least once in their life if they have the means to do so.

MECCA, Saudi Arabia

Around 1 million Muslims in the holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia completed the Hajj and became pilgrims on Saturday.

Spending the day in prayers on the plains of Arafah and then arriving at Muzdalifah, Muslims took part in the symbolic "stoning of the devil" at Jamrat al-Aqaba.

Muslims performed Tawaf al-Ziyarah – the ritual of walking back and forth seven times between the two small hills of Safa and Marwa.

They completed the Hajj pilgrimage after shaving the head and removing the white ihram garment.

The Hajj, the pilgrimage to Islam's holiest site Kaaba in Mecca, is one of the five pillars of Islam. Muslims are required to perform it at least once in their life if they have the means to do so.