The pilgrimage of Hajj has begun as crowds of Muslims donning white robes circle the Kaaba, the cubed structure at the epicentre of Islam’s holiest site, their prayers ringing through the air.
The annual pilgrimage began on Sunday in Makkah, Saudi Arabia with the tawaf, the circling of the Kaaba, in an event that is expected to break attendance records.
“This year, we will witness the largest Hajj pilgrimage in history,” said an official at the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah.
More than 2.5 million Muslims are expected to take part, as coronavirus pandemic restrictions in place since 2020 have been fully relaxed.
That year, just 10,000 people were permitted to participate; 59,000 in 2021; and last year there was a cap of one million people.
“I am living the most beautiful days of my life,” Abdelazim, a 65-year-old Egyptian who saved for 20 years to pay the $6000 cost he needed to attend, told the AFP news agency at the site.
On Sunday evening, the pilgrims will begin making their way to Mina, about 8km (5 miles) from Makkah’s al-Masjid al-Haram, or the Grand Mosque, before they gather at Mount Arafat, where Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) delivered his final sermon.
Mina is prepared for the pilgrims, with food supplies brought in and security forces deployed.
The Islamic ritual is obligatory for every able-bodied Muslim adult who has the financial means to take part, forming one of the five pillars of the religion.
This year, Hajj is held between June 26 and July 1, with the celebration of Eid al-Adha taking place on June 28.-Al Jazeera and news agencies
