More than 1.5 million pilgrims from around the world have arrived in Saudi Arabia for Hajj
Over 1.5 million pilgrims from other countries have come to Saudi Arabia this year to perform Hajj, said Ghassan Al-Nuwaimi, the spokesperson for the Hajj Ministry, on Wednesday.
Hajj Pilgrimage
Al-Nuwaimi shared an estimate of how many foreign pilgrims are joining this year’s Hajj, but did not mention the number of local pilgrims.
On Thursday, the General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT) said that a total of 1.67 million people are performing Hajj this year.
Out of these, 1.5 million came from other countries, while 166,654 are from inside Saudi Arabia, including both citizens and residents.
Last year, 1.6 million pilgrims traveled from outside the kingdom.
On Thursday, Muslim pilgrims gathered at Mount Arafat, the most important part of the Hajj. Authorities in Saudi Arabia advised them to stay out of the sun during the hottest part of the day.
Mount Arafat is a rocky hill found southeast of Mecca. It is very important in Islam. The Quran mentions it, and many Muslims believe it is the place where the Prophet Muhammad gave his last sermon during his final Hajj.
About Hajj
Hajj is one of the Five Pillars of Islam. It is a special journey that millions of Muslims from around the world make every year to Mecca. During Hajj, they follow religious steps that were taught by the Prophet Muhammad.
Hajj lasts for five days. Muslims who are healthy and can afford the trip take part in these holy rituals.
The journey starts in Mecca. There, pilgrims walk around the Kaaba, the most sacred place in Islam, inside the Grand Mosque. This act is called Tawaf.
After that, they travel to other important places near Mecca to perform more religious acts. Before leaving, they return to the Kaaba to walk around it one last time.
Extreme Heat
This year, Saudi Arabia has made several improvements to handle the heat and large crowds during Hajj. They upgraded facilities, added more workers, and used new technology to better manage the people, according to AFP.
They added 50,000 square meters of shaded areas, placed over 400 cooling units, and put thousands of extra medical staff on standby, said Hajj Minister Tawfig F AlRabiah.
Health Minister Fahad bin Abdulrahman Al Jalajel also told the Associated Press that 10,000 trees were planted to give more shade, hospitals have more beds now, and the number of paramedics has tripled.
Officials advised pilgrims to stay in their tents between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. on Thursday, the hottest part of the day.
Fans that spray cool mist were also placed at the base of the mountain to help keep people cool.
Published: 6th June 2025
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