Ahead of the pilgrimage starting this weekend, a large number of Hajj pilgrims have reached Mecca in Saudi Arabia. Saudi officials said that by Friday, more than 1.5 million foreign pilgrims had reached Mecca. Most tourists from different countries of the world come here by air. More people are expected to come for Hajj, which officially begins on Friday. Apart from this, thousands of Muslims and others living in Saudi Arabia will also take part in Hajj.
Saudi officials said they expect the number of people participating in Hajj this year to be higher than in 2023. They said that more than 18 lakh people performed Hajj. Whereas before the Kovid epidemic, more than 24 lakh Muslims performed Hajj in the year 2019. According to the Palestinian Ministry, 4,200 Palestinians are also among the Hajj pilgrims who reached Mecca earlier this month. Crowds of Hajj pilgrims attended the Great Mosque of Mecca and completed the ritual by circling the Kaaba seven times.
Mecca, the holy place of Muslims
The Mecca Mosque is considered the holiest place in Islam. On Thursday, the temperature reached 42 degrees Celsius and many people were seen carrying umbrellas to avoid the sun. A woman who came to Mecca for Hajj said that when I reached and saw the Kaaba, I felt relieved. The woman reached Mecca with her husband and daughter.