MOUNT ARAFAT, Saudi Arabia (AP) — Beneath the inferno in the heavens, over 1.83 million Muslims from far corners of the globe gathered Saturday at a revered hill in Saudi Arabia for prayer and introspection in the blazing heat.
This rite at Mount Arafat, dubbed the hill of mercy, stands as the pinnacle of the Hajj pilgrimage. It remains the most indelible moment for many pilgrims, who unite in beseeching God for compassion, blessings, prosperity, and health. This hill lies about 20 kilometers (12 miles) southeast of Mecca.
Thousands trekked in the twilight hours before dawn. On the rugged slopes and the surrounding areas, numerous pilgrims raised their hands in devotion, tears flowing down their faces in supplication.
“Surely, it is a magnificent experience. The utmost day for Muslims yearly, and the finest sensation anyone can encounter,” declared Husseinn Mohammed, an Egyptian pilgrim, as he stood at dawn. “This place is unparalleled for anyone aspiring to be here on this day and at this moment.”
It’s believed that Prophet Muhammad gave his final address, known as the Farewell Sermon, at Mount Arafat 1,435 years back. In his speech, he urged equality and unity among Muslims.
Ali Osman, a pilgrim from Spain, felt overwhelmed descending the hill. He shared that he felt spiritually and physically invigorated at the sanctified site.
“The place, thank God, is a powerhouse of positive energy,” he said. “I arrived here, thank God. It’s my first time. I hope to return in the future.”
Hajj is one of the planet’s enormous religious assemblies. Formal rites started Friday when pilgrims moved from Mecca’s Grand Mosque to Mina, a desert expanse just outside the city.
In 2024, more than 1.83 million Muslims partook in Hajj, mentioned Saudi Hajj and Umrah Minister Tawfiq bin Fawzan al-Rabiah. Slightly less than the preceding year’s tally of 1.84 million.
The pilgrimage is among the Five Pillars of Islam. Muslims, if able financially and physically, must undertake the five-day Hajj at least once.
The rites largely honor the Quran’s narratives of Prophet Ibrahim, his son Prophet Ismail, and Ismail’s mother Hajar — known as Abraham and Ismael in the Bible.
This year’s Hajj took place amid the backdrop of the Israel-Hamas conflict, heightening tensions in the Middle East.
Palestinians in the Gaza Strip couldn’t journey to Mecca this year due to the Rafah crossing closure in May, when Israel extended its ground offensive to the border city with Egypt.
To avert potential Hajj protests or war chants, Saudi authorities warned against politicizing the pilgrimage.
During his sermon Saturday at the sprawling six-minaret Namera mosque in Arafat, Saudi cleric Maher Bin Hamad al-Mu’wiqly, equally warned against politicizing the Hajj.
Nonetheless, he implored pilgrims to pray for Palestinians “harmed and hurt by the enemy” that killed them and “deprived them of necessities like food, medicine, and clothing.” He refrained from mentioning Israel in his sermon.
The conflict has claimed over 37,000 Palestinian lives, per Gaza health officials, with hundreds more killed in Israeli operations in the West Bank. The war erupted post the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas-led militants on Israel, killing about 1,200 people and taking around 250 hostages.
The Hajj timing varies each year, for it falls on five days of the second week of Dhu al-Hijjah, the last month of the Islamic lunar calendar.
Most Hajj rituals occur outdoors with scant shade. In summer, temperatures may skyrocket beyond 40 C (104 F). The Health Ministry forewarned that temperatures could hit a scorching 48 C (118 F) at the holy sites, urging pilgrims to use umbrellas and drink more water to stay hydrated.
Numerous pilgrims at Mount Arafat wielded umbrellas, while others found respite in the shade. Many splashed water on their faces and bodies. As in Mina and the Grand Mosque, cooling stations along roads to and around the hill sprayed pilgrims with water to combat the heat, which had surged to 47 C (116.6 F) at Mount Arafat, according to Saudi meteorological sources.
Saudi Health Minister Fahd bin Abdurrahman Al-Jalajel told The Associated Press that over 150 pilgrims were treated for heat exhaustion. He advised pilgrims to remain hydrated and carry umbrellas for protection against the sun.
As pilgrims engaged in worship, migrant workers in lime-green jumpsuits collected empty bottles and trash around Mount Arafat.
At sunset, pilgrims departed Mount Arafat, heading to Muzdalifa to gather pebbles for the symbolic stoning of pillars representing the devil back in Mina. Many embarked on the journey by foot, others took buses.
Pilgrims then return to Mina for three days, aligning with the Eid al-Adha holiday, during which financially able Muslims globally slaughter livestock and give the meat to the poor. Thereupon, they return to Mecca for the final circumambulation, the Farewell Tawaf.
Upon completing the Hajj, men shave their heads, and women trim a lock of hair, symbolizing renewal. Most pilgrims then journey to Medina, around 340 kilometers (210 miles) away, to pray at Prophet Muhammad’s tomb in the Sacred Chamber. The tomb is within the prophet’s mosque, one of Islam’s three holiest sites alongside Mecca’s Grand Mosque and Jerusalem’s Al Aqsa Mosque.
