AhlulBayt News Agency: Close to 1.7 million pilgrims gathered in Saudi Arabia to complete the final rituals of the Hajj pilgrimage, culminating in the symbolic stoning ceremony in Mina and the farewell circumambulation at the Grand Mosque in Mecca.
Early on Saturday, groups of pilgrims arrived at the Jamarat complex in Mina, where they performed the stoning ritual, an act that symbolizes the rejection of evil and is considered one of the major rites of Hajj.
Saudi authorities, including the Interior Ministry, issued guidelines urging pilgrims to follow designated pathways and schedules to ensure crowd control and safety during the ritual. Security and health teams were deployed throughout Mina and Mecca to support the large influx of participants.
According to data from the Saudi General Authority for Statistics, a total of 1,673,230 individuals participated in this year’s pilgrimage for the Islamic year 1446 AH. Among them, 1,506,576 traveled from abroad, while 166,654 were domestic pilgrims, including Saudi citizens and foreign residents.
The number of international pilgrims reflects Saudi Arabia’s efforts to facilitate access to Hajj for Muslims worldwide, following years of restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2023, over 1.8 million pilgrims from more than 200 countries performed Hajj, marking a return to near pre-pandemic levels.
The pilgrimage spans several days and includes a sequence of religious rites held in Mecca and its surroundings, such as standing at Arafat, overnight stays in Muzdalifah and Mina, and the ritual of animal sacrifice. The farewell circumambulation, or tawaf al-wada, which involves circling the Kaaba seven times, marks the conclusion of the pilgrimage.
Hajj is one of the most significant annual religious gatherings in the world. The event requires months of preparation, with many pilgrims saving for years to afford the journey.
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