More than a million Muslims begin Hajj
More than a million faithful arrived in Mecca to mark the beginning of the first day of Hajj rituals on Wednesday, amidst high temperatures and stringent measures against irregular pilgrims to avoid a repeat of last year’s tragedy that claimed over a thousand lives.
This year’s Hajj season sees enhanced heat prevention measures after 1,301 deaths were recorded last year, with temperatures soaring to 51.8 degrees Celsius, according to Saudi authorities.
This week, temperatures exceeded 40 degrees Celsius, while the number of pilgrims arriving in the Kingdom surpassed 1.4 million, according to official figures.
On the first day of the rituals, pilgrims, dressed in white Ihram garments, head to Mecca to perform the Tawaf al-Qudum, which involves circling the Kaaba seven times within the Grand Mosque.
Before entering Mecca, pilgrims must enter a spiritual state known as Ihram, which requires specific clothing and behavior. Men wear unstitched white cloth, while women don loose white abayas that reveal only their faces and hands.
Pilgrims arrived by bus in Mina on Tuesday afternoon, where they were welcomed by organizers with coffee and dates.
Reem Al-Shughri, a 35-year-old Saudi performing Hajj for the first time, expressed, “I am very happy; it’s an incredible feeling.”
New measures
The Saudi authorities announced the mobilization of more than 250,000 personnel and coordination between over 40 government agencies to tackle potential heat waves, according to Minister of Hajj Tawfiq Al-Rabiah in an interview with Agence France-Presse last week.
Among the measures are the addition of 50,000 square meters of shaded areas, deployment of thousands of medical personnel, and provision of over 400 cooling units.
The cooling system inside the Grand Mosque is the largest of its kind in the world, purifying the air nine times a day, according to Saudi state television.
Authorities have established cooled walkways, including a recently completed four-kilometer path leading to Mount Arafat.
Additionally, this year authorities are employing artificial intelligence technologies to monitor crowd flow and analyze data and images, including video footage captured by new drones, to enhance crowd management in Mecca.
Most of the fatalities during last year’s Hajj were among irregular pilgrims who lacked access to air-conditioned tents and cooled transportation.
Before the current season, authorities launched a wide campaign against illegal Hajj practices, including frequent raids, drone monitoring, and sending text alerts.
Hajj permits are issued based on a national quota system and are typically distributed via a lottery. However, high costs drive some individuals to perform the rites without official permits, exposing them to the risk of arrest and deportation.
Potential violators face hefty fines and may be banned from entering the Kingdom for up to ten years.
In recent decades, Hajj has witnessed tragic incidents, notably in 2015 when a stampede during the stoning of the Devil in Mina near Mecca resulted in the deaths of approximately 2,300 people, marking the worst disaster in Hajj history.
The Hajj and Umrah rituals generate significant income for Saudi Arabia, which is home to Islam’s holiest sites in Mecca and Medina, earning billions of dollars annually from these activities.
