Pilgrims Arrive in Mecca Under Strict Measures and Rising Temperatures
More than one million Muslims have arrived in Mecca ahead of this year’s Hajj season, as Saudi authorities promise to ensure a safer pilgrimage amid high temperatures and a widespread crackdown on unauthorized pilgrims.
Temperatures are expected to exceed 40 degrees Celsius this week, coinciding with the official start of one of the largest religious gatherings in the world on Wednesday.
According to officials, as of Friday, over 1.3 million pilgrims had entered Saudi Arabia to perform rituals that span four days.
This year, the Saudi authorities have mobilized over 40 government agencies and 250,000 personnel, raising their preparedness to address the dangers of extreme heat, following a deadly heatwave in 2024 that claimed the lives of hundreds of pilgrims.
Tawfiq Al-Rabiah, Saudi Minister of Hajj, told AFP last week that shaded areas have been expanded by approximately 50,000 square meters. Thousands of medical staff have also been placed on high alert, along with the deployment of more than 400 cooling units throughout the duration of the rituals.
Additionally, the latest artificial intelligence technologies will be utilized to monitor the flow of information and images, including footage from drones, to help manage the large crowds in Mecca.
Despite the high temperatures, pilgrims expressed overwhelming joy upon their arrival in the holy city.
“It’s a divine blessing,” said Abdul Majid Atti, a lawyer and Sharia consultant from the Philippines, near the Grand Mosque. “It’s a true blessing from God… We feel a great sense of peace and safety in this place.”
Abdul Hamid from Nigeria shared his “great happiness” at performing Hajj for the second consecutive year at just 27 years old; however, he noted that he never leaves home without his sunglasses, describing the heat in Mecca as “very, very, very intense.”
This year’s rituals coincide once again with the Saudi summer season.
Last year, 1,301 pilgrims perished, most of whom were unauthorized and lacked access to tents or air-conditioned buses, as temperatures reached 51.8 degrees Celsius.
Fahd Said from Germany’s Climate Analytics Center stated that they were “surprised by the intensity of the heat, as their measures failed to adapt to it.”
Ahead of this year’s pilgrimage, Saudi authorities launched a widespread campaign against unauthorized pilgrims, deploying repeated raids, drones for surveillance, and intensive text messaging to deter attempts to infiltrate Mecca.
Hajj permits are distributed according to a quota system for each country and are granted to individuals via a lottery.
Arrests and Deportations
However, even those who obtain official permits may be deterred from undertaking the pilgrimage due to high costs, prompting some to attempt entry without permits, despite the risk of arrest and deportation.
Individuals caught in Mecca without permits during the Hajj season face hefty fines, in addition to the potential ban from entering the kingdom for ten years.
Previous seasons have witnessed tragic incidents due to overcrowding, with the last major disaster occurring in 2015 when a crush during the stoning ritual in Mina near Mecca claimed the lives of around 2,300 pilgrims, marking the worst tragedy in modern Hajj history.
The Hajj and Umrah, which occur at different times throughout the year, generate billions of dollars annually for the kingdom.
Miriam, a 52-year-old pilgrim from Senegal, shared that she fulfilled her lifelong dream by reaching Mecca, telling AFP that she shed tears of joy upon touching the Kaaba in the Grand Mosque.
“I’ve always dreamed of this. I think about it all the time, wanting to come here to perform Hajj.”
