Makkah, May 25 (V7N) – The formal rituals of the holy Hajj have officially begun today, Monday (May 25), as millions of pilgrims from around the world gather in the holy city of Makkah and surrounding sacred sites to perform one of the five pillars of Islam.
After the Isha prayer on Sunday night, pilgrims started their journey toward Mina, widely known as the “city of tents,” after entering into the state of Ihram.
According to Islamic Sharia provisions, pilgrims will remain in Mina on the 8th of Zilhaj and perform the five daily prayers from Fajr to Isha there. On Tuesday, the 9th of Zilhaj, pilgrims will travel to the plains of Arafat, where the central ritual of Hajj will take place.
This year’s Hajj sermon will be delivered by Sheikh Ali bin Abdul Rahman Al-Hudhaifi, chief Imam and Khatib of the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah. Following the sermon, pilgrims will offer combined Zuhr and Asr prayers before remaining in Arafat until sunset, a ritual considered the core obligation of Hajj.
After sunset, pilgrims will proceed to Muzdalifah, where they will spend the night under the open sky after offering Maghrib and Isha prayers. On the morning of the 10th of Zilhaj, pilgrims will return to Mina before sunrise to perform the symbolic stoning of the devil at the largest Jamara.
They will then sacrifice animals in accordance with Eid-ul-Azha traditions and shave their heads or trim their hair to complete an important stage of the pilgrimage.
Pilgrims are expected to complete the remaining rituals on the 11th and 12th of Zilhaj before leaving Mina prior to sunset on the final day.
Saudi authorities estimate that between 1.6 million and 1.8 million Muslims from around the world will perform Hajj this year. Among them, around 78,500 pilgrims have traveled from Bangladesh.
The Saudi administration has implemented extensive security and service measures for the pilgrimage. According to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA), Major General Mansur bin Nasser Al-Fayez, Commander of the Special Security and Protection Force, inspected field-level security operations at the holy sites and stated that all forces are working with full preparedness to ensure the safety and comfort of pilgrims.
He also noted that strong coordination among various security and service agencies has enhanced overall arrangements for this year’s Hajj.
Last year, a total of 1,673,320 Muslims performed Hajj, including more than 1.5 million international pilgrims. Saudi officials believe this year’s pilgrimage is expected to surpass last year’s participation figures.
END/SMA/AJ
