MECCA, Saudi Arabia — The annual Hajj pilgrimage, one of Islam’s Five Pillars, officially commenced on Monday.
More than 1.5 million international pilgrims have arrived in Saudi Arabia, according to Saleh bin Saad Al-Murabba, commander of the Hajj passport forces. The faithful have gathered despite a fragile ceasefire in regional tensions involving Iran and an atmosphere of uncertainty.
Egyptian pilgrim Samya Abdul Moneim expressed profound gratitude for completing the journey, a religious duty required once in a lifetime for Muslims who are physically and financially able.
“I am in a state of blessing and happiness,” she said in Mecca on Sunday. “It’s an indescribable feeling, truly. I mean, thank God, I am in a blessing.”
On the opening day, many pilgrims journeyed to a vast tent city in the nearby desert. Prior to that, they performed the ritual circumambulation of the cube-shaped Kaaba in the Grand Mosque under intense heat. For pilgrims, the Hajj represents a deeply spiritual opportunity for divine forgiveness and spiritual renewal, with rituals spanning several days.
Some devotees spend years praying and saving for the chance to obtain a permit for the pilgrimage.
To cope with the extreme temperatures, pilgrims utilize umbrellas for shade and carry handheld fans. Volunteers distribute water bottles and operate large fans that spray cooling mist.
On Saturday, U.S. President Donald Trump announced that a deal with Iran concerning the conflict—including the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz—had been “largely negotiated” following calls with Israeli and regional leaders. He described it as a “Memorandum of Understanding pertaining to PEACE” pending final approval. This followed a week during which the U.S. considered new military strikes on Iran.
Ahead of the pilgrimage, many pilgrims cited their faith as a source of strength amid the tensions and expressed deep gratitude for the opportunity to undertake the journey.
The Hajj fosters unity by bringing together Muslims of diverse backgrounds, ethnicities, and languages in a shared religious experience.
In Indonesia, home to the world’s largest Muslim population, authorities emphasized contingency planning and instructed that additional pilgrimage costs should not be passed to pilgrims.
In India, a nation with a large Muslim minority, pilgrimage preparations have proceeded normally, though high fuel prices have increased travel expenses for pilgrims.
A reopening of the strait would help alleviate a global energy crisis triggered by U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran in February, which led Tehran to close the waterway. Oil, gas, and related product prices spiked worldwide. The U.S. has maintained a blockade of Iranian ports for over a month, and President Trump stated on Sunday that the blockade “will remain in full force and effect until an agreement is reached, certified, and signed.”
In response to the U.S.-Israeli strikes, Iran launched retaliatory attacks, widening the conflict before a fragile ceasefire was established in April.
Within Saudi Arabia, pilgrims have been performing the ritual circuits around the Kaaba since their arrival in Mecca in recent days. Those traveling to Mina will reside in the expansive tent city for prayer and worship.
On Tuesday, the pilgrimage’s pinnacle, pilgrims will gather at the plain of Arafat. There, they will praise God, seek forgiveness, and offer supplications. Many will carry prayer requests from loved ones, raising their hands in worship with tears streaming down their faces.