Over 1.8 Million Pilgrims Gather at Mount Arafat for Hajj

MOUNT ARAFAT, SAUDI ARABIA — More than 1.8 million Muslim pilgrims from around the world commenced the annual Hajj pilgrimage on Saturday, converging on Mount Arafat in Saudi Arabia’s western region, as announced by the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah. This significant event in the Islamic calendar marks a spiritual high point for the faithful.

According to Philippines News Agency, the Minister of Hajj and Umrah, who spoke at a press conference, this year’s pilgrimage has attracted 1.8 million participants. The figure includes 221,854 pilgrims from within Saudi Arabia, with the remainder traveling from over 200 different countries. The Saudi General Authority for Statistics provided a breakdown of the pilgrims, noting that 958,137 are male and 875,027 are female. The demographics include 22.3 percent from Arab countries, 63.3 percent from non-Arab Asian countries, 11.3 percent from non-Arab African countries, and 3.2 percent from Europe, America, Australia, and other regions.

The data also indicated that most international pilgrims arrived by air, with 1,546,345 entries, while 60,253 came by land, and 4,714 by sea. The six-day pilgrimage is not only a religious obligation for all financially and physically able Muslims but also a profound personal and communal experience for attendees.