Millions of Muslim pilgrims gathered at Mount Arafat on Tuesday for the climax of the annual hajj pilgrimage, as temperatures soared close to 40 degrees Celsius under the desert sun in western Saudi Arabia.
From dawn, streams of white-robed worshippers climbed the 70-metre rocky hill near the holy city of Mecca, where Prophet Mohammed is believed to have delivered his final sermon about 1,400 years ago.
The gathering at Arafat marks the high point of the hajj, one of Islam’s five pillars, which every able-bodied Muslim with the financial means is required to perform at least once in a lifetime.
This year’s pilgrimage has drawn more than 1.5 million participants despite regional tensions linked to the conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran.
Saudi officials, however, said the number of foreign pilgrims arriving for this year’s hajj exceeded last year’s figures.
With temperatures in Mecca reaching as high as 44 degrees Celsius in recent days, Saudi authorities urged pilgrims to remain hydrated and avoid prolonged exposure to the sun during the mainly outdoor rituals, which can last five days or more.
After prayers at Mount Arafat, pilgrims are expected to travel to Muzdalifah, where they will spend the night and collect pebbles for the symbolic “stoning of the devil” ritual in Mina, beginning on Wednesday.
