2.5 Million Haj Pilgrims Heading to Arafah

KOMPAS/NASRU ALAM AZIZ

Mulism pilgrims gather around the Kaaba, Islam\'s holiest shrine, at the Grand Mosque in Mecca on Saturday 3 August 8, 2019, prior to tawaf, a ritual of circumambulating the Kaaba seven times. Up to 1.5 million Muslims from across the world gather in Mecca in Saudi Arabia for the annual six-day pilgrimage, with its peak to take place on Saturday (10/8/2019) to be marked by staying in contemplation and prayer, known as wukuf (standing).

A tight schedule for the jumrah (stoning the devil) ritual has been arranged to reduce risks related to the high crowd density of haj pilgrims, especially during their travel to the ritual’s area.

MECCA, KOMPAS — Around 2.5 million Muslims from all over the world will gather on Arafah field, some 20 kilometers to the east of downtown Mecca in Saudi Arabia this Saturday (10/8/2019). The pilgrims will undergo the wukuf ritual, the peak of the haj pilgrimage.