Saudi Gazette Report
Mecca — Hundreds of thousands of Hajj pilgrims, clad in the seamless white ihram robes, will converge on Mecca from all over the world. More than 1.3 million pilgrims have already reached the holy city. Most of these pilgrims came directly from their home countries via Jeddah, while the rest arrived in Mecca after completing a visit to the Prophet’s Mosque in Medina.
Pilgrims are making final preparations before traveling to Mina in three days to begin their lifelong spiritual journey. This year’s Hajj begins with the movement to Mina on Friday, the 8th of Dhul Hijjah, which falls on June 14th. On Tarwiyah day, pilgrims will spend the day and night in tent cities before gathering on the vast plains of Arafat the next day and standing at Arafat, the culmination of the annual Hajj pilgrimage.
In an atmosphere of penance and spirituality, pilgrims will be immersed in prayer and supplications during these days near the Holy Kaaba at the Grand Mosque. The Saudi authorities and Hajj service providers have mobilized all facilities and services with an integrated service system to ensure that pilgrims can perform the rituals with ease and comfort.
More than one million pilgrims flocked to the Grand Mosque on June 7 for the final Friday prayers before the Hajj, filling the mosque with people and with queues of worshippers stretching into the courtyards and nearby streets of the Central Haram district.
To date, more than 1.3 million pilgrims from around 180 countries around the world have arrived in Mecca, including pilgrims from Asia, Africa, Europe and the Americas.
The Masharik Al Masiyya Mutawafi pilgrims convoy confirmed the completion of the arrival of pilgrims from 16 countries around the world to the Holy Land, including pilgrims from Bangladesh, Sudan, Malaysia, Sierra Leone, Lebanon, Thailand, Guinea-Bissau, China, Guinea-Conakry, Myanmar, Liberia, Rwanda and Gambia.
The non-Arab African pilgrims on Saturday received the first group of pilgrims from the United States, France, Italy and Germany who came to Mecca to perform this year’s Hajj rituals through the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah’s Direct Hajj Program. The influx of pilgrims from most Arab and Islamic countries, as well as many countries on different continents of the world, also continues around the clock.
Around 250,000 pilgrims have benefited from the Makkah Route initiative, which was introduced by the Ministry of Interior in cooperation and coordination with other relevant ministries and agencies, at 11 international airports in seven countries, allowing pilgrims to complete immigration and other travel formalities in their home countries before departing.
On Saturday, Meeqat in Dhul-Khuraifa in Madinah saw a flood of pilgrims of different nationalities heading to the Grand Mosque in Makkah to perform Umrah. Over the next few days, domestic pilgrims from across Saudi Arabia will flock to Makkah to join their foreign counterparts on a lifelong spiritual journey.
Meanwhile, Lt. Gen. Mohammed Al Bassami, Director General of Public Security and Chairman of the Hajj Security Committee, confirmed that special forces have been deployed at all entrances to Makkah and the Holy Land to prevent those without Hajj permits from entering the holy land. Security forces are ready to deal with any incident affecting security, law and order violations and to thwart any incident affecting the safety and security of God’s Guest. “The safety of pilgrims is a red line, the security of the Holy Land is a red line, and the security of the state is a red line. Security forces will take firm action against anyone who tries to undermine the safety and security of pilgrims,” Lt. Gen. Bassami said.
