Pilgrims offer prayers on Mount Arafat as Hajj reaches its peak

Vast crowds of Muslims gathered on Mount Arafat on Tuesday for the climax of the hajj pilgrimage, enduring intense desert heat as they fulfilled a lifelong spiritual journey.

From early morning, thousands of pilgrims dressed in white robes recited verses from the Quran on the 70-metre (230-foot) hill near Mecca, where Prophet Mohammed is believed to have delivered his final sermon.

Volunteers distributed water bottles, umbrellas and food packs to the tens of thousands making their way to Mount Arafat, while helicopters patrolled overhead at regular intervals.

“It is an indescribable feeling,” said 35-year-old Egyptian engineer Ahmed Abu al-Ezz as he approached the holy site for the first time.

As evening approached, pilgrims began moving in large groups toward Muzdalifah, where they will spend the night in prayer under the open sky before collecting pebbles and heading to Mina at dawn for the symbolic stoning of the devil ritual.

Although many pilgrims travelled by bus, 64-year-old Algerian Mahmoud Zahafi chose to walk from Mount Arafat to Muzdalifah despite the scorching temperatures.

“It’s an exceptional day,” he told AFP with a smile.

According to official figures, more than 1.7 million people have taken part in this year’s hajj, amid tensions in the Middle East following US-Israeli strikes on Iran.

During the conflict, Tehran responded with waves of drone and ballistic missile attacks targeting key infrastructure and energy facilities across the Gulf, including sites in Saudi Arabia.

More than 30,000 Iranians participated in the pilgrimage this year, far below the 86,000 initially expected. Iran’s IRNA news agency attributed the decline to the “wartime situation”.

Despite regional instability, Saudi officials said the number of international pilgrims this year exceeded that of 2025.

For 40-year-old Tunisian pilgrim Karim Hazem, “this place is where the Lord gathers the community of believers and reminds us that we can be united as peoples”.

Blistering heat

Hajj, one of the five pillars of Islam, is required at least once in a lifetime for Muslims who are physically and financially able to undertake it.

With temperatures in Mecca reaching 44 degrees Celsius in recent days, Saudi authorities urged pilgrims to stay hydrated and shield themselves from the sun during the largely outdoor rituals, which can last five days or more.

Scientists say climate change caused by human activity is intensifying extreme weather events, including severe summer heatwaves worldwide.

As male pilgrims are not permitted to wear hats during hajj, many relied on umbrellas for protection from the blazing sun.

Following the deaths of more than 1,300 pilgrims in 2024, when temperatures exceeded 50 degrees Celsius, Saudi authorities expanded heat-relief measures, including additional shaded areas and thousands of extra medical personnel.

The Saudi health ministry said more than 50,000 healthcare workers and 3,000 ambulances had been deployed to assist pilgrims.

After leaving Mount Arafat, pilgrims will stay overnight in Muzdalifah before collecting pebbles for the symbolic stoning ritual in Mina beginning Wednesday.

The hajj follows the route of Prophet Mohammed’s final pilgrimage around 1,400 years ago and remains central to the religious authority of the Al Saud dynasty, whose king holds the title “Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques” in Mecca and Medina.