Photos: Annual Hajj pilgrimage begins in Saudi Arabia

The annual Hajj pilgrimage, one of the largest religious gatherings in the world, officially began on Monday as 2 million Muslim pilgrims embarked on their spiritual journey. Above, muslim pilgrims circumambulate around the Kaaba, the cubic building at the Grand Mosque, during the annual hajj pilgrimage in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Monday, June 26, 2023, before heading to Mina in preparation for the Hajj.

After circling the Kaaba, Islam’s holiest site, and converging on a vast tent camp in the nearby desert, the pilgrims engage in a day and night of prayer.

This year’s Hajj marks a significant milestone as it returns to full capacity for the first time since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic three years ago. Above, an aerial view of the Kaaba, Islam's holiest site, and the clock tower at Mecca's Grand Mosque during the annual Hajj pilgrimage.

Hajj is considered one of the five pillars of Islam, obligating all physically and financially capable Muslims to undertake the five-day pilgrimage at least once in their lifetime. It is a deeply moving experience for pilgrims, offering absolution of sins, a closer connection to God, and a sense of unity among the world’s 1.8 billion Muslims.

Many devotees spend years saving money and waiting for the opportunity to embark on this sacred journey.

The pilgrimage began with the pilgrims entering a state of spiritual purity known as “ihram.” Men donned simple white terrycloth garments, while women abstained from wearing makeup and covered their hair.

The pilgrims performed the Tawaf, circling the black, cube-shaped Kaaba seven times, and walked between two hills within Mecca’s Grand Mosque, the largest mosque in the world.

A police officer sprays cold water at a Muslim pilgrim at the Mina tent camp in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, during the annual Hajj pilgrimage.

The rituals of Hajj predominantly commemorate the accounts of Ibrahim (Abraham), his son Ismail (Ishmael), and Ismail’s mother Hajar (Hagar) as mentioned in the Holy Quran. For instance, the walk between the hills symbolises Hajar’s search for water in the desert for Ismail. In Islamic tradition, Ibrahim was commanded by God to sacrifice his son Ismail but was ultimately spared at the last moment. Muslims believe that Ibrahim and Ismail later built the Kaaba, the focal point of Muslim daily prayers worldwide.

On Sunday afternoon, hundreds of thousands of pilgrims commenced the ritual of Tawaf Al Qudum (Tawaf of Arrival) before moving into Mina, marking the beginning of the annual Hajj pilgrimage on Monday, known as the Day of Tarwiyah.

Having performed the ritual circuit around the Kaaba in the preceding days, the pilgrims made their way by foot or bus to Mina, where they will reside in one of the largest tent cities in the world. They will engage in prayers throughout the day and night before proceeding to Mount Arafat on Tuesday, where the Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) is believed to have delivered his final sermon. Above, buses which are used to transport pilgrims, parked at a station in the holy city of Mecca, during the annual Hajj pilgrimage.