Over 1.5 Million Pilgrims Converge in Mina, Marking Commencement of Hajj 1446H
Mina, The Gulf Observer: Echoing with the chants of “Labbaik Allahumma Labbaik…” (“Here I am, O God, here I am answering Your call”), more than 1.5 million pilgrims gathered in Mina on Wednesday for the Day of Tarwiyah, signifying the official start of the annual Hajj pilgrimage.
The mass movement of pilgrims to the vast tent city of Mina—located approximately seven kilometers northeast of the Grand Mosque in Makkah—was completed smoothly by Wednesday afternoon under a meticulously executed operational and organizational plan coordinated by Saudi authorities. The seamless transition was facilitated by over 8,000 buses, in addition to many pilgrims arriving on foot, all supported by integrated services and advanced monitoring systems, including artificial intelligence and drone technology.
This year, over 1.47 million pilgrims from around the globe were joined by hundreds of thousands of domestic worshipers. Among them are 2,443 pilgrims from 100 nations who are performing Hajj as guests of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.
Pilgrims who arrived in Makkah on Tuesday performed Tawaf Al-Qudum (the Arrival Circumambulation) before heading to Mina. The atmosphere in the holy site has been marked by deep spirituality and devotion, as pilgrims engaged in prayers and reflections in preparation for the pinnacle of the Hajj rituals—the Standing (Wuquf) at Arafat—set for Thursday.
Retracing the steps of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), pilgrims will spend the night in Mina in observance of the Sunnah, dedicating the Day of Tarwiyah to supplications and spiritual preparation. Hajj, the fifth pillar of Islam, continues for five to six days and remains one of the largest annual religious gatherings in the world.
Saudi authorities have mobilized more than 250,000 personnel and over 40 government agencies to ensure a safe and orderly pilgrimage experience. Leveraging modern technologies, including real-time video data and AI-driven analysis, authorities are optimizing crowd management and logistics.
This year’s pilgrimage unfolds amid extreme summer heat, prompting the Ministry of Health to issue an urgent advisory. Pilgrims are urged to remain hydrated, use umbrellas, wear light-colored clothing, and avoid direct sun exposure between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Health teams have been deployed to monitor and treat cases of heat exhaustion, with measures in place to prevent heat-related illnesses.
On Wednesday, Saudi Arabia’s Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdulaziz Al-Sheikh received pilgrims seeking religious guidance at his residence in Mina. He also appointed five senior scholars to respond to pilgrims’ inquiries throughout the Hajj season.
Sheikh Abdulrahman Al-Sudais, head of the Presidency of Religious Affairs at the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque, encouraged pilgrims to maintain their recitation of the Talbiyah from the moment they enter the state of ihram until the stoning ritual at Jamarat Al-Aqaba on Dhul Hijjah 10. He also advised pilgrims to perform prayers on time, shortening them when permissible, except for Maghrib and Fajr, which should remain in full.
As pilgrims settle into Mina on this sacred journey, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia continues its commitment to providing a safe, spiritually enriching, and well-supported Hajj experience for Muslims from around the world.
