In A Closer Look, The National provides an in-depth take on one of the main stories of the week
With around two million people making the trip each year, the Hajj – the pilgrimage to Makkah in Saudi Arabia – is considered to be the world’s largest human gathering.
Every Muslim is required to perform Hajj at least once in their lifetime, as long as they are physically, emotionally and financially eligible to do so.
This year, the ritual is taking place with the Israel-Gaza war on the minds of Muslims across the world, and amid warnings from Saudi officials about high temperatures.
Here, host Greg Tanner speaks to The National's senior news reporter Ali Al Shouk about the event, its history and expectations for this year’s attendance.
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Hajj pilgrimage: in pictures
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Muslim worshippers gather near the Kaaba at the Grand Mosque in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, ahead of the annual Hajj pilgrimage. AFP -
Muslim pilgrims at the Grand Mosque in Makkah. AFP -
Muslims pray around the Kaaba at the Grand Mosque. AFP -
Fans spray water vapour to cool pilgrims at the Grand Mosque in Makkah. AFP -
Pilgrims walk between the Marwa and Safa hills at the Grand Mosque. AFP -
A pilgrim prays at the Grand Mosque in Makkah. AFP -
Worshippers gather around the Kaaba, Islam's holiest shrine, at the Grand Mosque in Makkah. AFP -
Pilgrims pray around the Kaaba. AFP -
Pilgrims surround the Kaaba at the Grand Mosque in Makkah. AFP -
Hajj season at a shopping mall in Riyadh and a billboard reminds passers-by they need a permit to perform a pilgrimage. AFP -
Hajj pilgrims in Srinagar, the summer capital of Indian Kashmir, leave for Makkah in Saudi Arabia. EPA -
In Srinagar, a relative kisses a pilgrim before departure for the Hajj pilgrimage to the holy city of Makkah. EPA -
A Saudi welcome for pilgrims on their arrival at King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah. AFP -
Yemeni pilgrims wish loved ones well as they prepare to board a flight from Sanaa airport to Makkah to perform the Hajj pilgrimage. AFP -
At Kashmiri Mashjid in Kathmandu, Nepal, relatives gather to wish their grandmother well as she leaves for Hajj in Saudi Arabia. EPA
