Muslim Hajj pilgrims at Masjid al-Haram in Mecca
The number of pilgrims who have come to Saudi Arabia from overseas to take part in this year’s Hajj pilgrimage now stands at some 1.39 million, the Saudi authorities said Monday.
According to the Saudi General Directorate for Passports, the new arrivals cover the period from July 14 to Aug. 11.
On July 1, the Saudi Ministry for Hajj and Umrah Affairs said that arrangements had been made to accommodate as many as two million expected pilgrims.
Muslim worshippers visit the Hira Cave at the top of the Jabal al-Nour (al-Noor mountain) in the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia on August 13, 2018, ahead of the annual Hajj pilgrimage, the "fifth pillar" of Islam which is set to begin on Aug. 19 this year. Hira Cave where Prophet Muhammad is believed to have received the first revelations of the Quran, is a small cave about 3.5 meters long and a little over 1.5 meters wide located at the top of Jabal al-Nour near Mecca, in the Hejaz region of Saudi Arabia.
Muslim pilgrims visit Hira Cave in Mecca
The Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca is considered a religious obligation for Muslims, who are expected to make the journey -- if financially feasible -- at least once in their lives.
Unlike the Hajj pilgrimage, which this year will take place from Aug. 19 to 24, Muslims can perform the Umrah at any time of the year.