Over 1 million pilgrims arrive as Hajj set to begin on June 4

Saudi Arabia has officially announced that this year’s Hajj pilgrimage will commence on June 4, following the sighting of the crescent moon, which marks the start of the Islamic lunar month during which the annual pilgrimage takes place. 

The announcement was made by the country’s Supreme Court and relayed by the Saudi Press Agency (SPA).

During a press conference on Monday, Saudi Hajj Minister Tawfiq Al-Rabiah revealed that 1.07 million pilgrims from around the world had already arrived in the kingdom in preparation for the Hajj. Last year, more than 1.8 million Muslims performed the pilgrimage, according to official figures.

The Hajj, one of the five pillars of Islam, is obligatory once in a lifetime for every Muslim who is physically and financially able. The pilgrimage consists of a series of spiritual rituals carried out over a period of at least four days in Mecca and its surrounding areas, located in western Saudi Arabia.

The spiritual high point of the pilgrimage takes place on the second day, when pilgrims gather to pray on Mount Arafat, the site where the Prophet Muhammad delivered his final sermon. 

This key ritual will occur on June 5, with the Eid al-Adha celebration falling on June 6, SPA reported.

Due to its reliance on the lunar calendar, the Hajj has been taking place in recent years during Saudi Arabia’s scorching summer season. In 2024, temperatures soared to 51.8°C (125.2°F), and over 1,300 pilgrims died during the pilgrimage, according to Saudi authorities.

Saudi Arabia, home to Islam’s holiest sites in Mecca and Medina, derives billions of dollars annually from the Hajj and the Umrah—a lesser pilgrimage performed throughout the year. The kingdom also leverages the pilgrimage for religious and political prestige, with its monarch bearing the title of “Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques.”