Pilgrims pray at the Grand Mosque in Makkah, Saudi Arabia.
Makkah - About 100,000 police have been deployed to secure pilgrimage sites and manage the crowds, and authorities say they are on alert for possible attacks by extremists.
By AFP
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Published: Tue 22 Sep 2015, 5:26 PM
Last updated: Wed 23 Sep 2015, 2:29 AM
Hundreds of thousands of Muslims from across the globe began the annual Haj pilgrimage on Tuesday in one of the largest annual gatherings of people in the world. In what for many will be the highlight of their spiritual lives, pilgrims began moving from Saudi Arabia's holy city of Makkah to nearby Mina for the start of the six-day event. Almost two million people are expected to take part in this year's pilgrimage, undeterred by a crane collapse at Makkah's Grand Mosque earlier this month that killed 109 people. Read: 1m Riyals compensation for Makkah crane crash victims Joyous pilgrims like 35-year-old Egyptian Walaa Ali had been gathering for days ahead of the event. "It is a gift from God that He has chosen us to come here," Ali said with tears in her eyes, as preachers nearby explained the history and rituals of the Haj to men and women sitting side by side in Makkah. "I am so happy to be here," she said. This year's Haj takes place against a backdrop of increased militant violence in some Muslim countries, a surge of the potentially deadly Mers virus and the war in Saudi Arabia's neighbour Yemen. Read: Saudi Arabia rolls out metro train service for this year's Haj The Haj is among the five pillars of Islam and every capable Muslim must perform the pilgrimage at least once in his or her life. Previously marred by stampedes and fires that killed hundreds, the pilgrimage had been largely incident-free for the past decade after safety improvements. Read: 1,372,148 Haj pilgrims arrive in Saudi Arabia But preparations for this year's event were marred when a construction crane working on an expansion of the Grand Mosque collapsed during severe winds. Saudis, Iranians, Nigerians, Malaysians, Indonesians and Indians were among the dead. About 100,000 police have been deployed to secure pilgrimage sites and manage the crowds, and authorities say they are on alert for possible attacks by extremists. The Daesh group has carried out bombings targeting security forces and mosques in the kingdom in recent months. Security forces have taken "measures to prevent terrorist groups from exploiting Haj season to carry out acts of sabotage," interior ministry spokesman General Mansur Al Turki said. This year's Haj also comes with Saudi Arabia at war, leading an coalition conducting air strikes in Yemen against Iran-backed rebels since March. Most Yemeni pilgrims performing the Haj this year already reside in the kingdom. Among other challenges facing Saudi authorities is potential transmission of the deadly Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus (Mers-CoV). Read: Sneeze etiquette will help prevent Mers during Haj The first day of the Haj is known as Tarwiah Day, when pilgrims traditionally watered their animals and stocked water for their trip to Mount Arafat, about 10 kilometres southeast of Mina. Pilgrims stay in specially-built fireproof tents in Mina, a city which only comes alive during Haj season. At Mount Arafat they will pray and recite verses from the Holy Quran during the climax of the Haj season on Wednesday. Mount Arafat is where the Prophet Mohammed (Peace Be Upon Him) is believed to have given his final sermon after leading his followers on the Haj. With the start of the Haj, pilgrims wear Ehram, as they enter in a state of purity in which they must not quarrel, wear perfume, cut nails, or trim their hair or beards. Men wear a seamless two-piece shroud-like white garment, symbolising resurrection and emphasising unity regardless of social status or nationality. Women must wear loose dresses, generally also white, exposing only their faces and hands. Early on Tuesday some Ehram-clad pilgrims could be seen wheeling suitcases out of their hotel in the Red Sea city of Jeddah to begin the journey to Mount Arafat about 140 kilometres away.
The brothers, who say they are innocent, are accused of having formed an organised criminal network in early 2021 in Romania, as well as in the US and Britain
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