Riyadh: More than two million white-clad pilgrims from across the world flocked to the holy site of Mina to spend the day of Tarwiyah as the annual haj pilgrimage begins Monday.
With umbrellas aloft and undeterred by the blistering heat of nearly 46 degrees Celsius, many worshippers set out on foot to Mina about five kilometers from the Grand Mosque in Makkah.
On the day of Tarwiyah which is the 8th day of the Islamic month of Dhul-Hijjah, pilgrims spend the rest of the day and the night, performing five prayers there namely Zhuhr, Asr, Maghrib, Isha and the Fajr of 9th day of Dhul-Hijjah, shortening the prayers of Zhuhr, Asr, and Isha to two rakahs.
After performing the Fajr prayer on the 9th day of Dhul-Hijjah, they begin to leave Mina and head to Arafat for standing, which marks the climax of the annual pilgrimage.
Haj, the fifth pillar of Islam, is a once-in-a-lifetime duty for all Muslims who are physically and financially able to make the journey, which takes believers along the path travelled by the Prophet Muhammad some 1,400 years ago.
This year the Haj takes place between June 26 and July 1, with Eid Al Adha celebrated on June 28. The Saudi authorities launched a large-scale operation to ensure the health and safety of pilgrims.
More than 32,000 health workers and thousands of ambulances are on standby to treat cases of heatstroke, dehydration and exhaustion.
