Haj pilgrims perform farewell Tawaf at Grand Mosque amid large crowds. Photo: SPA
Makkah: Saudi Arabia has declared the Haj 1446 AH-2025 season a success, as pilgrims began performing the farewell tawaf (Tawaf al-Wida) at the Grand Mosque in Makkah after completing the major rituals of the pilgrimage.
Pilgrims opting for early departure circled the Holy Kaaba in large numbers on Sunday, June 8, and Monday morning, June 9. The General Presidency for the Affairs of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque, in collaboration with relevant agencies, reported that the mosque’s operational capacity exceeded 107,000 circumambulations per hour, highlighting the scale of the final rites.
Arabic channel Al-Ekhbariya commented on a video clip on X, stating, “A majestic scene for the guests of Allah in the Mataf area on the second day of Tashreeq,” as pilgrims in a hurry began performing the farewell tawaf.
In another video, Al-Ekhbariya noted, “The Grand Mosque is witnessing a large number of pilgrims performing the farewell Tawaf,” estimating that “approximately 80 percent of pilgrims are opting for early departure.”
The final tawaf follows the completion of rami al-jamarat (stoning of the devil)—a three-day ritual carried out at the Jamarat complex in Mina. Many pilgrims will now proceed to Madinah to pray at the Prophet’s Mosque and visit historic Islamic landmarks, while others will remain in Mina for an additional two days to continue the stoning rituals.
The remaining pilgrims will stay in Mina for an additional two days, continuing the stoning ritual at three designated sites each day.
Meanwhile, Prince Saud bin Mishaal bin Abdulaziz, Deputy Governor of the Makkah Region and Vice Chairman of the Permanent Committee for Haj and Umrah, announced the success of this year’s Haj season in terms of security, health, and service delivery, according to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA).
Prince Saud praised the efficient execution of operational plans that supported pilgrims throughout their journey of faith, which, by Allah’s grace, enabled them to complete the Haj rituals in an atmosphere of safety, ease, and reassurance.
He also commended the pilgrims for their cooperation and adherence to regulations, describing them as “the best partners in achieving this success.”
He concluded by emphasising the importance of commencing preparations for Haj 2026 immediately.
According to the General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT), the total number of Haj pilgrims this year reached 1,673,230, from both within and outside the Kingdom.
This post was last modified on June 9, 2025 6:01 pm