Hajj Pilgrimage To Commence On June 4
THECONSCIENCE NG reports that Saudi Arabia has officially announced that the annual Muslim hajj pilgrimage to Mecca will begin on June 4, following the sighting of the crescent moon, which marks the start of the Islamic lunar month.
The announcement was made by the country’s Supreme Court in a statement published by the official Saudi Press Agency.
Speaking at a press conference on Monday, Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Hajj and Umrah, Tawfiq al-Rabiah, revealed that over one million pilgrims from around the world have already arrived in the Kingdom in preparation for the pilgrimage.
Last year, more than 1.8 million Muslims participated in the hajj, according to official figures.
The hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam and is a religious obligation for all Muslims who are physically and financially able to undertake it at least once in their lifetime.
The timing of the pilgrimage is determined by the Islamic lunar calendar, causing it to shift each year. In recent years, it has coincided with Saudi Arabia’s intense summer heat. In 2024, temperatures soared to 51.8°C (125.2°F), and more than 1,300 pilgrims reportedly died due to heat-related causes.
The pilgrimage spans four days of religious rites, with the most significant day falling on the second day, when pilgrims gather for mass prayers on Mount Arafat, believed to be the site of Prophet Mohammed’s final sermon.
This year, the day on Mount Arafat will take place on June 5, followed by Eid al-Adha on June 6, according to the Saudi Press Agency.
