Millions of Hajj pilgrims arrive in Saudi Arabia

Some pilgrims walk to Saudi Arabia as part of their once-in-a-lifetime Hajj journey. The Pakistani student Usman Arshad took this selfie near the Iranian city of Shiraz where he set up his tent inside an abandoned house for the night. By the time he arrived in Saudi Arabia, Arshad had walked 5,400 kilometers.

The Hajj pilgrimage is obligatory for Muslims who are able to afford it and and who are healthy enough to travel. However, with close to 2 billion Muslims in the world, not everyone can come at once. Pilgrims need a special Saudi visa for the Hajj and these are distributed by quotas.

It is traditional for residents of Mecca to give out food and water to pilgrims as they arrive. Pilgrims also used to stay in locals' homes but this custom has died out in recent years. Now they can choose from everything from tent cities to luxury hotels.

For pilgrims touching the wall of the Kaaba, Islam's holiest shrine at the center of the Grand Mosque in Mecca, is a very special experience. This woman is likely taking a photo of this special moment with her phone, as she does.

Saudi Arabia is currently experiencing a heat wave with up to 45° degrees Celsius (113° degrees Fahrenheit) during the day. It is still more than 30° degrees Celsius (86° degrees Fahrenheit) in the early hours of the morning. This makes the Hajj something of a trial for elderly pilgrims.

All pilgrims are suppposed to wear simple clothing when performing the Hajj as it symbolizes their purity of mind as they begin the ritual. Often men's clothing is white and women wear conservative dress. It also means that pilgrims are not distracted by the messages that expensive or branded clothing send, showing that both prince and pauper are the same before God.

The rule that women had to be accompanied by a male guardian was lifted in 2022 as part of the Saudi government's drive to modernize the country.

Up to 4,300 female pilgrims from India are coming to perform Hajj in Saudi Arabia this year without a male guardian. This doubles the number in that category from last year.