The 2026 Hajj pilgrimage has commenced in Saudi Arabia with more than 1.5 million Muslim pilgrims arriving in the kingdom amid heightened regional tensions and concerns over a global energy crisis. Saudi authorities confirmed that pilgrims from across the world had continued to troop into the holy city of Mecca……
The 2026 Hajj pilgrimage has commenced in Saudi Arabia with more than 1.5 million Muslim pilgrims arriving in the kingdom amid heightened regional tensions and concerns over a global energy crisis.
Saudi authorities confirmed that pilgrims from across the world had continued to troop into the holy city of Mecca ahead of the major rites of the annual Islamic pilgrimage.
Commander of the Hajj passport forces, Saleh bin Saad al-Murabba, disclosed that over 1.5 million foreign pilgrims had entered the country as of Friday, with additional arrivals still expected.
The pilgrimage, regarded as one of the five pillars of Islam, comes against the backdrop of a fragile ceasefire involving Iran and ongoing diplomatic efforts surrounding tensions in the Middle East.
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In Mecca, thousands of pilgrims were seen performing prayers and circling the Kaaba at the Grand Mosque under intense heat conditions.
Authorities and volunteers distributed water and cooling devices to worshippers as temperatures soared.
For many pilgrims, the spiritual journey represents the fulfilment of a lifelong aspiration.
An Egyptian pilgrim, Samya Abdul Moneim, described the experience as deeply emotional.
“I am in a state of blessing and happiness,” she said.
“It’s an indescribable feeling, truly. Thank God, I am in a blessing.”
Pilgrims have also begun moving toward Mina, the massive tent city that hosts one of the central stages of the pilgrimage.
A United States-based political scientist participating in the Hajj, Youssef Chouhoud, said the experience was both physically demanding and spiritually renewing.
“This Hajj is, in effect, a hard reset for me,” he said.
“It is for many pilgrims the most difficult thing they will ever do in their lives. But nothing this meaningful is ever going to be easy.”
He added that he had been inspired by the generosity and support among pilgrims during the exercise.
Pilgrims are expected to gather on the plain of Arafat on Tuesday for prayers and supplications, a ritual considered the spiritual peak of the Hajj exercise.
Meanwhile, international attention remains on diplomatic talks involving the United States and Iran over efforts to ease tensions in the Gulf region and reopen the Strait of Hormuz following recent military confrontations.