Huge numbers of Muslim pilgrims gathered to pray on Mount Arafat on Tuesday, marking the emotional climax of the annual hajj pilgrimage under a punishing desert sun that sent temperatures soaring toward 40 degrees Celsius.

From daybreak, thousands of white-robed worshippers covered the 70-metre (230 feet) rocky hill near Makkah, reciting Quranic verses at the site where the Prophet Hazrat Mohammed (PBUH) is believed to have delivered his final sermon.

More than 1.5 million people have joined the hajj this year, performing the sacred rituals despite the shadow of war cast across the Middle East by the conflict involving the United States, Israel, and Iran.

During the ongoing fighting, Tehran retaliated with waves of drone and ballistic missile strikes, striking major infrastructure and energy installations across the Gulf, including inside Saudi Arabia.

This geopolitical tension directly impacted attendance from the region, with more than 30,000 Iranians making the journey this year—roughly a third of the 86,000 pilgrims originally expected from the country.

Iran's IRNA state news agency noted that the "wartime situation" explained the sharp drop in their numbers.

Despite the regional conflict, Saudi Arabian officials stated over the weekend that more pilgrims had successfully travelled from abroad this year compared to 2025.

The hajj, which is one of the five pillars of Islam, must be performed at least once by all Muslims who possess the physical and financial means to do so.

It is an immense logistical undertaking that has long been a vital source of legitimacy for the Al Saud dynasty, whose reigning monarch holds the prestigious title "Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques" in Makkah and Medina.

With temperatures hitting a scorching 44 degrees Celsius in Makkah in recent days, Saudi authorities have urgently advised pilgrims to drink plenty of water and actively protect themselves from the sun during the mostly outdoor rituals, which can take five days or more to fully complete.

Because men are prohibited from wearing hats while in the ritual state of Ihram, many were seen carrying umbrellas to keep the blistering sun at bay.

The pilgrimage is deeply rooted in Islamic tradition, said to follow the exact path of the Prophet Hazrat Mohammed's (PBUH) final pilgrimage about 1,400 years ago.

Following their prayers at Mount Arafat, the pilgrims will move on to spend the night in Muzdalifah. There, they will collect pebbles to prepare for the symbolic "stoning of the devil" ritual in Mina, which is scheduled to begin on Wednesday.

Source: AFP