Muslims Depart Mecca After Completing Hajj

On Friday, thousands of Muslims began to depart from Mecca after completing the hajj pilgrimage in intense heat, even as war tensions linger across the Middle East.

More than 1.7 million pilgrims from 165 countries gathered this year, making it one of the world’s largest religious assemblies. The event unfolded against the backdrop of the conflict triggered by U.S.–Israeli strikes on Iran.

Since the war began in February, Tehran has responded with drone and missile attacks that have targeted infrastructure and energy sites throughout the Gulf, including in Saudi Arabia, the country that hosts Mecca.

Only about 30,000 Iranians reached Mecca, roughly one‑third of the 86,000 expected. Iran’s IRNA state news agency attributed the shortfall to the “wartime situation.”

Ahmed Mamdouh, a 37‑year‑old Egyptian who completed the pilgrimage for the first time, said, “I can’t believe I completed the hajj.” He added, “I am very happy that I completed the rituals safely. Hajj is truly exhausting, especially in such hot weather.”

Algerian pilgrim Al‑Zaoui, 74, embraced his wife and remarked, “It was our dream to perform the Hajj together. Now that dream has come true after 50 years of marriage.”

On Friday, pilgrims finished the third day of the stoning ritual in Mina, southeast of Mecca, where they throw pebbles at concrete pillars that symbolize the devil.

They then boarded buses to the Grand Mosque in Mecca to perform the farewell “tawaf,” walking seven times around the Kaaba, the black cube that is the focal point of Islam.

The hajj, one of the five pillars of Islam, must be performed at least once by every Muslim who is able to do so.

The ceremony consists of a series of mostly outdoor rituals carried out over several days and was conducted under extreme heat this year.

After more than 1,300 deaths during the 2024 hajj, when temperatures exceeded 50 °C, Saudi authorities introduced heat‑mitigation measures, including additional shaded areas and thousands of extra health workers.

The Saudi Red Crescent reported on Thursday that it had provided emergency services to “more than 83,000 people since the beginning of the hajj season.”

The story “Muslim faithful leave Mecca after hajj” first appeared on Vanguard News.