{"id":18455,"date":"2025-06-05T09:29:53","date_gmt":"2025-06-05T09:29:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.watanserb.com\/en\/?p=18455"},"modified":"2025-06-05T22:01:02","modified_gmt":"2025-06-05T22:01:02","slug":"over-1-5-million-pilgrims-gather-at-mount-arafat-amid-scorching-heat-and-tight-security","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.watanserb.com\/en\/2025\/06\/05\/over-1-5-million-pilgrims-gather-at-mount-arafat-amid-scorching-heat-and-tight-security\/","title":{"rendered":"Over 1.5 Million Pilgrims Gather at Mount Arafat Amid Scorching Heat and Tight Security"},"content":{"rendered":"

Watan<\/strong><\/em>-Pilgrims continue to converge on Mount Arafat today, Thursday, for the most significant ritual of Hajj\u2014standing on the sacred plain of Arafat.<\/p>\n

Saudi Arabia announced that over 1.5 million pilgrims from abroad have arrived in the Kingdom for this year\u2019s Hajj, held under extreme heat and strict enforcement measures aimed at preventing unregulated pilgrimage after last year\u2019s disaster that killed more than 1,000 people.<\/p>\n

At dawn, pilgrims gather on Arafat, located about 23 km from the Grand Mosque in Mecca, where they will spend the day in worship\u2014prayers, supplications, and Quran recitation\u2014until sunset.<\/p>\n

After sundown, pilgrims head to Muzdalifah, midway between Arafat and Mina, to rest and spend the night in preparation for Eid al-Adha. There, they collect small stones for the symbolic stoning of the devil at Jamarat.<\/p>\n

High Temperatures and Safety Warnings<\/h3>\n

Saudi authorities urged pilgrims to remain inside their tents between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. on Arafat Day to avoid the searing desert sun. The current Hajj season includes enhanced heat precautions after last year\u2019s 1,301 heat-related deaths, with temperatures peaking at 51.8\u00b0C (125\u00b0F).<\/p>\n

Iraqi pilgrim Alaa Al-Rifai recalled witnessing people collapse during last year\u2019s Hajj:<\/p>\n

\u201cI saw the dead with my own eyes on the roads. The heat was unbearable.\u201d
He added that this year, \u201cthe roads are empty\u2014people are staying in their tents.\u201d<\/p>\n

On Wednesday, temperatures reached 42\u00b0C (107.6\u00b0F) in Mecca and surrounding holy sites, according to Saudi meteorological authorities.<\/p>\n

\"Saudi
a has implemented strict regulations and advanced technologies to ensure safety amid extreme heat and crowd concerns.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Arrival and Rituals<\/h3>\n

On the Day of Tarwiyah (the day before Arafat), pilgrims dressed in white Ihram garments arrive in Mecca to perform the Tawaf of Arrival, circling the Kaaba seven times.<\/p>\n

Khitam, a 63-year-old pilgrim from Gaza, said:<\/p>\n

\u201cBefore Hajj, I used to watch the Grand Mosque on TV all day. Now I feel disconnected from the world.\u201d<\/p>\n

Saudi pilgrim Reem Al-Shughri, performing Hajj for the first time, said:<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m extremely happy. It\u2019s a wonderful feeling.\u201d<\/p>\n

Pilgrims began arriving in Mina by bus on Tuesday, where organizers welcomed them with dates and coffee.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe expect over a million pilgrims to reach Mina by the end of today,\u201d said Ministry of Hajj spokesperson Ghassan Al-Nuaimi.<\/p>\n

New Safety Measures<\/h3>\n

Saudi Arabia has deployed over 250,000 personnel and coordinated with more than 40 government agencies to address potential heat risks, according to Minister of Hajj Tawfiq Al-Rabiah.<\/p>\n

New measures include:<\/p>\n