Millions gather for holy Hajj

The sacred Hajj pilgrimage officially begins today as millions of Muslims from around the world gather in the holy city of Makkah, Saudi Arabia, to perform one of the most important religious obligations in Islam.

Pilgrims were seen offering prayers at the Grand Mosque on Sunday ahead of the formal commencement of the annual pilgrimage.

The first three days of Hajj are regarded as the principal phase of the
pilgrimage, as pilgrims travel between Mina, Arafat and Muzdalifah, taking part in prayers, sermons and symbolic rituals associated with Islamic history and tradition.

Hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam and is obligatory once in a lifetime for Muslims who are physically and financially capable of undertaking the journey.

In a press release, Public Relations Officer of the Ministry of Religious Affairs Abu Bakar Siddique informed reporters that the formal rituals of the holy Hajj would begin today (8 Zilhaj), as pilgrims start staying in Mina from the morning in accordance with the religious obligations of Hajj.

Following directives issued by the Saudi authorities to ensure the smooth and safe movement of pilgrims to Mina, the pilgrims began travelling towards Mina from Monday night, he said.

The Bangladesh Hajj Office in Makkah and the concerned Hajj agencies have already completed all preparations for transporting Bangladeshi pilgrims to Mina.

According to Shariah, pilgrims will stay in Mina on 8 Zilhaj and offer the five daily prayers from Fajr to Esha there.

After spending the night in Mina, pilgrims will proceed to the plains of Arafat on 9 Zilhaj (Tuesday).

This year, the Hajj sermon (Khutbat al-Hajj) will be delivered by the Chief Imam and Khatib of Al-Masjid an-Nabawi, Sheikh Ali bin Abdul Rahman Al-Hudhaifi.

Following the sermon, pilgrims will offer Zuhr and Asr prayers together and remain in Arafat until sunset. In Islamic teachings, staying in Arafat is regarded as the central rite of Hajj.

After sunset on 9 Zilhaj, pilgrims will depart for Muzdalifah, where they will offer Maghrib and Esha prayers and spend the night under the open sky in devotion and remembrance of Almighty Allah.

Before sunrise on 10 Zilhaj, pilgrims will return to Mina from Muzdalifah and perform the symbolic stoning ritual by throwing pebbles at the largest Jamarah.

They will then offer sacrificial animals seeking the pleasure of Almighty Allah and shave their heads or trim their hair as part of the Hajj rites.

After completing the remaining rituals on 11 and 12 Zilhaj, pilgrims will leave Mina before sunset on 12 Zilhaj.

It is estimated that between 1.6 million and 1.8 million Muslims from different countries will perform Hajj this year.

Of them, around 78,500 pilgrims are participating from Bangladesh during the current Hajj season.