Today's Edition
YOUSUF SAIFUDDIN KAPADIA (ABU DHABI)
More than a million Muslim pilgrims poured into the holy city of Makkah ahead of the annual Hajj, with authorities vowing to hold a safer pilgrimage amid searing desert heat and a massive crackdown on illegal visitors.
Officials have beefed up heat mitigation measures.
Temperatures were forecast to exceed 40°C this week as one of the world's largest annual religious gatherings starts on Wednesday.
The Hajj, one of the five pillars of Islam, must be performed at least once by all Muslims with the means.
As of Friday, more than 1.3 million pilgrims had arrived in Saudi Arabia for the multi-day pilgrimage, according to officials.
This year, authorities have mobilised more than 40 government agencies and 250,000 officials, doubling their efforts against heat-related illness following the lethal heatwave of 2024.
Shaded areas have been expanded by 50,000 square metres (12 acres), thousands more medics will be on standby, and more than 400 cooling units will be deployed, Saudi Arabia's Hajj minister Tawfiq al-Rabiah told AFP last week.
On Monday, with temperatures topping 40°C.
The latest artificial intelligence technology will also help monitor the flood of data and footage, including video from a new fleet of drones, from across Makkah to better manage the mammoth crowds.
Despite the punishing heat, pilgrims were overjoyed as they arrived in the holy city.
World's Largest Cooling System
The General Authority for the Care of the Affairs of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque has activated the world’s largest cooling system, with a total capacity of 155,000 refrigeration tons, to provide a comfortable and spiritually uplifting environment for millions of pilgrims arriving from around the world as part of its intensive preparations for the 1446 AH Hajj season.
The Grand Mosque is served by two main cooling stations: the Shamiya station, with a capacity of 120,000 tonnes, and the Ajyad station, with 35,000 tonnes, both covering the extensive expansions and vast areas within the Grand Mosque.
These systems maintain moderate temperatures ranging from 22 to 24°C, utilising advanced air purification technologies that remove 95% of impurities to ensure ideal air quality for pilgrims.
Safety Guidelines
The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has also issued safety guidelines in light of high temperatures at the holy sites, urging pilgrims to remain in their tents on Arafah Day from 10 am to 4 pm and advising against venturing to Jabal Al-Rahmah or Namirah Mosque to avoid exposure to extreme heat.
The ministry emphasised the importance of adhering to the authorisation schedules set by the relevant authorities and ensuring compliance at all stages of movement between the holy sites.
It also stressed the necessity of using the approved means of transport, as outlined in the official transportation plan, and refraining from walking between locations during the designated times.
'Blessing from Allah'
"This is really a blessing from Allah," Abdul Majid Ati, a Filipino lawyer and Sharia counsellor, told AFP near the Grand Mosque.
"We feel so peaceful and safe in this place."
The rites in the holy city and its surroundings, which follow a lunar calendar, fall again this year during the hot month of June.
Crackdown on illegals
In the run-up to this year's Hajj, Saudi authorities launched a widespread crackdown on unregistered worshippers, using frequent raids, drone surveillance and a barrage of text alerts.
Hajj permits are allocated to countries on a quota system and distributed to individuals by lottery.
Along with hefty fines, those found illegally entering Makkah during the Hajj face a potential 10-year ban from Saudi Arabia.
(with inputs from AFP and SPA)
