Muslim worshippers and pilgrims gather around the Kaaba, Islam's holiest shrine, at the Grand Mosque in the holy city of Mecca on June 22, 2023, as they arrive for the annual Hajj pilgrimage. Picture: Sajjad HUSSAIN / AFP
Johannesburg - The pilgrimage of Hajj has begun with the tawaf – the circling of the Kaaba which is the cubed structure at the epicentre of Islam’s holiest site – in Mecca, Saudi Arabia.
The annual pilgrimage is expected to break attendance records, with the Arab state expecting over 2.5 million Muslim this year, as the Coronavirus pandemic restrictions that were in place since 2020 have now been fully relaxed.
According to the South African Hajj And Umrah Council (SAHUC), 3,500 South African pilgrims have been accredited and embarked to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to perform Hajj this year.
In 2020, only 10,000 people were permitted to participate in the holy pilgrimage.
In 2021, 59,000 Muslims were allowed on pilgrimage and last year there was a cap of one million people.
According to the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, the pilgrims began on Sunday to make their way to Mina, about 8km from Mecca’s al-Masjid al-Haram, or the Grand Mosque, before they gather at Mount Arafat, where Prophet Muhammad is believed to have delivered his final sermon.
The Hajj re-enacts the Prophet Muhammad’s farewell pilgrimage in 632AD, in which he traced the footsteps of the prophets Abraham and Ishmael through the desert.
The Islamic ritual is obligatory for every able-bodied Muslim adult who has the financial means to take part, forming one of the five pillars of the religion.
The physically and emotionally challenging experience is meant to cleanse followers of sin and bring them closer to God.
This year, Hajj is held between June 26 and July 1, with the celebration of Eid al-Adha taking place on or around June 28.
This year, as part of its digital solutions package for the Hajj season, the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah launched the Hajj Smart Card.
It aims to streamline procedures and facilitate pilgrims’ journeys while they perform their rituals, and plays a crucial role in guiding lost individuals and facilitating communication with Hajj group leaders.
kailene.pillay@inl.co.za
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