-
Muslim pilgrims ascend Mt. Arafat for climax of largest Hajj since COVID-19

The Anadolu Agency reported, that around one million Muslims from around the world have begun ascending Mt. Arafat near Saudi Arabia’s holy city of Mecca as part of the largest Hajj pilgrimage since the start of the coronavirus pandemic.
Pilgrims on Friday morning (July 8) flocked to Arafat after spending a night of meditation and introspection in the tent city of Mina, which marked the first leg of their five-day Hajj.
It was on Mt. Arafat that Prophet Muhammad delivered his last sermon. It is located some 22 kilometers (14 miles) from Mecca and 10 kilometers (6 miles) from Mina.
The pilgrims would spend the entire day on the Arafat plateau while praying continuously and asking Allah for forgiveness and mercy.
They then would descend back to Muzdalifah, halfway between Arafat and Mina. They would go back to Mina, where they will take part in the symbolic stoning of the devil.

The ritual is a recreation of Prophet Abraham’s stoning of the devil at the three places where the latter is said to have tried to dissuade Abraham from obeying God’s order to sacrifice his son, Ismael, according to Islamic traditions.
After the stoning ritual, pilgrims will sacrifice animals to mark the beginning of the four-day Eid al-Adha holiday on Saturday (July 9).
Foreign Hajj pilgrims rejoice in Saudi Arabia after two-year COVID-19 absence
The Hajj pilgrimage is the "fifth pillar" of the Islamic faith, a ritual that must be performed by all Muslims if financially viable, at least once in their lives.
Saudi authorities had announced that around one million Muslims will perform Hajj this year, including some 850,000 coming from abroad.
Saudi Arabia held downsized Hajj in the last two years due to COVID-19 restrictions.
Source: aa
You May Also Like
Popular Posts
Caricature
BENEFIT Sponsors BuildHer...
- April 23, 2025
BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”
opinion
Report
ads
Newsletter
Subscribe to our mailing list to get the new updates!