Hajj pilgrims head to Mina for Tarwiyah Day before ascending Mount Arafat

CAIRO – 14 June 2024: Today, on the 8th day of the Hijri month of Dhu Al-Hijjah, pilgrims will make their way to Mina as they observe the Day of Tarwiyah, quenching their thirst for the Hajj experience.

Adorned in white seamless ihram garments, pilgrims should arrive in Mina before noon, where a vast camp city awaits them. Once there, they will perform the Duhor (noon), Asr (afternoon), Maghreb (sunset), Isha (night), and Fajr (dawn) prayers.

The Day of Tarwiyah signifies the beginning of the journey for Hajj pilgrims. In Mina, they will stay in air-conditioned tents.

Pilgrims are required to remain in Mina until sunrise on the second day of Hajj. At that point, they will leave and head to Mount Arafat, which is located several kilometers away.

Pilgrims perform prayers during this Hajj season 1445 AH - Ministry of Hajj and Umrah

Some pilgrims are transported directly from their residences in Mecca to Arafat, as staying in Mina is considered desirable according to Islamic fiqh and not obligatory.

Mount Arafat will witness over a million pilgrims gathering for day-long prayers, following in the footsteps of Prophet Mohammed, who delivered his final sermon at the same place and on the same date over 1,400 years ago.

Amid scorching heat, scores of people from around the world have arrived in Mecca on Friday to commence the pilgrimage.

Hajj of 1445 AH

Hajj, one of the world's largest religious gatherings, involves a series of rituals in Mecca and its surroundings. This year, 1445 AH, it will span from June 14 to 19, 2024.

Hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam, and every capable Muslim is required to perform it at least once in their lifetime, provided they possess the physical and financial means.

Pilgrims perform prayers during the Hajj season 1445 AH - Ministry of Hajj and Umrah

Following the Hajj, pilgrims, as well as Muslims all around the world, will celebrate the first day of Eid Al-Adha (Feast of Sacrifice) on Sunday. This joyous occasion involves the sacrifice of cattle and sharing meat with relatives and the poor.

On that day, pilgrims will also partake in the ritual of Stoning of the Jamarat, where they throw small pebbles at three stone structures in Mina.

The Hajj concludes with the Days of Tashreeq, which fall from 11-13 Dhu Al-Hijjah, corresponding to June 17-19 this year.

Pilgrimage statistics

According to official media, over 1.5 million pilgrims have arrived for this year's Hajj as of late Monday.

As of June 8, a total of 42,604 Egyptian pilgrims have reached the holy sites in Saudi Arabia, as announced by Egypt's assistant minister of interior for administrative affairs.

اللهمّ آتنا في الدُنيا حسنةً وفي الآخرة حسنة، وقِنا عذاب النار 🤲🏻.#لا_حج_بلا_تصريح#حج_1445هـ#يسر_وطمأنينة pic.twitter.com/WMxIwKBsvd

— وزارة الحج والعمرة (@HajMinistry) June 13, 2024

Egypt facilitates the journey of pilgrims through three means: a lottery system managed by the Ministry of Interior, NGOs supervised by the Ministry of Social Solidarity, and tourism companies under the supervision of the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities.

This season, Egypt has operated a total of 274 tourism Hajj flights to Saudi Arabia, transporting 18,832 pilgrims, according to a tourism official.

The last tourism Hajj flight to Jeddah arrived on Wednesday.