Millions of pilgrims gather at Arafat for key Hajj ritual

More than two million Hajj pilgrims will perform the essential ritual of standing at Arafat today by offering combined and shortened Zuhr and Asr prayers and listening to the Hajj sermon.

Sheikh Maher Hamad Al-Mueaqly, the Imam and preacher of the Grand Mosque, will deliver the sermon at Masjid Namira, which will be broadcast in 50 languages, including Urdu.

Throughout the day, pilgrims will engage in worship and prayers at Arafat. After listening to the sermon and performing combined prayers, they will depart for Muzdalifah before sunset. At Muzdalifah, they will offer combined Maghrib and Isha prayers and collect pebbles for the Rami al-Jamarat ritual.

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On Sunday morning, pilgrims will return to Mina to perform the stoning of the devil ritual, followed by the sacrifice, thus completing their Hajj pilgrimage.

According to Arab media, preparations have been made at Masjid Namira in Arafat, the second-largest mosque in the Makkah region after Masjid Nabawi, to welcome pilgrims. The Hajj rituals began yesterday.

With temperatures reaching up to 43 degrees Celsius in some areas, Saudi authorities have urged all pilgrims to use umbrellas to protect themselves from the sun and heat and to drink plenty of water. The Saudi Ministry of Health has mobilized over 34,000 doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and administrative staff to ensure the well-being of the pilgrims. Additionally, seven air ambulances and 730 ambulances are available to provide medical assistance as needed.

Sheikh Maher Hamad Al-Mueaqly will deliver the Hajj sermon at Masjid Namira, broadcast in 50 languages, including Urdu. During this time, more than two million pilgrims will perform combined Zuhr and Asr prayers.

Previously, Millions of pilgrims from across the world, including at least 160,000 Pakistanis, converged on a vast tent city of Mina in the desert outside the holy city of Makkah on Friday, marking the beginning of the annual Hajj.

The pilgrims were to spend the night in the Mina valley before moving in the morning to the plains of Arafat for the Hajj climax, the Waqoof, and listen to the Hajj sermon to be delivered from Namara Mosque.

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