MECCA (Kaab TV) – Nearly two million Muslim pilgrims from around the world have arrived in Saudi Arabia to perform the annual Hajj pilgrimage, as Saudi authorities finalize massive security, health, and logistical preparations ahead of the start of the main rituals.

Officials from the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah said more than 1.5 million pilgrims have traveled from outside the kingdom, while hundreds of thousands more are participating from within Saudi Arabia after obtaining official permits through the country’s Hajj registration system.

The Hajj pilgrimage, one of the five pillars of Islam, is expected to officially begin in the coming days in the holy city of Mecca, where pilgrims will carry out a series of religious rituals including Tawaf around the Kaaba, prayers in Mina, the standing at Arafat, and overnight stays in Muzdalifah.

Saudi authorities have placed the holy sites under heightened security amid concerns over overcrowding, extreme temperatures, and the movement of millions of pilgrims across a limited area within a short period of time. Thousands of police officers, medical personnel, civil defense teams, and emergency responders have been deployed throughout Mecca and surrounding pilgrimage zones.

The kingdom has also expanded the use of modern technology this year, including artificial intelligence systems, electronic crowd-monitoring networks, smart transport management systems, and digital guidance platforms designed to improve the safety and movement of pilgrims.

Authorities announced the schedules for imams leading prayers at the holy mosques, as well as the muezzins and religious scholars who will deliver sermons throughout the 1447 Hijri Hajj season, corresponding to the year 2026.

One of the major new developments this year is the expansion of multilingual religious services for pilgrims. Saudi officials confirmed that Somali-language translations and guidance materials have been added for the first time on a wider scale due to the increasing number of pilgrims arriving from Somalia and Somali-speaking communities abroad.

The Hajj pilgrimage has seen a steady recovery in attendance since the COVID-19 pandemic severely disrupted global religious travel. In 2020, only around 10,000 people residing inside Saudi Arabia were allowed to perform Hajj under strict health restrictions, marking the smallest pilgrimage in modern history.

Attendance gradually increased in the following years, reaching approximately 1.8 million pilgrims in both 2023 and 2024, and around 1.7 million in 2025.

Saudi Arabia has invested billions of dollars over the past decade to expand infrastructure in Mecca and surrounding holy sites, including transportation networks, tents in Mina, cooling systems, healthcare facilities, and crowd-control measures aimed at preventing deadly stampedes and heat-related emergencies that have occurred during previous Hajj seasons.

Health authorities have also issued warnings to pilgrims to remain hydrated and avoid prolonged exposure to direct sunlight, as temperatures in the region are expected to exceed 40 degrees Celsius during parts of the pilgrimage.

Muslims across the world closely follow the Hajj season each year, which remains one of the largest annual religious gatherings globally and a major spiritual event for the Islamic community.