Daijiworld Media Network - Mecca

Mecca, Jun 2: More than a million Muslim pilgrims have descended upon the holy city of Mecca for this year’s annual hajj pilgrimage, with Saudi authorities pledging robust safety measures to combat searing heat and unauthorized visitors.

As temperatures are expected to surpass 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) this week, officials are determined to prevent a repeat of last year’s tragedy, when 1,301 pilgrims died amid record-breaking heat that soared to 51.8 degrees Celsius (125.2 degrees Fahrenheit).

The hajj, one of Islam’s five pillars, is an obligation for all Muslims with the means to perform it at least once in their lifetime.

As of Friday, over 1.3 million pilgrims had already arrived in Saudi Arabia, officials said. This year, authorities have mobilized more than 40 government agencies and 250,000 personnel to mitigate heat-related risks, doubling their efforts since last year’s deadly heatwave.

Saudi Arabia’s hajj minister, Tawfiq al-Rabiah, told AFP last week that shaded areas have been expanded by 50,000 square meters (12 acres), thousands more medics are on standby, and over 400 cooling units will be deployed.

On Monday, with temperatures already exceeding 40 degrees Celsius, the health ministry reported 44 cases of heatstroke treated so far.

The government has also introduced new technologies, including a fleet of drones and artificial intelligence systems, to monitor crowd flows and better manage the millions of worshippers.

Pilgrims expressed both excitement and concern over the harsh conditions. “This is really a blessing from Allah,” said Abdul Majid Ati, a Filipino lawyer and Sharia counsellor, near the Grand Mosque. “We feel so peaceful and safe in this place.”

Abdulhamid, a 27-year-old pilgrim from Nigeria, said he was “very happy” to be performing his second consecutive hajj but described the temperatures as “very, very, very hot,” always ensuring he wore his sunglasses outside.

This year’s hajj falls again in June, during the region’s intense summer heat. Experts say last year’s casualties were exacerbated by unregistered pilgrims, who lacked access to air-conditioned tents and buses.

“They were caught by surprise because the intensity of the heat was so high that their adaptation measures failed,” explained Fahad Saeed of the Germany-based think tank Climate Analytics.

In response, Saudi authorities launched a widespread crackdown on unregistered worshippers this year, using drone surveillance, text alerts, and frequent raids.

Hajj permits are distributed through a country quota system and lottery, but the high costs push many to attempt the pilgrimage without a permit—risking arrest, deportation, fines, and a possible 10-year ban from Saudi Arabia.

Large crowds have historically posed dangers during the hajj. In 2015, a stampede during the “stoning the devil” ritual in Mina, near Mecca, claimed up to 2,300 lives in the deadliest hajj disaster on record.

Saudi Arabia, home to Islam’s holiest sites in Mecca and Medina, generates billions annually from the hajj and the year-round umrah pilgrimage. The monarchy also derives significant prestige as the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques.

For Mariama, a 52-year-old pilgrim from Senegal, the journey is the culmination of a lifelong dream. “I was dreaming about it, thinking about it every time to come here to do the hajj,” she said.