More than 1.5 million Muslim pilgrims head to holy sites for Hajj rituals
DAMASCUS, Syria (North Press) – More than 1.5 million Muslim pilgrims on Monday began heading to the holy site of Mina to perform the rituals of Hajj for the 1447 AH – 2026 season, marking the start of the six-day pilgrimage journey with the Day of Tarwiyah.
Pilgrims spend the Day of Tarwiyah in Mina, the first station of Hajj within the holy sites, following the tradition of Prophet Muhammad, who prepared and stocked water before beginning the pilgrimage rituals.
Speaking during a press conference on Sunday evening, Saudi Ministry of Hajj spokesperson Ghassan al-Nuwaimi said that more than 25 development projects had been implemented in the holy sites, representing a 100 percent increase compared to last year.
He added that the projects included expanding Mina’s accommodation capacity, preparing more than 54,000 tents, and expanding the “Green Holy Sites” initiative through the planting of over 60,000 trees.
Meanwhile, Mohammad Nour Araj, Director of Hajj and Umrah at Syria’s Ministry of Endowments, said that the 24,500 Syrian pilgrims began moving early Monday toward the holy sites.
According to Araj, some pilgrims headed to Mina to spend the Day of Tarwiyah, while others proceeded directly to Arafat camps in line with the approved organizational plan.
He urged pilgrims to fully comply with the schedules and instructions issued for transportation and grouping procedures, stressing the importance of cooperation with supervisors and group leaders to ensure safety and the smooth implementation of operational plans.
Araj indicated that the administration had completed all logistical and service preparations for the pilgrims’ camps in Mina and Arafat, including medical and organizational arrangements ahead of the escalation phase of the pilgrimage.
He said the camps were equipped with full healthcare, organizational, and essential services, with medical points operating around the clock to provide care for pilgrims throughout their stay in the holy sites.
For his part, Ahmad Halimah, a supervisor in the Syrian Administrative Hajj Mission, stated that convoys of Syrian pilgrims arrived at Mina camps on Monday morning after departing before dawn from their residences in Mecca.
He explained that around 6,000 pilgrims had been distributed across six camps, with each camp overseen by integrated administrative, medical, and religious teams tasked with providing food services, healthcare, religious guidance, and organizational support.
Several pilgrims expressed satisfaction with the organization and services provided at the beginning of the Day of Tarwiyah, saying that arrival procedures were smooth and well-coordinated without significant congestion.
Earlier, the Syrian Hajj and Umrah Administration held its annual meeting for Syrian Hajj missions in Mecca under the slogan, “Integration, Development, and Excellence in Serving the Pilgrims.”