The number of pilgrims this year has broken records with about 2.5 million Muslims attending
The Islamic pilgrimage began as crowds of Muslims wearing white robes circle the Kaaba, the cubed structure at the epicentre of Islam’s holiest site.
The annual pilgrimage began in Mecca, Saudi Arabia with the tawaf, the circling of the Kaaba, in an event expected to break attendance records.
During the coronavirus pandemic, restrictions were put in place where only 10,000 pilgrims were permitted to participate. The following year 2021 witnessed 59,000 while last year 2022 about a million Muslims participated.
Newsheadline247 gathered that the total population of Nigerian pilgrims at this year’s hajj is 95,000.
Other countries which large numbers of pilgrims includes Indonesia 221,000, Pakistan 179,210, India 175,025, Bangladesh 127,198, and Iran 87,550.
An official of Hajj and Umra Ministry in Mecca informed that Saudi Arabia had issued a schedule of flights for Hajj 2023, with the first flights to the holy land commenced in May.
“The phase started on Sunday, May 21, 2023, and end on June 22, 2023. Similarly, the departure phase will start on 2 July 2023 and expire on 2 August 2023,” the offocial added.
