ARAFAT, Saudi Arabia (AP) 鈥� Muslim pilgrims from around the world congregated on Mount Arafat in Saudi Arabia for intense prayers on Tuesday, the second official day and the climax of .
Despite the sweltering heat, the pilgrims gathered on the rocky hill and the surrounding plain for worship that often marks a spiritual peak for the faithful, fervently murmured prayers and poured their hearts out in supplication.
Many raised their hands in worship. It is common for pilgrims on that day, some with tears streaming down their faces, to ask God for forgiveness, mercy, blessings and good health.
The Hajj, one of the Five Pillars of Islam, is required once in a lifetime for every Muslim who can afford it and is physically able to perform it.
For pilgrims, the Hajj, performed over several days, can be a deeply moving spiritual experience and a chance to seek God鈥檚 forgiveness and the erasure of past sins. As they brave the intense heat to perform religious rituals, many pilgrims have been using umbrellas for shade.
A Saudi official said on Friday that more than 1.5 million pilgrims have arrived in the country from abroad.
This year, Muslims have been pouring into Saudi Arabia for the Hajj against the backdrop of a tenuous ceasefire in the and related uncertainty in the region.
The U.S. military said Monday that in southern Iran, including on missile launch sites and boats used to lay mines, even as President Donald Trump that negotiations with Tehran were 鈥減roceeding nicely.” Iran on Tuesday denounced the most recent as a sign of 鈥渂ad faith and unreliability鈥� as negotiations pressed on toward a to end .
For many, performing the Hajj can be a realization of a lifelong dream as they spend years hoping and praying to one day be able to undertake the pilgrimage or to embark on the trip.
鈥淭his happens once in a lifetime,鈥� Mohammad Asal, an Egyptian pilgrim, said. 鈥淧eople here have prepared their prayers, hoping that God will respond to them, because we know that … the most important ritual of the Hajj is being in Arafat.鈥�
The Hajj brings together large numbers of Muslims of diverse races, ethnicities, languages and socioeconomic classes, creating a sense of unity for many. It鈥檚 a mass, communal experience, with Muslims performing rituals together. But it is also deeply personal, as every pilgrim brings their own yearnings and experiences.
鈥淚t was incredible,鈥� Ahmed Sufyan, a pilgrim from the United States, said on Tuesday. 鈥淭he unity and peace that we feel is something I鈥檝e never experienced before,鈥� he added via WhatsApp.
鈥淥ur wishes are many,鈥� Mohammad Obaid, a Sudanese pilgrim, said, adding he was praying for and Muslims everywhere.
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Fam reported from Winter Park, Florida.
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