Hajj 2026 LIVE: Muslims undertake annual pilgrimage to Mecca ahead of Day of Arafah

28 mins ago18:25 Rebecca Robinson

Many Muslims touch the holy Kaaba to follow the tradition of the Prophet Muhammad and honour the legacy of the prophets.

Touching the Kaaba is believed to bring spiritual blessings and the forgiveness of sins.

Touching the Kaaba is believed to bring blessings. (Image: Getty)

1 hour ago17:51 Rebecca Robinson

The first official Islamic Hajj was led by the Prophet Muhammad in 632 CE (10 AH), an event known as the Farewell Pilgrimage.

While Muhammad established the current rituals, the spiritual origins and rites of the pilgrimage date back to 2000 BCE, originating with the Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham) and his son Ismail.

2 hours ago17:22 Rebecca Robinson

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2 hours ago16:41 Rebecca Robinson

The pilgrimage is one of the five pillars of Islam. (Image: Getty)

The pilgrimage is one of the five pillars of Islam. (Image: Getty)

3 hours ago16:20 Rebecca Robinson

Samya Abdul Moneim, from Egypt, said she's grateful to God for having made it to the Hajj.

She told AFP: "I am in a state of blessing and happiness. It's an indescribable feeling, truly. I mean, thank God, I am in a blessing."

3 hours ago16:00 Rebecca Robinson

Mecca is experiencing a very hot and mostly sunny day today, with temperatures peaking around 44C and lows of 29C expected overnight. 

There is no chance of rain, and UV levels will remain very high, according to AccuWeather.

3 hours ago15:40 Rebecca Robinson

Jreish Mohammed, from Morocco, said he's been wanting to do the pilgrimage for as long as 50 years.

The 68-year-old toLD AFP: "I have wanted to perform the pilgrimage my entire life, for 40 or 50 years."

4 hours ago15:22 Rebecca Robinson

Ihram: Before starting, pilgrims enter a state of spiritual purity called Ihram. Men wear two simple, seamless white cloths, and women wear modest, identical clothing to strip away markers of wealth and status, symbolising total equality before God.

Tawaf: Pilgrims circle the Kaaba - the black cube-shaped structure at the centre of the Grand Mosque in Mecca - counter-clockwise seven times.

Sa'i: Pilgrims walk back and forth between the hills of Safa and Marwa to honour Hajar's desperate search for water for her son, Ishmael.

Day of Arafat: Considered the spiritual peak of the Hajj. Pilgrims spend the day on the plains of Mount Arafat to pray, reflect, and seek God’s mercy and forgiveness.

Stoning of the Devil: Pilgrims gather pebbles in Muzdalifah and throw them at three pillars in the city of Mina. This ritual symbolises the rejection of temptation and evil, commemorating Prophet Abraham’s faith.

Eid al-Adha & Qurbani: After the stoning, pilgrims perform an animal sacrifice (or purchase a sacrifice voucher) to commemorate Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son, distributing the meat to the poor.

Final Tawaf: Pilgrims perform a final farewell walk of the Kaaba before concluding the pilgrimage.

The hajj pilgrimage involves certain rituals. (Image: Getty)

4 hours ago15:02 Astha Saxena

Saudi authorities have deployed extensive cooling systems across Mecca to limit the impact of the heat.

Giant fans, mist sprayers and cooled flooring have been installed around the Grand Mosque, while trucks distribute free bottles of ice-cold water to worshippers throughout the day.

Cooling systems installed across Mecca (Image: Getty)

4 hours ago14:54 Astha Saxena

Youssef Chouhoud, a political scientist at Christopher Newport University in Virginia, said from the tent city of Mina that this Hajj "is, in effect, a hard reset for me".

He told AP: "I pray that I emerge on the other side of this journey with a new sense of purpose and the discipline to see it through.

"It is for many pilgrims the most difficult thing they will ever do in their lives," he added. "But nothing this meaningful is ever going to be easy".

4 hours ago14:38 Astha Saxena

Most Muslims will celebrate Eid al‑Adha on May 27, marking one of the two major festivals in Islam. Known as the “Feast of Sacrifice,” it takes place after the completion of the Hajj pilgrimage and commemorates the devotion of Prophet Ibrahim.

Following the Eid prayer, Muslims around the world participate in Qurbani, the ritual sacrifice of livestock such as a sheep, goat, cow or camel.

This act honours the moment when Prophet Ibrahim was willing to sacrifice his son Ismail in obedience to Allah’s command. By performing Qurbani, Muslims symbolically reflect Ibrahim’s unwavering faith and strive to embody the same spirit of submission and devotion.

5 hours ago14:15 Astha Saxena

Scenes from Mecca (Image: Getty)

Scenes from Mecca (Image: Getty)

5 hours ago14:00 Astha Saxena

As Muslims gather in Mecca for the annual Hajj pilgrimage, they perform tawāf, the central ritual in which pilgrims walk seven times around the Kaaba—a black, cube‑shaped structure draped in an ornate, gold‑embroidered cloth.

This cloth, known as the kiswah, is ceremonially placed over the Kaaba each year and serves as a symbolic covering for Islam’s holiest site.

5 hours ago13:50 Astha Saxena

Hajj is one of the largest religious gatherings on the planet, drawing millions of Muslims to Saudi Arabia each year to perform the pilgrimage.

This year, as many as two million pilgrims are expected to arrive in the holy city of Mecca, reflecting both the scale and the global significance of the event.

5 hours ago13:38 Astha Saxena

Hajj is the yearly Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia and is considered one of the Five Pillars of Islam, making it a mandatory act of worship for all adult Muslims who are physically and financially able to complete it at least once in their lives.

It takes place during Dhul Hijjah, the final month of the Islamic lunar calendar, and spans several days of sacred rituals.

These include entering the state of ihram, performing tawaf by circling the Kaaba, completing sa’i by walking between Safa and Marwa, standing in prayer at Arafat, and visiting key sites such as Mina and Muzdalifah.

Each step carries deep spiritual significance, reflecting devotion, humility, equality, and the reenactment of events linked to the Prophet Abraham, Hajar, and their son Ishmael.

5 hours ago13:33 Alice Scarsi