Annual Hajj Commences From Today Amidst Staggering Heat And Middle East Concern.

Mecca; May 2026: The annual Hajj pilgrimage, one of the Five Pillars of Islam, officially began today (Monday – 25th May 2026). More than 1.5 million pilgrims have arrived in Saudi Arabia from outside the country, Saleh bin Saad Al-Murabba, commander of the Hajj passport forces, had said on Friday (22nd May). The faithful have been pouring into the country for the Hajj against the backdrop of a tenuous ceasefire in the Iran war and related regional tensions and uncertainty.

Generally, on the first day, many pilgrims in Mecca converge on a vast tent camp in the nearby desert. Ahead of that, pilgrims have been circling the cube-shaped Kaaba in the Grand Mosque in sweltering temperatures. For pilgrims, Hajj can be a deeply moving spiritual experience and a chance to seek God’s forgiveness and the erasure of past sins. Pilgrims perform the Hajj rituals over several days.

Some spend many years hoping and praying to one day perform the Hajj or saving up money and waiting for a permit to embark on the trip. As they brave the intense heat to perform religious rituals, many pilgrims have been using umbrellas for shade and carrying handheld fans. Volunteers hand out water bottles to help them stay hydrated and large fans spray fine mists of water.

On Saturday (23rd May), US President Donald Trump said a deal with Iran on the war, including opening the Strait of Hormuz, has been “largely negotiated” after calls with Israel and other allies in the region. He described it as a “Memorandum of Understanding pertaining to PEACE” that still must be finalised by the United States, Iran and the other countries that participated in the calls. That capped a week in which the US weighed a new round of attacks on Iran.

Ahead of the trip for Hajj, some have said they were leaning on their faith as they embark on the journey amid the tensions and that they were feeling immense gratitude for the opportunity to go. Hajj brings together large numbers of Muslims of diverse races, ethnicities, languages and economic classes, creating a sense of unity for many. With uncertainty and global concerns high, authorities in Indonesia, home to the world’s largest Muslim population, have in the run-up to the Hajj season emphasized contingency planning for the pilgrimage and issued instructions to ensure that additional travel costs not be passed on to Indonesian pilgrims.

In India, home to a large Muslim minority, pilgrimage planning has proceeded largely as normal, but high fuel prices have pushed up travel costs for pilgrims.

A reopening of the strait would begin to ease a worldwide energy crisis sparked by the US and Israeli attacks on Iran on February 28th, which led Iran to effectively close the waterway. Prices have spiked for oil, gas and several related products, jolting the world economy. The US has blockaded Iranian ports for over a month, and Trump yesterday (Sunday – 24th May) said the blockade “will remain in full force and effect until an agreement is reached, certified, and signed”.

In response to the US-Israeli attacks, Iran has launched retaliatory strikes and the conflict widened; a fragile ceasefire was then reached in April.

In Saudi Arabia, pilgrims have been doing the ritual circuit around the Kaaba since arriving in Mecca over recent days. Pilgrims who make their way to Mina will camp in the vast tent city and pray and worship.

Tomorrow (Tuesday – 26th May) is considered to be the pinnacle of the pilgrimage, the pilgrims will stand on the plain of Arafat, where they praise God, plead for forgiveness and make supplications. Many carry prayer requests from loved ones and raise their hands in worship with tears streaming down their faces.

Team Maverick.