Pilgrims Complete Key Hajj Rite at Mina’s Jamarat al-Aqaba

Pilgrims completed one of the most important stages of the Hajj on the first morning of Eid al-Adha, throwing seven stones at Jamarat al-Aqaba in Mina. The ritual marked a major step in the pilgrimage as worshippers continued the sequence of rites in the holy sites. Crowd movement at the multi-level Jamarat area organized by Saudi authorities was directed along designated routes by security teams. After the stoning ritual, pilgrims moved to the step of cutting or shaving the hair to exit ihram, then headed to the Kaaba for Tawaf al-Ifada. More than 1.7 million people are taking part in this year’s Hajj season, including 1.54 million from 165 countries. The figures underscore the scale of the annual pilgrimage and the logistical demands placed on the Saudi authorities. Given the high temperatures in the region, pilgrims were provided with water, umbrellas and fruit juice. Security and volunteer teams also increased their presence on the ground to help manage the flow of worshippers.