MAKKAH — Wearing white seamless dress of Ihram, hundreds of thousands of Hajj pilgrims flock to Makkah from all over the world. More than 1.3 million pilgrims have already arrived in the holy city. Most of these pilgrims came directly to Makkah via Jeddah from their home countries while the remaining pilgrims reached Makkah after completing their visit to the Prophet's Mosque in Madinah. The pilgrims are making their final preparations before their heading to Mina after three days to start their lifetime spiritual journey. This year's Hajj will start on Friday, Dhul Hijjah 8, corresponding to June 14, with their movement to Mina. On the Tarwiyyah Day, the pilgrims will stay day and night in the tent city before flocking to the vast plains of Arafat the next day for their standing at Arafat, which marks the pinnacle of the annual pilgrimage of Hajj. In an ambience of spirituality and atmosphere of faith filled with feelings of atonement, pilgrims are immersed in prayers and supplications in the vicinity of the Holy Kaaba at the Grand Mosque during these days. The Saudi authorities and Hajj service providers have mobilized all their facilities and services featuring an integrated system of services so as to enable the pilgrims to perform their rituals in ease and comfort. Over a million pilgrims thronged the Grand Mosque for the last Friday prayer before Hajj on June 7. The Grand Mosque overflowed and lines of worshipers were seen spreading to the courtyards and nearby streets in the Central Haram Area. More than 1.3 million pilgrims have so far arrived in Makkah from nearly 180 countries around the world. They include pilgrims from the continents of Asia, Africa, Europe, and Americas. The Mashariq Al-Masiyah Mutawafi Company confirmed the completion of the arrival of its groups of pilgrims from 16 countries from various parts of the world to the holy city and they included pilgrims from Bangladesh, Sudan, Malaysia, Sierra Leone, Lebanon, Thailand, GuineaBissau, China, GuineaConakry, Myanmar , Liberia, Rwanda, and Gambia. The pilgrims company for Non-Arab Africa received, as of Saturday, the first groups of pilgrims from the United States of America, France, Italy, and Germany, who came to Makkah to perform Hajj rituals this year, through the Hajj and Umrah Ministry's direct Hajj program. The influx of pilgrims from most of the Arab and Islamic countries, and from many other countries from various continents of the world, has also been continuing around the clock. Around 250,000 pilgrims in seven countries and 11 international airports have benefited from the Makkah Route Initiative, which was introduced by the Ministry of Interior in cooperation and coordination with other relevant ministries and agencies. Under the scheme, pilgrims could complete their immigration and other travel procedures from their home country before departure. The Meeqat of Dhul-Hulaifah in Madinah witnessed Saturday the influx of large numbers of pilgrims of various nationalities on their way to the Grand Mosque in Makkah to perform Umrah. The coming days will witness the influx of domestic pilgrims from various parts of the Kingdom to Makkah and they will join the foreign pilgrims in their pursuit of the lifetime spiritual journey. Meanwhile, Lt. Gen. Muhammad Al-Bassami, director of Public Security and head of the Hajj Security Committee, confirmed that there are special forces deployed at all the entry points to Makkah and the Holy Sites to prevent those, who do not have a Hajj permit, from entering the holy city. The security forces are ready to deal with everything that affects the breach of security and law and order and prevent anything that affects security and safety of the guests of God. "The security of pilgrims is a red line, the security of the Holy Sites is a red line, and the security of the nation is a red line. The security forces will deal firmly with anyone who tries to undermine the security and safety of the pilgrims," he said.
