Muslim pilgrims in Mecca battled the intense heat

The Muslim Hajj (Hajj) pilgrimage with about two million pilgrims has come to an end, according to the government of Saudi Arabia. This year, high temperatures of up to 48 degrees made things difficult for the faithful. Thousands had to be treated for heatstroke and exhaustion, according to the Health Ministry.

For the first time since the beginning of the corona pandemic more than three years ago, the pilgrimage took place without restrictions. The number of pilgrims was significantly higher than the previous year. Around one million Muslims arrived in Mecca in 2022, compared with around 2.5 million before the pandemic.

Pilgrimage is one of the five basic duties of Islam. Every devout Muslim who is healthy and can afford it must make a pilgrimage to the city of Mecca, which is holy to Muslims, once in their lifetime. Many faithful save for years for the pilgrimage, which sometimes costs the equivalent of several thousand euros. They also have to travel long distances to do this.