The Associated Press

· Posted: May 26, 2026 10:34 AM EDT | Last Updated: 6 hours ago

Muslim pilgrims from around the world congregated on Mount Arafat in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, the second official day of the annual Islamic pilgrimage, considered the pinnacle of Hajj.

The pilgrims endured the sweltering heat to gather on the rocky hill and surrounding plain for intense prayers that often mark a spiritual peak.

Typically, they murmur prayers and pour their hearts out in supplications, asking God for forgiveness, mercy, blessings and good health. It is common for many pilgrims on that day to raise their hands in worship, with tears streaming down their faces.

Hajj, one of the Five Pillars of Islam, is required once in a lifetime for every Muslim who can afford it and is physically able to perform it.

For pilgrims, Hajj, performed over several days, can be a deeply moving spiritual experience and a chance to seek God’s forgiveness and the erasure of past sins. As they brave the intense heat to perform religious rituals, many pilgrims have been using umbrellas for shade.

A Saudi official said on Friday that more than 1.5 million pilgrims have arrived in the country from abroad.

Muslim pilgrims hold umbrellas after offering noon prayers at Namirah mosque during the annual Hajj pilgrimage on the Plain of Arafat, near the holy city of Mecca, on Tuesday. (Altaf Qadri/The Associated Press)

This year, Muslims have been pouring into Saudi Arabia for the Hajj against the backdrop of a tenuous ceasefire in the Iran war and related uncertainty in the region.

'Once in a lifetime'

For many, performing the Hajj can be a realization of a lifelong dream as they spend years hoping and praying to one day be able to undertake the pilgrimage or saving up money and waiting for a permit to embark on the trip.

“This happens once in a lifetime,” said Mohammad Asal, an Egyptian pilgrim.

“People here have prepared their prayers, hoping that God will respond to them, because we know that ... the most important ritual of the Hajj is being in Arafat.”

People pray during the annual Hajj pilgrimage near the holy city of Mecca on Tuesday. (Altaf Qadri/The Associated Press)

Hajj brings together large numbers of Muslims of diverse races, ethnicities, languages and socioeconomic classes, creating a sense of unity for many.

It’s a mass, communal experience, with Muslims performing rituals together. But it is also deeply personal, as every pilgrim brings their own yearnings and experiences.

“Our wishes are many,” said Mohammad Obaid, a Sudanese pilgrim, who was praying for Sudan and Muslims everywhere.

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