Over 1.6 million Muslim pilgrims prayed atop Mount Arafat on Thursday as the annual Hajj pilgrimage climaxed.
They carried out the religious exercise under the scorching sun in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Officials had advised the pilgrims to stay in their designated tents to avoid sunstroke during the hottest hours of the day.
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PREMIUM TIMES’ reporter at the Hajj observed thousands of pilgrims gather before dawn around the hill and the surrounding plain where Prophet Mohammed is believed to have given his last sermon in his first and last pilgrimage.
The pilgrims arrived at Mount Arafat from Mina, another ritual site, early to take advantage of the relatively cool morning.
Some remained in their tents until the evening when they flocked to the hill site and prayed for hours until the evening in the most arduous portion of the Hajj.
The Saudi authorities said 1,673,230 pilgrims registered for Hajj 2025, including domestic and international pilgrims
Saudi Arabia’s general authority for statistics announced that 1,673,230 performed the Hajj, including 1.5 million from abroad.
Male pilgrims comprised 877,841 of the total, while female pilgrims numbered 795,389.
The pilgrims gathered at Namira Mosque in Arafat to perform Dhuhr and Asr prayers in congregation, copying the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), amid flawless security arrangements and integrated services distributing free foods and ice creams to the pilgrims.
Delivering the Arafat Day sermon, Saleh bin Humaid, the Imam of the Makkah Grand Mosque, called for piety and adherence to the religion on the day Prophet Muhammad delivered his last sermon on Mount Arafat.
According to the Saudi Gazette, the imam emphasised the values of family ties, truthfulness, moral conduct, and the spiritual essence of prayer, noting that these are integral components of true faith.
He stressed that acknowledging Prophet Muhammad as the final messenger necessitates obedience to his teachings, alignment with his path, and rejection of religious innovations.
He added that prayer not only connects the believer to Allah but also instils discipline, self-purification, and spiritual mindfulness.
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The cleric also praised the efforts of the Saudi leadership in serving pilgrims, ensuring their safety, and enabling them to perform their rituals in peace.
He urged pilgrims to adhere to Hajj regulations as a religious and moral duty that ensures cooperation, safety, and order.
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