Hajj 2025: Over 1.5 million pilgrims gather atop Mount Arafat for prayers
Saudi authorities deploy shade and cooling units to battle heat
DUBAI: The annual Hajj pilgrimage reached its climax on Thursday as vast crowds of worshippers converged on Mount Arafat.
Arafat is a rocky hill southeast of Makkah where Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) delivered his final sermon. Standing in prayer on the Day of Arafat is the holiest part of Hajj – pilgrims remain there in prayer and reflection from after midnight until sunset, marking what Islamic tradition calls the most sacred day of the year.
In all, authorities report that well over 1.5 million foreign pilgrims are participating in Hajj 2025.
Hajj 2025
Hajj is one of the Five Pillars of Islam – a religious duty that every able Muslim is expected to perform at least once in their lifetime.
This year’s pilgrimage is unfolding under a blistering heatwave: temperatures have already surpassed 40°C (104°F) in the region.
Saudi officials have urged pilgrims to remain indoors between 10:00 and 16:00 to avoid the peak sun. In preparation, the government has mobilised hundreds of thousands of personnel and bolstered infrastructure – installing hundreds of cooling units, expanding shaded walkways by some 50,000 square metres, and planting thousands of trees to help shield pilgrims from the sun.
Prayers at Mount Arafat
By dawn, thousands of white-robed pilgrims had begun to assemble on and around the plain of Arafat.
Some arrived before sunrise, carrying colourful umbrellas to ward off the morning heat. Pilgrims prayed and read the Qur’an for hours on the rugged hillside and surrounding plains.
After sunset they will move on to the nearby plain of Muzdalifah to offer combined evening prayers and to collect small pebbles for the next day’s symbolic “stoning of the devil” ritual.
What is Day of Arafat?
Mount Arafat, or the Plain of Arafah, is about 20 km southeast of Makkah. Islamic tradition holds that it is the site of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) Farewell Sermon on his final pilgrimage. The Day of Arafat is regarded as the most sacred day of the Hajj and of the Islamic year. Pilgrims spend the day here in intense prayer and supplication, seeking forgiveness. According to hadith (Prophetic tradition), God’s mercy is especially close on Arafat and sins may be forgiven. After sunset on this day, pilgrims leave Arafat for Muzdalifah to continue the rites of Hajj.
What is Muzdalifah?
Muzdalifah is a flat plain located between Arafat and the encampment of Mina. After sunset on the Day of Arafat, pilgrims travel here, typically combining the Maghrib and Isha prayers. In Muzdalifah they collect 49 (or 70) small stones, which they will use the next day in the ritual of ramy al-jamarat (the stoning of three pillars symbolising Satan). Spending the night under the open sky at Muzdalifah is an ordained part of Hajj; pilgrims usually sleep there briefly before moving on at dawn to Mina for the stoning ritual.
Hajj 2025 arrangements
This year’s Hajj is taking place under one of the hottest conditions on record. Authorities say temperatures have already exceeded 40°C in Makkah, and forecasters warned that the mercury could rise even higher later in the week.
To protect pilgrims, officials have expanded shaded areas by 50,000 square metres, installed more than 400 misting and cooling stations, and planted 10,000 new trees to create green canopy. Thousands of extra paramedics and water distribution points have been deployed, and a newly opened air conditioning system – reportedly the world’s largest – is keeping the Grand Mosque at 22–24°C. Several dozen cases of heatstroke were reported in the days before Arafat; on Monday alone the Health Ministry said 44 such cases had been treated.
Pilgrims were advised to restrict activity during midday. Fans and mist sprayers were placed around Arafat to cool the crowds.
Permit checks intensify
Saudi authorities have conducted an unprecedented crackdown on unregistered pilgrims. Since late April, officers have barred over 269,000 people from entering Makkah because they lacked official Hajj permits.
Drones, AI surveillance cameras and frequent security raids have been used to detect and deter anyone trying to “sneak in” without the required documentation. Media reports and public service alerts carried a clear message: “No Hajj without a permit.”
The Interior Ministry announced that violators face stiff penalties – anyone attempting to enter Makkah without the correct permit may be fined up to 20,000 Saudi riyals (about $5,330 or roughly Dh19,500). Those caught performing the pilgrimage illegally risk immediate deportation and even a ban of up to 10 years from the kingdom.
Hajj permits are official licences required to participate in the pilgrimage. Each country receives a limited number of permits according to population, and prospective pilgrims typically enter local lotteries or book through accredited tour operators to obtain one. The permits cover logistics such as accommodation, transport and guaranteed access to facilities like air-conditioned tents.
The permit system is based on country-by-country quotas and domestic allocation by lottery; many who try without a permit do so because of the high demand and cost of Hajj packages. Authorities have stressed that the new enforcement is intended to prevent overcrowding and reduce risk – a campaign officials say was spurred by last year’s heat-related deaths, which overwhelmingly affected unregistered pilgrims without access to cooling and health services.