FAMAGUSTA GAZETTE – More than 269,000 Muslims attempting to reach Mecca for the hajj pilgrimage have been stopped due to lacking proper authorization, Saudi officials announced.
Authorities cited overcrowding concerns as the primary reason for restricting access, emphasizing that unauthorized pilgrims contributed to congestion during last year’s hajj. Officials also linked the presence of unregistered visitors to fatalities caused by extreme heat in 2024.
Hajj, one of the five pillars of Islam, requires all able-bodied Muslims who can afford it to undertake the pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in their lifetime.
The annual event begins on June 4, with 1.4 million pilgrims already in Mecca, and even more expected to arrive in the coming days. In 2024, approximately 1.8 million Muslims participated in the pilgrimage.