| (BSS/AFP) - Huge numbers of Muslims prayed on Mount Arafat on Tuesday at the climax of the hajj pilgrimage, defying searing temperatures under the desert sun as they fulfilled a lifelong dream.
From daybreak, thousands of white-robed worshippers recited Quranic verses on the 70-metre (230 feet) rocky hill near Mecca, where the Prophet Mohammed is believed to have delivered his last sermon.
Volunteers handed out bottles of water, parasols and food packages to the tens of thousands of pilgrims as they made their way toward Mount Arafat, as helicopters buzzed overhead regularly.
"It is an indescribable feeling," said Ahmed Abu al-Ezz, a 35-year-old Egyptian engineer, as he approached Mount Arafat for the first time.
As night fell, the faithful began converging in waves toward Muzdalifah, where they will spend the night praying under the open sky, before collecting pebbles and then setting off at dawn for Mina to carry out the symbolic stoning of the devil.
While many pilgrims are transported by bus, Mahmoud Zahafi, a 64-year-old Algerian, braved the heat to reach Muzdalifah on foot from Mount Arafat.
"It`s an exceptional day," he told AFP with a broad smile.
More than 1.7 million people have joined the hajj this year, according to official figures, under the shadow of the Middle East war sparked by US-Israeli strikes on Iran.
During the fighting, Tehran retaliated with waves of drone and ballistic missile strikes, hitting major infrastructure and energy installations across the Gulf, including in Saudi Arabia.
More than 30,000 Iranians have made the journey, about a third of the 86,000 originally expected. Iran`s IRNA state news agency said the "wartime situation" explained the drop.
Despite the war, Saudi officials said over the weekend that more pilgrims had travelled from abroad this year than in 2025.
For Karim Hazem, a 40-year-old Tunisian pilgrim, "this place is where the Lord gathers the community of believers and reminds us that we can be united as peoples".
- Blistering sun -
The hajj, one of the five pillars of Islam, must be performed at least once by all Muslims with the means to do so.
With temperatures hitting 44 degrees in Mecca in recent days, Saudi authorities have urged pilgrims to drink plenty of water and protect themselves from the sun during the mostly outdoor rituals, which can take five days or more to complete.
Scientists say human-driven climate change is amplifying extreme weather events, including intense summer heatwaves in many parts of the globe.
Since men are prohibited from wearing hats during hajj, many carry umbrellas to try to keep the blistering sun at bay.
After more than 1,300 people died in 2024, when temperatures soared above 50 degrees Celsius, Saudi authorities introduced a range of heat-mitigation measures including more shaded areas and thousands of extra health workers.
More than 50,000 healthcare staff and 3,000 ambulances were deployed to help pilgrims in need, the Saudi health ministry said.
After Mount Arafat, pilgrims will spend the night in Muzdalifah, where they will collect pebbles for the symbolic "stoning of the devil" ritual in Mina, starting on Wednesday.
The hajj is said to follow the path of the Prophet Mohammed`s final pilgrimage, about 1,400 years ago.
It has long been an important source of legitimacy for the Al Saud dynasty, whose monarch has the title "Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques", in Mecca and Medina.
| 
