2.37 million perform Haj; 1.75 million foreign pilgrims
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Jeddah: A total of 23,71,675 pilgrims, higher than last year's figures, from across the world arrived on the plains of Arafat to pray and seek forgiveness at the climax of the annual pilgrimage of Haj, according to the final statistics issued by Saudi authorities late on Monday.
Of this total 1,327,127 were male 1 and 1,044,548 female.
The General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT) noted that last year, the number was more than 2.35 million, including 1.75 million from other countries.
Officials at the GASTAT said the latest numbers are considered "final" as any pilgrims arriving after sunset on Monday will not be counted as performing Hajj. Monday, known as Yaum Arafat or (Yaum Arafah), or the Day of Arafat, marked the climax of Haj.
"Haj is Arafat," is a well-known saying of Prophet Muhammad, signifying that standing in Arafat is an essential part of Haj. Therefore, any one missing Arafa is treated as missing haj. The gathering at Arafa is the only event performed by all pilgrims at the same time. All the other compulsory rites are and can be, performed at different times, usually done depending on their arrival date and travel schedules, but within a timeframe prescribed for haj.
Haj is the largest annual religious gathering in the world. Haj officially starts on the evening of 8th of Dhul Hijjah and lasts for five days until the 12th. But some pilgrims still perform Haj by performing the stoning act on the 13th of the same Islamic month as well, corresponding to Friday August 24th, 2018.
All Muslims who are physically and financially able to make the pilgrimage are required to do so at least once in their lives.
As for those arriving from outside Saudi Arabia, GCC pilgrims numbered 34,140, while other Arab countries sent 395,410. Pilgrims from other Asian countries apart from Arab countries numbred 1,049,496.
The number of pilgrims coming from African countries apart from Arab countries was 166,083 while pilgrims from European countries numbered 88,601. There were 24,992 pilgrims from North America, South America, and Australia combined.
More than 287,300 people from governmental and private entities participated in providing more than 215 main services and sub-services to pilgrims.
Dr. Fahad Altekhaifi, head of GASTAT, thanked all the governmental security entities that supported GASTAT in the compilation of this year's haj statistics. The head of GASTAT also stated that more than 450 statistical researchers were working 24/7 in the compilation of figures of the Haj of this year starting from the beginning of this month until the sunset of the day of Arafah.