IN PICTURES: Annual Hajj pilgrimage commences in Mecca
1.7 million Muslims from across the globe converge at Mecca, Saudi Arabia, for the Hajj pilgrimage, a religious duty, and for some pilgrims, the journey of a lifetime.
More than 1.7 million Muslims from around the world have arrived in Saudi Arabia for the start of the annual Hajj pilgrimage this week. (Photo: AP)
Muslim pilgrims circumambulate around the Kaaba, the cubic building at the Grand Mosque. | (Photo: AP)
Pilgrims perform Tawaf, or circumambulation, seven times counter-clockwise, around the Kaaba. | (Photo: AP)
Muslim pilgrims touch the Kaaba, the cubic building at the Grand Mosque. | (Photo: AP)
A Muslim pilgrim prays in front of the Kaaba, the cubic building at the Grand Mosque. | (Photo: AP)
Pilgrims wear special outfits during the pilgrimage. While men wear two-piece white seamless garments, women wear loose white dresses with only the face and hands exposed. | (Photo: AP)
Before changing back to regular clothing, men shave their heads or trim their hair while women cut a fingertip-length of their locks. | (Photo: AP)
The next day, pilgrims gather on the hill known as Jabal al-Rahma (Mount of Mercy), where they remain until evening for prayer and to read the Koran. | (Photo: AP)
