On the Day of Arafat, India Stands Ready for Over 175,000 Hajj Pilgrims

By  News On Air   May 26, 2026

Today marks the Day of Arafat, the holiest and most significant day of the annual Hajj pilgrimage.

Millions of Muslims from across the world gathered on the Plain of Arafat near Mecca to perform Wuquf, the central ritual of Hajj observed on the ninth day of Dhu al-Hijjah.

Pilgrims spent the day in prayers and supplication at Arafat, a ritual considered essential for the completion of Hajj. After sunset, pilgrims will proceed to Muzdalifah before returning to Mina.

More than 1 lakh 75 thousand Indian pilgrims are participating in this year’s Hajj. According to the Indian Mission in Jeddah, all Indian pilgrims reached Arafat safely through bus and train services, with nearly half travelling by rail.

The Indian Hajj Mission has been coordinating accommodation, transport, medical services and other facilities in close cooperation with Saudi authorities.

India’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Suhel Ajaz Khan, said the smooth movement of pilgrims to Arafat marked a major success of the Hajj arrangements this year.

Hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam and is obligatory once in a lifetime for every able-bodied and financially capable Muslim.

As the sun sets over Arafat and pilgrims begin their onward journey to Muzdalifah, they carry with them the spiritual weight of a ritual unchanged for centuries – a testament to the enduring bond between faith, community, and devotion.