Makkah: According to the data released by the Saudi Arabian statistics office on Tuesday, more than 1.8 million devoted individuals have performed the annual Hajj pilgrimage this year.
In this occasion, considered the largest religious gathering in the world, Saudi officials had anticipated the arrival of more than 2.5 million pilgrims.
However, according to the official statistics publicly announced by the government-owned Al-Ekhbariya TV, this presence falls significantly below expectations compared to the participation of 2.5 million worshippers in 2019.
“The total number of pilgrims in this Hajj season, including both men and women, is 1,845,045,” stated the data office.
Last year, following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the number was limited to 1 million. Despite witnessing an increase in participation compared to the previous year, Saudi authorities projected a decline in the number of Hajj pilgrims for this year’s event.
In 2020, during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, only 10,000 individuals were granted permission, whereas in 2021, this number increased to 59,000.
Hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam, and it is widely believed among Muslims that they should visit Makkah at least once in their lifetime.