The annual Hajj, or Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca, in Saudi Arabia, began Wednesday as two million pilgrims so far from around the world arrived in Mecca.
The Saudi authorities are dealing this year with a double threat. One is the danger of stampedes caused by over-crowding in the holy sites. In recent years a series of disasters claimed the lives of hundreds of pilgrims.
The second threat is the fear that terrorists may use this year’s festival as a way to enter the country and launch attacks.
The Interior Ministry and the Hajj High Committee have summoned all their manpower to ensure that the festival activities continue without interference.
The Hajj is one of the most important duties in Islam. The festival includes symbolic re-enactments of the lives of Abraham and his wife Hagar; and a dangerous custom of stoning a rock affiliated with the devil. The most well-known event during the Hajj period includes walking seven times around the sacred Al-Ka’ba stone.