Muslim pilgrims walk around the Kaaba in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, while attending the Hajj pilgrimage, June 24, 2023. Photo: AFP/VNA

 More than 2.5 million Muslims from 160 countries will join the Hajj, the fifth pillar of Islam and one of the largest religious gatherings in the world, this week.
The focus of the Hajj is a gathering on Mount Arafat, where, according to legend, the Prophet Mohammed gave his last sermon. For several days devotees will gather on this mountain and the surrounding area to pray and recite the Koran until evening. The Hajj is a mandatory religious duty that must be carried out at least once in their lifetime by all adult Muslims who are physically and financially capable of undertaking the journey, and of supporting their family during their absence from home.