Hajj Pilgrims Spend Day at Mina, Head to Arafat on Tuesday 

A general view of the Grand Mosque in the holy city of Makkah ahead of the Hajj. (SPA)
A general view of the Grand Mosque in the holy city of Makkah ahead of the Hajj. (SPA)
TT
20

Hajj Pilgrims Spend Day at Mina, Head to Arafat on Tuesday 

A general view of the Grand Mosque in the holy city of Makkah ahead of the Hajj. (SPA)
A general view of the Grand Mosque in the holy city of Makkah ahead of the Hajj. (SPA)

The Hajj pilgrimage kicked off on Monday with nearly 2 million Muslims from around the world performing the holy rituals.

The pilgrims will spend the day at Mina before heading to Mount Arafat in the early hours of Tuesday.

The General Directorate of Passports said 1.6 million pilgrims have arrived in Saudi Arabia through its land, sea and air ports.

Among them are 4,951 pilgrims who will perform the Hajj at the expense of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz. They include relatives of martyrs from Palestine, Yemen, Syria and other countries.

Interior Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif and National Guard Minister Prince Abdullah bin Bandar underscored the readiness of the security forces at the holy sites.

In 2020, amid worldwide coronavirus lockdowns, Saudi Arabia limited the pilgrimage to a few thousand citizens and local residents. This is the first year it returns to full capacity.

The Hajj begins with the circling of the Kaaba in the holy city of Makkah counter-clockwise seven times while reciting prayers. Pilgrims then walk between two hills in a reenactment of Hagar's search for water for her son, Ismail.

All of this takes place inside Makkah’s Grand Mosque — the world's largest — which encompasses the Kaaba and the two hills.

The next day, pilgrims head to Mount Arafat, some 20 kilometers (12 miles) east of Makkah, where the Prophet Mohammed delivered his final sermon. Here, they stand in prayer throughout the day asking God for forgiveness of their sins in the spiritual high point of the pilgrimage.

Around sunset, pilgrims walk or take buses to an area called Muzdalifa, 9 kilometers (5.5 miles) west of Arafat. They pick up pebbles to use the next day in a symbolic stoning of the devil in the valley of Mina. The pilgrims stay for several nights in Mina in one of the largest tent camps in the world.

The pilgrimage ends with a final circling of the Kaaba and further casting of stones at Mina. Men often shave their heads and women clip a lock of hair, signaling renewal.

The final days of Hajj coincide with Eid al-Adha, or the festival of sacrifice, a joyous occasion celebrated by Muslims around the world. During the three-day Eid, Muslims slaughter livestock and distribute the meat to the poor.



Trump Hails Success of Riyadh Summit, Says May Meet Putin this Month 

A handout photo made available by the Russian Foreign Ministry Press Service shows Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov (R) and Russian presidential aide Yury Ushakov (2-R) attending a meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio (2-L), US National Security Advisor Mike Waltz (3-L) and US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff (L), Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abduallah and Saudi National Security Advisor Dr. Musaed bin Mohammed Al-Aiban at Diriyah Palace in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, 18 February 2025. (EPA / Russian Foreign Ministry Press Service)
A handout photo made available by the Russian Foreign Ministry Press Service shows Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov (R) and Russian presidential aide Yury Ushakov (2-R) attending a meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio (2-L), US National Security Advisor Mike Waltz (3-L) and US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff (L), Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abduallah and Saudi National Security Advisor Dr. Musaed bin Mohammed Al-Aiban at Diriyah Palace in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, 18 February 2025. (EPA / Russian Foreign Ministry Press Service)
TT
20

Trump Hails Success of Riyadh Summit, Says May Meet Putin this Month 

A handout photo made available by the Russian Foreign Ministry Press Service shows Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov (R) and Russian presidential aide Yury Ushakov (2-R) attending a meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio (2-L), US National Security Advisor Mike Waltz (3-L) and US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff (L), Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abduallah and Saudi National Security Advisor Dr. Musaed bin Mohammed Al-Aiban at Diriyah Palace in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, 18 February 2025. (EPA / Russian Foreign Ministry Press Service)
A handout photo made available by the Russian Foreign Ministry Press Service shows Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov (R) and Russian presidential aide Yury Ushakov (2-R) attending a meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio (2-L), US National Security Advisor Mike Waltz (3-L) and US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff (L), Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abduallah and Saudi National Security Advisor Dr. Musaed bin Mohammed Al-Aiban at Diriyah Palace in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, 18 February 2025. (EPA / Russian Foreign Ministry Press Service)

US President Donald Trump hailed on Tuesday the "very good" talks that were held between the United States and Russia in Riyadh.

He added that he may meet Russian President Vladimir Putin this month.

"Probably," he said as he ended a press conference at his Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach when asked if he still expected to meet with Putin before the end of the month.

Trump spoke for the first time since a US delegation established a working dialogue with Russia about Ukraine during talks in Riyadh earlier in the day.

He brushed aside Ukraine's concern about being left out of the meeting, saying Kyiv could have made a deal with Russia three years ago to avert the invasion by Moscow.

"Today I heard, 'oh, we weren't invited.' Well you've been there for three years, you should have ended it... you should have never started it. You could have made a deal," he remarked.

"I think I have the power to end this war," stressed Trump.

Trump said he would not oppose Europeans if they want to send peacekeeping troops to Ukraine.

European leaders have discussed sending peacekeepers to provide security guarantees in the event of a peace deal.

"Having troops over there would be fine, I wouldn't object to it at all," Trump said.