Muslim pilgrims circumambulate around the Kaaba, the cubic building at the Grand Mosque, during the annual hajj pilgrimage in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Monday, June 26, 2023, before heading to Mina in preparation for the Hajj, the fifth pillar of Islam and one of the largest religious gatherings in the world. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil) 
Muslim pilgrims circumambulate around the Kaaba, the cubic building at the Grand Mosque, during the annual hajj pilgrimage in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Monday, June 26, 2023, before heading to Mina in preparation for the Hajj, the fifth pillar of Islam and one of the largest religious gatherings in the world. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil) 
Muslim pilgrims pray in front of the Kaaba door, the cubic building at the Grand Mosque, during the annual hajj pilgrimage in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Monday, June 26, 2023, before heading to Mina in preparation for the Hajj, the fifth pillar of Islam and one of the largest religious gatherings in the world. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil) 
Muslim pilgrims circumambulate around the Kaaba, the cubic building at the Grand Mosque, during the annual hajj pilgrimage in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Monday, June 26, 2023, before heading to Mina in preparation for the Hajj, the fifth pillar of Islam and one of the largest religious gatherings in the world. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil) 
Muslim pilgrims pray in front of the Kaaba door, the cubic building at the Grand Mosque, during the annual hajj pilgrimage in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Monday, June 26, 2023, before heading to Mina in preparation for the Hajj, the fifth pillar of Islam and one of the largest religious gatherings in the world. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil) 
Pakistani pilgrims circumambulate around the Kaaba, the cubic building at the Grand Mosque, during the annual hajj pilgrimage in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Monday, June 26, 2023, before heading to Mina in preparation for the Hajj, the fifth pillar of Islam and one of the largest religious gatherings in the world. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil) 
Muslim pilgrims circumambulate around the Kaaba, the cubic building at the Grand Mosque, during the annual hajj pilgrimage in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Monday, June 26, 2023, before heading to Mina in preparation for the Hajj, the fifth pillar of Islam and one of the largest religious gatherings in the world. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil) 
Muslim pilgrims circumambulate around the Kaaba, the cubic building at the Grand Mosque, during the annual hajj pilgrimage in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Monday, June 26, 2023, before heading to Mina in preparation for the Hajj, the fifth pillar of Islam and one of the largest religious gatherings in the world. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil) 
Muslim pilgrims circumambulate around the Kaaba, the cubic building at the Grand Mosque, during the annual hajj pilgrimage in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Monday, June 26, 2023, before heading to Mina in preparation for the Hajj, the fifth pillar of Islam and one of the largest religious gatherings in the world. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil) 
Somalian pilgrims prepare for a selfie in front of the Kaaba, the cubic building at the Grand Mosque, during the annual hajj pilgrimage in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Monday, June 26, 2023, before heading to Mina in preparation for the Hajj, the fifth pillar of Islam and one of the largest religious gatherings in the world. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil) 
Muslim pilgrims take a nap after dawn prayers outside the Grand Mosque, during the annual hajj pilgrimage in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Monday, June 26, 2023, before heading to Mina in preparation for the Hajj, the fifth pillar of Islam and one of the largest religious gatherings in the world. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil) 
Muslim pilgrims rest and read the Quran, the Muslims holy book, at the Mina tent camp during the Hajj, in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, during the annual hajj pilgrimage, Monday, June 26, 2023. Muslim pilgrims are converging on Saudi Arabia’s holy city of Mecca for the largest hajj since the coronavirus pandemic severely curtailed access to one of Islam’s five pillars. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil) 
Muslim pilgrims rest at the Mina tent camp during the Hajj, in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, during the annual hajj pilgrimage, Monday, June 26, 2023. Muslim pilgrims are converging on Saudi Arabia’s holy city of Mecca for the largest hajj since the coronavirus pandemic severely curtailed access to one of Islam’s five pillars. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil) 
Muslim pilgrims pray at the Mina tent camp, in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, during the annual hajj pilgrimage, Monday, June 26, 2023. Muslim pilgrims are converging on Saudi Arabia’s holy city of Mecca for the largest hajj since the coronavirus pandemic severely curtailed access to one of Islam’s five pillars. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil) 
A Muslim pilgrim reads the Quran, the Muslims holy book, at the Mina tent camp, in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, during the annual hajj pilgrimage, Monday, June 26, 2023. Muslim pilgrims are converging on Saudi Arabia’s holy city of Mecca for the largest hajj since the coronavirus pandemic severely curtailed access to one of Islam’s five pillars. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil) 
An Indian pilgrim holds his umbrella at the Mina tent camp, in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, during the annual hajj pilgrimage, Monday, June 26, 2023. Muslim pilgrims are converging on Saudi Arabia’s holy city of Mecca for the largest hajj since the coronavirus pandemic severely curtailed access to one of Islam’s five pillars. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil) 
A Muslim pilgrim opens his umbrella at the Mina tent camp in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, during the annual Hajj pilgrimage, Monday, June 26, 2023. Muslim pilgrims are converging on Saudi Arabia’s holy city of Mecca for the largest Hajj since the coronavirus pandemic severely curtailed access to one of Islam’s five pillars. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil) 
Muslim pilgrims walk along at the Mina tent camp in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, during the annual Hajj pilgrimage, Monday, June 26, 2023. Muslim pilgrims are converging on Saudi Arabia’s holy city of Mecca for the largest Hajj since the coronavirus pandemic severely curtailed access to one of Islam’s five pillars. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil) 
A police officer sprays cold water on a Muslim pilgrim at the Mina tent camp in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, during the annual Hajj pilgrimage, Monday, June 26, 2023. Muslim pilgrims are converging on Saudi Arabia’s holy city of Mecca for the largest Hajj since the coronavirus pandemic severely curtailed access to one of Islam’s five pillars. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil) 
Muslim pilgrims wash for prayers at the Mina tent camp in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, during the annual Hajj pilgrimage, Monday, June 26, 2023. Muslim pilgrims are converging on Saudi Arabia’s holy city of Mecca for the largest Hajj since the coronavirus pandemic severely curtailed access to one of Islam’s five pillars. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil) 
A police officer sprays cold water at a Muslim pilgrim at the Mina tent camp in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, during the annual Hajj pilgrimage, Monday, June 26, 2023. Muslim pilgrims are converging on Saudi Arabia’s holy city of Mecca for the largest Hajj since the coronavirus pandemic severely curtailed access to one of Islam’s five pillars. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil) 
A Muslim pilgrim is sprayed with refreshing water at the Mina tent camp in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, during the annual Hajj pilgrimage, Monday, June 26, 2023. Muslim pilgrims are converging on Saudi Arabia’s holy city of Mecca for the largest Hajj since the coronavirus pandemic severely curtailed access to one of Islam’s five pillars. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil)
MINA, Saudi Arabia | Some 2 million Muslim pilgrims officially began the annual Hajj pilgrimage on Monday, making their way out of Mecca after circling Islam’s holiest site, the Kaaba, and converging on a vast tent camp in the nearby desert for a day and night of prayer.
One of the largest religious gatherings in the world has returned to full capacity this year for the first time since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic three years ago.
The pilgrimage is one of the five pillars of Islam, and all Muslims are required to make the five-day Hajj at least once in their lives if they are physically and financially able to do it.
For pilgrims, it is a deeply moving spiritual experience that absolves sins, brings them closer to God and unites the world’s more than 1.8 billion Muslims. Some spend years saving up money and waiting for a permit to embark on the journey.
The rituals during Hajj largely commemorate the Quran’s accounts of Ibrahim, his son Ismail and Ismail’s mother Hajar.
Pilgrims have been doing the ritual circuit around the Kaaba since arriving in Mecca over recent days. As the last ones performed it Monday, the pilgrims made their way by foot or by bus to Mina, where they will camp in one of the largest tent cities in the world. They will pray throughout the day and night before traveling on Tuesday to Mount Arafat, where the Prophet Muhammad is said to have delivered his final sermon.
Mina is vast and open, with little respite from the desert heat and blazing sun. Soldiers sprayed pilgrims with water to cool them down.
Egyptian businessman Yehya Al-Ghanam said he was at a loss for words to describe his feelings upon arriving at Mina.
“Tears will fall from my eyes out of joy and happiness,” he said. “I do not sleep. I have not slept for 15 days, only an hour a day,” overwhelmed by the magnitude of the emotions surrounding his pilgrimage.
After Arafat, pilgrims collect pebbles from a site known as Muzdalifa to be used in the symbolic stoning of pillars representing the devil back in Mina. The final three days of the Hajj coincide with the festive Eid al-Adha holiday, when Muslims around the world slaughter livestock and distribute the meat to the poor.