2 million Muslims begin Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia after COVID restrictions lifted.

The annual Hajj pilgrimage has officially begun in Saudi Arabia, with around 2 million Muslim pilgrims expected to participate this year. The pilgrimage, one of the largest religious gatherings in the world, has returned to full capacity for the first time since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic. Pilgrims will spend five days performing rituals that commemorate the Quran's accounts of Ibrahim, his son Ismail, and Ismail's mother Hajar. The final three days of the Hajj coincide with the festive Eid al-Adha holiday.