Pilgrimage to Mecca in 2025: Children banned, stricter controls

More than a million Muslims from around the world gathered at Mount Arafat - the holiest pilgrimage site during the Hajj, about 20 km from Mecca, to perform the most important ritual.

The Masjid al-Haram mosque in Mecca, Saudi Arabia is packed during the 2025 Hajj pilgrimage - Photo: AFP

Since June 4, millions of Muslims from all over the world have flocked to Mecca (Saudi Arabia) to perform the Hajj - one of the five pillars of Islam, along with faith, prayer, charity and fasting.

According to Islamic law, pilgrims walk seven times around the Kaaba - a 15m high stone cube structure at the centre of Mecca's Masjid al-Haram Mosque.

They will then travel seven times between the hills of Al-Safa and Al-Marwah east of the Masjid al-Haram, and then continue to Mina, 5km away, and attend the main ritual on Mount Arafat.

Mount Arafat is where the Prophet Muhammad delivered his final sermon during his final pilgrimage, and is considered the holiest place of prayer in the Muslim year.

Here, pilgrims spend hours praying and meditating, before going to the Muzdalifah desert to collect pebbles, preparing for another ritual.

Today, millions of people continue to flock to pilgrimage sites in Saudi Arabia.

Severe heat and child ban

According to Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Hajj and Umrah (the Saudi government agency that supports pilgrims), about 1.5 million foreigners are participating in the Hajj this year — down nearly 160,000 from last year and lower than pre-pandemic times.

Although the Saudi government has invested billions of dollars in crowd control measures and upgraded medical facilities, the challenge remains large due to the large number of pilgrims and harsh weather.

Temperatures in Mecca are currently reaching 41 degrees Celsius. In 2024, more than 1,300 people died from the heat, most of them unofficial pilgrims who did not have access to air-conditioned areas.

To cope with the extreme weather conditions, Saudi Arabia has planted 10,000 additional trees to provide shade and tripled its medical workforce. Hospital bed capacity has also been significantly expanded.

This year, children under 12 are banned from participating in the Hajj - a new rule aimed at ensuring safety in crowds.

According to Islamic law, children under puberty are not obliged to make the pilgrimage. However, many parents still want to take their children to worship the Kaaba - the holiest symbol of Islam.

Cost is also a big barrier.

Millions of men in white robes pray around the Kaaba, a black stone structure at the Masjid al-Haram mosque in Mecca, Saudi Arabia - Photo: AFP

On average, a Hajj pilgrimage costs between $4,000 and $20,000, depending on length of stay, level of comfort, and country of departure. Many countries have tried to subsidize the cost, but it is not enough to cover it all.

Despite being given a quota of only 127,000 people to make the pilgrimage to Mecca, Bangladesh still failed to meet the target due to the high cost.

To facilitate this, Saudi Arabia has implemented installment payments for domestic pilgrims: a 20% deposit upon registration, 40% during Ramadan and the remainder the following month.

Although Hajj is a once-in-a-lifetime obligation, many people still want to go as soon as possible. Meanwhile, each country has a limit on the number of pilgrims per year.

In Indonesia, the waiting list has grown to 5.4 million people. Some countries, such as India, have banned previous Hajj pilgrims from re-registering under their national program to make way for others, with a few exceptions, such as accompanying elderly people.

Also due to the limited number, some people try to enter Mecca on invalid short-term tourist visas. To prevent this, in April 2025, Saudi Arabia stopped issuing short-term visas to citizens of 14 countries, including India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Indonesia and Egypt.

Saudi Arabia's Interior Ministry warned that anyone attempting to enter Mecca during the Hajj season without the correct visa would be fined up to 20,000 riyals (more than $5,300).

Authorities in the Middle Eastern country said many of those who died during last year's pilgrimage were unregistered and did not have access to facilities reserved for the pilgrimage.

UYEN PHUONG

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/hanh-huong-ve-mecca-nam-2025-cam-tre-em-kiem-soat-nghiem-ngat-hon-20250606154629065.htm