Holy Hajj begins

More than two million pilgrims have begun walking to Mina on the first leg of Hajj, the annual pilgrimage at the heart of the Muslim world in Saudi Arabia. The Saudi government has made elaborate arrangements to ensure the smooth flow of pilgrims from Makkah, Madinah, Jeddah, Riyadh, Taif and Dammam into the tent city. The pilgrims on Thursday spent the day and night in prayers and then started to congregate on the plains of Arafat on Friday morning. In Jeddah, Riyadh and other cities, men and women were seen heading in cars and buses to Makkah to perform Hajj. They were chanting ‘Labbaik Allahuma Labbaik’ (O God, here we are answering your call), according to bdnews24.com.