Nearly two million Muslims are performing Hajj as rituals begin in Mina and Saudi Arabia records a continued rise in pilgrim arrivals.
As dawn broke on Monday, pilgrims began flowing into the sacred site of Mina west of Makkah, marking the beginning of the most significant spiritual journey for Muslims around the world.
Pilgrims arriving in Mina on Monday will observe the Day of Tarwiyah, the first stage of the pilgrimage within the holy sites and the official beginning of Hajj rituals.
The Day of Tarwiyah is traditionally said to derive its name from the idea that pilgrims spiritually “nourish themselves” with faith and piety in preparation for standing at Arafat, considered the most important ritual of Hajj and observed on the ninth day of Dhul-Hijjah, which falls on Tuesday.
During the Day of Tarwiyah, pilgrims spend their time in supplication, remembrance and reflection while reciting the Talbiyah prayer. Pilgrims also perform the five daily prayers in Mina in shortened form without combining them and spend the night there before departing for Arafat after sunrise on the ninth of Dhul-Hijjah.
Mina’s religious significance
Mina serves not only as the starting point of rituals during the Day of Tarwiyah but also as a site where pilgrims return on the Day of Sacrifice – the first day of Eid al-Adha, which falls on Wednesday. The day involves an animal sacrifice along with the days of Tashreek.
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Located between Makkah and Muzdalifah approximately 7 kilometers (4.3 miles) northeast of the Grand Mosque, Mina spans about 16.8 square kilometers (around 6 square miles) within its designated religious boundaries.
The area is a valley surrounded by mountains on both its northern and southern sides and remains inhabited only during the Hajj season.
According to historians, the name Mina is derived from an Arabic root meaning “to shed blood,” reflecting the large number of sacrificial animals traditionally offered there.
Mina also holds deep religious significance because it is associated with Prophet Ibrahim (pbuh) who was commanded to sacrifice his son before receiving divine intervention in the form of a ram substitute.
The site is also known for several major Hajj landmarks, including the three pillars used during the symbolic stoning ritual: Jamrat al-Aqaba on the 10th of Dhul-Hijjah and the three Jamarat rituals conducted during the Days of Tashreeq on the 11th, 12th and 13th.
Mina also contains Al-Khaif Mosque, where Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) delivered his Farewell Sermon.
Historically, Mina also witnessed important events in early Islamic history, including the First and Second Pledges of Aqaba during the 12th and 13th years after Hijra, when groups of Ansar pledged allegiance to Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).
Expanded infrastructure
Spokesman for Saudi Arabia’s Hajj and Umrah Ministry Ghassan Al-Nuwaimi said Sunday evening that more than 25 development projects had been implemented at the holy sites, representing a 100% increase compared with last year.
“The projects included increasing Mina’s capacity, preparing more than 54,000 tents, and expanding the Green Holy Sites initiative by planting over 60,000 trees,” he said.
The Green Holy Sites initiative, launched in 2025, seeks to increase green areas and vegetation across the holy sites to improve air quality and enhance pilgrims’ experiences.
According to the Saudi Press Agency, planting more than 60,000 trees will triple green spaces in the holy sites.
The agency also reported that several previously underused and limited-use areas within the holy sites were converted into operational environments, increasing total developed-site capacity to approximately 209,000 pilgrims across three consecutive Hajj seasons with annual increases of around 70,000 pilgrims.
It said about 87,000 pilgrims are benefiting from capacity expansion projects during this year’s Hajj season.
The Saudi Hajj and Umrah Ministry announced Sunday that preparations for the Day of Tarwiyah had been fully completed, with operational and field systems prepared for transporting pilgrims to Mina.
Authorities said the integrated system includes managing pilgrim movement into camps, monitoring service quality and coordinating operations with relevant agencies.
