Hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam and a once-in-a-lifetime obligation for every Muslim. AFP
Yemeni Muslims prepare to board a flight heading to Makkah. AFP
A passport control officer checks the travel documents of a Palestinian pilgrim at the Rafah crossing point with Egypt in the southern Gaza Strip. AFP
Iraqi pilgrims prepare to fly to Makkah for Haj, at Baghdad airport. AP Photo
Palestinian pilgrims at the Rafah crossing point with Egypt in the southern Gaza Strip. AFP
Husin bin Nisan, right, bids farewell to relatives before departure for the Hajj pilgrimage at his house in Tangerang, Indonesia. AP Photo
Saadiha Khaliq with books she read to prepare for her pilgrimage, in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. The Khaliq family plan to travel together to Makkah in Saudi Arabia for Hajj. AP Photo
Iraqi pilgrims walk around the model of Kaaba during a lecture on performing the Hajj rituals in Tikrit, Iraq. AP Photo
Syrian pilgrims register for a training session on how to perform Hajj rituals in Hazzanu, Idlib province. AFP
A Syrian man bids an elderly woman farewell as Hajj pilgrims board a bus in Sarmada on the first leg of their journey to Saudi Arabia. AFP
A man bids another farewell as pilgrims board a bus in Sarmada town before leaving for the annual Hajj pilgrimage. AFP
People bid relatives farewell as pilgrims board a bus in Sarmada town in Syria's north-western Idlib province. AFP
Muslim pilgrims arriving from north-western Syrian areas pass baggage checks at the Bab Al-Hawa border crossing with Turkey. AFP
Pilgrims arrive at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad, India, as they prepare to fly to Saudi Arabia. AFP
A Kashmiri pilgrim waves goodbye. EPA
A pilgrim is embraced by her relative before leaving for the annual Hajj pilgrimage. AFP
The first flights from Malaysia have arrived in Saudi Arabia under the Makkah Route Initiative. SPA
It has been expanded to Turkey and the Ivory Coast this year, joining Pakistan, Malaysia, Indonesia, Morocco and Bangladesh. SPA
All Hajj pilgrims this year must be fully vaccinated against Covid-19 and aged under 65. AFP
They must also present a negative PCR test conducted within 72 hours of their departure flight. AFP
A pilgrim takes his luggage after inspection in Baghdad. AFP
Hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam and a once-in-a-lifetime obligation for every Muslim. AFP
Yemeni Muslims prepare to board a flight heading to Makkah. AFP
A passport control officer checks the travel documents of a Palestinian pilgrim at the Rafah crossing point with Egypt in the southern Gaza Strip. AFP
Iraqi pilgrims prepare to fly to Makkah for Haj, at Baghdad airport. AP Photo
Palestinian pilgrims at the Rafah crossing point with Egypt in the southern Gaza Strip. AFP
Husin bin Nisan, right, bids farewell to relatives before departure for the Hajj pilgrimage at his house in Tangerang, Indonesia. AP Photo
Saadiha Khaliq with books she read to prepare for her pilgrimage, in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. The Khaliq family plan to travel together to Makkah in Saudi Arabia for Hajj. AP Photo
Iraqi pilgrims walk around the model of Kaaba during a lecture on performing the Hajj rituals in Tikrit, Iraq. AP Photo
Syrian pilgrims register for a training session on how to perform Hajj rituals in Hazzanu, Idlib province. AFP
A Syrian man bids an elderly woman farewell as Hajj pilgrims board a bus in Sarmada on the first leg of their journey to Saudi Arabia. AFP
A man bids another farewell as pilgrims board a bus in Sarmada town before leaving for the annual Hajj pilgrimage. AFP
People bid relatives farewell as pilgrims board a bus in Sarmada town in Syria's north-western Idlib province. AFP
Muslim pilgrims arriving from north-western Syrian areas pass baggage checks at the Bab Al-Hawa border crossing with Turkey. AFP
Pilgrims arrive at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad, India, as they prepare to fly to Saudi Arabia. AFP
A Kashmiri pilgrim waves goodbye. EPA
A pilgrim is embraced by her relative before leaving for the annual Hajj pilgrimage. AFP
The first flights from Malaysia have arrived in Saudi Arabia under the Makkah Route Initiative. SPA
It has been expanded to Turkey and the Ivory Coast this year, joining Pakistan, Malaysia, Indonesia, Morocco and Bangladesh. SPA
All Hajj pilgrims this year must be fully vaccinated against Covid-19 and aged under 65. AFP
They must also present a negative PCR test conducted within 72 hours of their departure flight. AFP
A pilgrim takes his luggage after inspection in Baghdad. AFP
Hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam and a once-in-a-lifetime obligation for every Muslim. AFP
