Pilgrims spend five days carrying out a set of rituals intended to bring them closer to God. The ritual was almost scrapped in its entirety in 2020, when as few as 1,000 residents of Saudi Arabia were permitted to take part. Saudi Arabia officially began allowing women to perform the hajj without a male guardian, or “mahram," last year. The hajj in Islam is meant to be a great equalizer and unifier among Muslims. The event is a critical source of prestige and tourism for Saudi Arabia.

Source: ABC News July 08, 2022 03:45 UTC