Over 1.5m pilgrims pack Masjid al-Haram, surrounding avenues for final pre-Hajj Friday prayers

Makkah, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 22nd May, 2026) Ahead of the formal commencement of the Hajj rituals, a massive influx of over 1.5 million global pilgrims, including a significant number of Pakistanis, offered the final and most critical Friday prayers of the pre-Hajj season at Masjid al-Haram today.

A historic congregation of worshippers swarmed the grand mosque, completely filling its indoor halls, courtyards, and expansion arenas early in the morning. Due to the capacity saturation, hundreds of thousands of pilgrims lined up across several kilometers of Makkah’s main arterial highways and alternative pathways, presenting deeply spiritual and moving sights.

Visuals received from Makkah’s roads vividly illustrated the profound religious zeal and discipline of the pilgrims. Beneath the flyovers and bridges connecting Al-Aziziya with the Haram, thousands of worshippers utilized the shaded zones on the scorching asphalt to shield themselves from the blistering sun, holding up green and white umbrellas while listening attentively to the Friday sermon.

Similarly, along Masjid Ayesha Road and other Primary transit loops, disciplined pedestrian convoys moved steadily toward alternative prayer zones, with the spaces fronting multi-story luxury hotels and under-construction projects fully transformed into structured prayer rows.

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Owing to the unprecedented rush and the Grand Mosque reaching maximum capacity well ahead of the scheduled time, Saudi authorities temporarily suspended the Haram shuttle transport network and local taxi services to regulate crowd density and bar further inflows into the central courtyards. In light of these operational adjustments, officials strictly advised elderly pilgrims, sick individuals, and women to bypass the arduous journey to the grand mosque and instead offer their Friday prayers at local mosques adjacent to their hotels.

Given the extreme summer heat gripping Makkah, the Pakistan Hajj Mission has issued a strict advisory urging all pilgrims to implement preventive health measures. Pilgrims have been strongly directed to avoid direct exposure to the sun, carry water bottles constantly, and make mandatory use of umbrellas to preserve their health and stamina ahead of the high-intensity Mashaer operational phase involving transits to Mina and Arafat.