Saudi Arabian security forces have expelled hundreds of thousands of unregistered pilgrims from Makkah as preparations intensify for the hajj, set to begin next week.
Ensuring the safety and smooth management of crowds is a critical concern during the annual pilgrimage, one of Islam’s five pillars, which drew over 1.8 million Muslims last year, according to official statistics.
The Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported that recent efforts to clear Makkah included turning away 153,998 foreigners who arrived on tourist visas instead of the mandatory hajj visas. Additionally, authorities have detained 171,587 individuals who live in Saudi Arabia but do not reside in Makkah and lacked the necessary hajj permits.
Scheduled to commence on June 14, the hajj is an obligation that all Muslims with the financial and physical means must undertake at least once in their lifetime. The pilgrimage involves a series of rituals over at least four days in Makkah and its surrounding areas in western Saudi Arabia.
The high cost and limited quotas for official hajj permits and travel packages drive many pilgrims to seek unauthorized means to complete the rites. Saudi Arabia, which houses the holiest shrines in Islam at Makkah and Medina, earns billions annually from the hajj and Umrah pilgrimages. These pilgrimages are also a significant source of prestige for the Saudi monarch, who bears the title “Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques.”
The large crowds during hajj have historically posed significant risks. The most recent major incident was in 2015 when a stampede during the “stoning the devil” ritual in Mina, near Makkah, resulted in up to 2,300 deaths, marking the deadliest hajj disaster to date.
To prevent such tragedies, Saudi officials have intensified measures against unregistered pilgrims. As of Saturday, over 1.3 million registered pilgrims had arrived in Saudi Arabia for the hajj, according to Makkah regional authorities on X.
