--- description: The pilgrimage is about to begin title: See Muslim Pilgrims Flocking to Mecca for the Hajj image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt9ae418b254beb95c/6988649f196cf4785303820d/hajj-pilgrimage-mecca-saudi-arabia-12.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [World](/section/world/) ## World Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # See Muslim Pilgrims Flocking to Mecca for the Hajj by [TIME Photo](/author/time-photo/) ## TIME Photo Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Sep 21, 2015 11:53 PM CUT  Muslim pilgrims circle the Kaaba, the cubic building at the Grand Mosque in the Muslim holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, on Sept. 15, 2015. Muslim pilgrims circle the Kaaba, the cubic building at the Grand Mosque in the Muslim holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, on Sept. 15, 2015.Mosa'ab Elshamy—AP by [TIME Photo](/author/time-photo/) ## TIME Photo Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Sep 21, 2015 11:53 PM CUT  Muslim pilgrims circle the Kaaba, the cubic building at the Grand Mosque in the Muslim holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, on Sept. 15, 2015. Mosa'ab Elshamy—AP  Muslim Pilgrims pray during Friday afternoon prayers outside the Grand Mosque in the holy city of Mecca, on Sep. 18, 2015. Mosa'ab Elshamy—AP  A Muslim Pilgrim prays outside the Grand Mosque in the holy city of Mecca, on Sept. 20, 2015. Mosa'ab Elshamy—AP  Water is sprayed over Muslim pilgrims to cool them down during the afternoon heat as they walk outside the Grand Mosque in the holy city of Mecca, on Sept. 15, 2015. Mosa'ab Elshamy—AP  Thousands of tents are prepared to host millions of Muslim pilgrims during the annual pilgrimage, known as the Hajj, in Mina, on the outskirts of the holy city of Mecca, on Sept. 19, 2015. Mosa'ab Elshamy—AP  A Saudi security officers monitors live feed screens showing Muslim pilgrims in the holy city of Mecca, along with highways and high density areas, a few days before the annual pilgrimage, known as the hajj, in Mecca, on Sept. 19, 2015. Mosa'ab Elshamy—AP  Saudi security officers monitor live feed screens showing Muslim pilgrims in the holy city of Mecca, along with highways and high density areas, a few days before the annual pilgrimage, known as the hajj, in Mecca, on Sept. 19, 2015. Mosa'ab Elshamy—AP  Muslim pilgrims pray at the Kaaba, the cubic building at the Grand Mosque in the Muslim holy city of Mecca, on Sept. 20, 2015. Mosa'ab Elshamy—AP  Muslim pilgrims rest inside the Grand Mosque in the holy city of Mecca, on Sept. 20, 2015. Mosa'ab Elshamy—AP  Muslim pilgrims pray atop the Noor Mountain outside the Hiraa cave, where Prophet Muhammad received his first revelation from God to preach Islam, on the outskirts of Mecca, on Sept. 18, 2015. Mosa'ab Elshamy—AP ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4043565/hajj-2015-mecca/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4043565/hajj-2015-mecca/"},"headline":"See Muslim Pilgrims Flocking to Mecca for the Hajj","datePublished":"2015-09-21T23:53:59.000Z","dateModified":"2026-05-11T05:01:33.899Z","description":"Millions of Muslims are flocking to Mecca for the annual gathering of believers","url":"https://time.com/4043565/hajj-2015-mecca/","keywords":["Religion","photography","Saudi Arabia"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt9ae418b254beb95c/6988649f196cf4785303820d/hajj-pilgrimage-mecca-saudi-arabia-12.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"TIME Photo","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/time-photo/"}],"articleSection":"World","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt9ae418b254beb95c/6988649f196cf4785303820d/hajj-pilgrimage-mecca-saudi-arabia-12.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"Hajj pilgrimage mecca Saudi Arabia","caption":"Hajj pilgrimage mecca Saudi Arabia","creditText":"Mosa'ab Elshamy—AP","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/world/","name":"World"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/4043565/hajj-2015-mecca/","name":"See Muslim Pilgrims Flocking to Mecca for the Hajj"}}]}] ```