As the annual Hajj pilgrimage began on Monday, more than 1.5 million Muslims from around the world gathered in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, for the sacred journey that forms one of the five pillars of Islam.
Hajj is a religious obligation that every able Muslim is required to perform at least once in their lifetime. It takes place during the Islamic month of Dhul Hijjah, the twelfth month of the lunar calendar, beginning on the 8th day and lasting about five to six days depending on the sighting of the moon, according to Islamic Relief Organisation. Once the crescent moon is observed, the four-day festival of Eid al-Adha follows.
