ARAFAT, Saudi Arabia, June 27, 2023 (BSS) - President Mohammed Shahabuddin like other Hajj pilgrims today spent whole day in Arafat here as part of Holy Hajj procedures.

The President, who is on a 10-day visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) to perform the Holy Hajj, today spent whole day in Arafat.

As part of Hajj procedures, earlier the Head of the State along with his spouse Dr Rebecca Sultana and other family members performed Umrah on June 24 as Royal guests.

The pilgrims gathered at the Mount of Mercy on the plains of Arafat during the annual Hajj pilgrimage in 2023.

President Shahabuddin like other pilgrims is scheduled to leave Arafat for Muzdalifah after sunset and would say their Maghrib and Isha prayers there.

The Hajj pilgrims will then pray in the open sky the Fajr prayer there tomorrow and then leave for Mina again on Wednesday.

Earlier, the pilgrims scaled Mount Arafat to pray and repent as a highly unusual Hajj approached its climax. 

They listened to a sermon delivered by Islamic scholars and prayed Zahr and Asr prayers together at the Al-Namirah Mosque in Arafat.

This year’s pilgrimage is the highest in modern times as the number of participants was on the rise due to withdrawal the restrictions imposed on  prevent the spread of the coronavirus. 

Tight security was in place around the foot of the rocky hill outside Makkah, also known as Jabal Al-Rahma or Mount of Mercy, in preparation for the high point of the annual ritual.

Video footage on state television showed the pilgrims setting off on their climb to the summit. 

Earlier, the pilgrims were taken in buses from Mina to Mount Arafat. Strict precautionary measures were in place, with each group accompanied by security teams, ambulances and civil defense vehicles. 

The stay in Arafat is described as the pinnacle of Hajj and Muslims around the world reflected the actions of pilgrims by asking for forgiveness and praying for their deepest desires.

The President is expected to leave Madinah for Dhaka on July 2.