Answering the call to Hajj

Nearly 2 million Muslims are expected to take part in Hajj this year, the annual pilgrimage to Mecca and one of Islam’s five pillars.

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Senior Producer: Mirac Tapan, Graphic Artist: Busra Ozturk

Every year, pilgrims from around the world gather for the spiritual journey, making Hajj one of the largest annual religious gatherings on Earth.

But during the Covid-19 pandemic, the crowds vanished almost overnight. Saudi Arabia limited Hajj to just 10,000 pilgrims in 2020 before numbers slowly began rising again in the years that followed.

Here’s how Hajj attendance has changed over the years.