Muslim pilgrims perform the evening prayer near the Grand Mosque in the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia on Nov. 12. The annual pilgrimage, or hajj, must be performed at least once in their life of all believers who have the health and the means to make the journey.
MUSTAFA OZER/AFP/Getty Images
Caption info via Getty
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JOHNRILEY
5:14 PM ET
November 16, 2010
That is an amazing photo it
That is an amazing photo it shows how much dedication people with faith put into that which they believe in. I would love to see the annual pilgrimage for myself one day.
FPGIN
7:07 PM ET
November 16, 2010
Poor choice of a title
Kind of a poor choice of a title when only muslims are even allowed into the city itself. They are free to include or exclude who they want, but I wouldn't say the world comes to mecca when 80% of the world is refused a welcome.
AEHSAN
1:27 AM ET
November 17, 2010
FPGIN - it ain't for tourists
Its hard to explain - but the Haj is purely a religous pilgrimage, its not for tourists. Theres something right about keeping tourists away for a relisgous pilgrimage cause it keeps the focus on what its all really about - Man/woman and their direct relationship with God.
WADERODRI
7:23 AM ET
November 20, 2010
Yeah!! hajj is a ceremonial
Yeah!! hajj is a ceremonial performance...Muslims perform pilgrimage to the Kaba' in Mecca and visit the Prophet Mohamed's tomb in Madinah...these two places are in the Saudi Arabia...These are sacred places coz they have historical and religious significance to Muslims all over the world...the Kaba' is the house that Allah built with Ibraham and his son Ishmael ...
illumibrite
AEHSAN
1:27 AM ET
November 17, 2010
FPGIN - it ain't for tourists
Its hard to explain - but the Haj is purely a religous pilgrimage, its not for tourists. Theres something right about keeping tourists away for a relisgous pilgrimage cause it keeps the focus on what its all really about - Man/woman and their direct relationship with God.
RWS
6:11 PM ET
November 19, 2010
Why, then,
isn't Mecca open to "the world" at other times than during this pilgrimage?
KHUFU
3:52 AM ET
November 21, 2010
Well, at other times, Muslims
Well, at other times, Muslims may perform "Umrah" which is a minor pilgrimage at any time of the year.
HONEST JOHN
2:27 PM ET
November 17, 2010
World Comes to Mecca
The world? Hmmm... As a devout infidel to Islam, I don't think I was invited or could even have survived the misguided attempt to attend. Since when does "muslim" equate to "the world"? As I recall the religion of n"Islam" was created around 600 AD by a man who admits to being a pedophile (as in 6 year old child bride), a killer, and preaches that deceit and murder are viable / desirable tools to subjugate "the infidels" as this cults followers are encouraged to do. The reporting of this event as a "noble" gesture is both "laughable" and disheartening as it shows a willingness to resign humanity to to the subjugation advocated by this cult. Nope, I am a fan of no "religion", but at least the other "religions" are content to leave others alone.
XTIANGODLOKI
3:47 PM ET
November 17, 2010
LOL
"Nope, I am a fan of no "religion", but at least the other "religions" are content to leave others alone."
Really? The goal of religions is to bother the non-believers and either to convert them or to take their land by force.
WANDI123
8:23 PM ET
November 17, 2010
you should know
Accordingly you say because you do not know the good in religion. religion is like our place of refuge and with our religion can live peacefully. why is that? because of religion to protect and preserve ourselves. you must need, not all existing religions in this world bener all. true religion is the religion back to the truth, no bad effect. so religion is important for those who believe this life is not eternal.
MEDOLOSS
8:50 PM ET
November 24, 2010
You must be insane
Really? read the history to know that if it is not because of Islam you wouldn't have been setting in front of your computer writing these lies about prophet Mohamed (peace be upon him).
If you think that there are 1.5 billion people around the world with the least percent of rape cases, sexually transmitted diseases, teenage pregnancy, births outside marriage, people who don't know their fathers, ... etc if you think that these people (muslims) are following a pedophile, killer man YOU MUST BE INSANE....
The whole number of people died at life of prophet Mohamed from both sides are only 300 more than this number are killed every single day from the muslim side nowadays. So look at your horrible acts and fix them before you point your fingers to muslims....
WANDI123
6:05 PM ET
November 18, 2010
Muslims is good
of some existing religious dinunia, I just believe that true Islam religion side esa.agama isalam God who will become the number one religion in this world. diridhoi isalam is a religion by the supreme creator.
thank for shering this amazing Image and article
RWS
6:07 PM ET
November 19, 2010
Your meaning is unclear,
"WANDI123": this is an English-language website, and transromanized Arabic is unintelligible.
If the drift of your posting is that Islam is God-created, though, you should know that many if not all faiths claim to be divinely created, most claim to be the sole real religion, and all claim to be true.
MEDOLOSS
9:08 PM ET
November 24, 2010
Well I have a solution for you....
if you are saying that all religions claim that they are true so don't you think that it will be very stupid if every one of us closed his mind and didn't listen to others. We have to open our minds and listen to each other to find out why each group think that they have the truth and what is there evidence?
MILANOCHIL
9:15 PM ET
November 18, 2010
That is an amazing photo
The reporting of this event as a "noble" gesture is both "laughable" and disheartening as it shows a willingness to resign humanity to to the subjugation advocated by biktim tozu this cult
ALICE SIMSON
4:28 AM ET
November 19, 2010
AS
Amazing photo! About 2.5 million Muslim pilgrims!!! It was one of most fascinating visual stories of the year. It is possible to use this information for custom research paper. It proves that today more and more people are in need of God. They want to show their faith and devotion to God. Thanks for sharing.
HIJFT002
8:01 AM ET
November 20, 2010
Hadj
The biggets gathering of pilgrims by far are the kumbh melas in India. The last melas were visited by over 60 million people.
NASAM87
10:38 PM ET
November 22, 2010
Excellent Title
Actually, the title makes perfect sense, since it is talking about The Pilgrimage specifically and NOT Mecca itself. Muslims come from all over the world! Literally, green eyes, blue eyes, brown, white skin, dark skin, Pakistani, Indian, Arab, American, British converts....you name it, all meet in Mecca, dressed in the same white garment standing, prostrating, bowing in unison and at an equal footing, despite differences in colour, race, social standing etc. All united under the banner of Islam, all ready to worship the One True God. The God of Moses, The God of Jesus and the God of Mohammad (peace be unpon them all). This is powerful. It is undoubtly the biggest religious event UNITING every muslim from every corner of the world. The World does indeed come to Mecca, the portion of the world who follow islam.
CALMAP
6:58 PM ET
November 23, 2010
What about lack of means?
What about those who wish to make the journey but lack the funds to do so?
scholarships for women
MEDOLOSS
8:59 PM ET
November 24, 2010
This is a mercy..
That doesn't mean that they are not allowed but it means that they will not be asked why they did not do it because obviously they can't afford it. But if they want to take the same reward of pilgrimage they can by doing good things during the days of pilgrimage like helping week and poor people, fasting, advising people, literally any good thing they can even if it is a nice word ....
MEDOLOSS
9:34 PM ET
November 24, 2010
this is a great capture, but
this is a great capture, but I prefer a capture from a higher position to show the long lines of people and how they are arranged.