Mashable: As the date of the annual pilgrimage of Hajj nears, Muslim pilgrims from all over the world gather in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to perform the holy rites.

On Thursday, June 6, 2024, Saudi Arabia announced that the crescent moon of Dhul Hijjah had been sighted. Today, Friday, June 7, marks the beginning of the last month in the Islamic calendar.

Worshippers gather around the Kaaba, which is Islam's holiest site at the Grand Mosque in Makkah, Saudi Arabia amid the rising temperature after authorities warned can exceed 44ºC.

Pilgrims can expect an average temperature of 44 degrees Celsius (111 degrees Fahrenheit) — one and a half to two degrees above normal — during the hajj, Saudi Arabi's national meteorology centre chief said.

The annual pilgrim saw thousands of cases of heat stress last year. pic.twitter.com/8EjRrc3Sg4 — DW News (@dwnews) June 5, 2024

According to The National News, over 1.2 million pilgrims have arrived so far arrived in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for the annual Muslim pilgrimage of Hajj, which this year begins on June 14, 2024.

Tawfiq Al Rabiah, the Saudi Minister of Hajj and Umrah, said that the Hajj Projects Office has reportedly coordinated with over 50 state agencies to complete as much as 300 initiatives in 2,600 locations to prepare for this Hajj season.

Mr Al Rabiah and his team after the end of Hajj last year, have visited around 11 countries to discuss important investments in projects aimed at helping pilgrims and addressing challenges.

Here are the KEY POINTS from the conference and speech by Dr. Taufiq Al Rabiah, Minister of Hajj and Umrah regarding this year's Hajj 2024

1. **Arrival of Pilgrims**:

"So far, 1.2 million pilgrims from various countries around the world have arrived smoothly and efficiently."… pic.twitter.com/xGrvesNTVt — (@HaramainInfo) June 7, 2024

The Saudi Minister of Hajj and Umrah, also revealed that 250,000 pilgrims have used the Makkah Route, which grants them a direct path to and from Makkah and Madinah. It also enables those traveling from 11 airports in around seven countries to complete entry formalities for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in their home airports.

These countries include Pakistan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Morocco, Turkey, Bangladesh, and the Ivory Coast.

“The expected climate for Hajj this year will witness an increase in average temperatures of one and a half to two degrees above normal in Makkah and Madinah,” revealed the National Meteorology Centre chief Ayman Ghulam in a recent press conference.

The forecast revealed that a “relative humidity [of] 25 per cent, rain rates close to zero, average maximum temperature [of] 44ºC,” is expected in the Kingdom.

Pilgrims are advised to stay hydrated and take precautions against the soaring temperatures.