The annual pilgrimage of Muslims to Saudi Arabia – Hajj – has reached nearly two million people.

Hajj is one of the five Pillars of Islam – duties all practising Muslims should perform during their lives – which means Muslims from all over the world travel to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, to make the journey.

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The holy pilgrimage needs to be performed by every Muslim at least once during their life, if they are financially able to undertake it.

The Mount of Arafat is where Muslims believe Prophet Muhammed gave his last sermon and where he was accompanied by his followers to conduct his final Hajj.

Um Fadi, told Reuters: "I have prayed to God to have mercy on us, give us relief and resolve Syria's crisis."

"From the bottom of my heart, I pray that God will lift this agony from Syria and its people," she added.

On the day before Eid Al Adha – a celebration which marks the final day of Hajj – Muslims offer day-long prayers at the Mount of Arafat.

Eid Al Adha, which means "Festival of the Sacrifice" in Arabic, commemorates the occasion when the Prophet Abraham followed God's order to kill his young son to honour him.

The Saudi Supreme Court revealed that Eid Al Adha will be on 12 September. As the Islamic calendar is lunar, the date of festivals on Western Gregorian calendars changes every year.

Last year almost 800 Iranian pilgrims were killed and nearly 2,000 in total killed at the Mount, according to Reuters. The Saudi government has deployed drones to prevent the same tragedy from happening again.

Iran has been banned from this year's Hajj. The country endorsed an alternative event on Saturday (10 September) at the holy city of Karbala in Iraq instead, according to the CCTV America.

Tensions between Iran, where Shitte Islam dominates, and Saudi Arabia, where Sunni Islam is the state religion, are running high. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has accused the Saudi royal family of murder regarding the stampede.

A prominent Saudi cleric retaliated by saying Iran's leaders are "not Muslim".

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