Muslims mark Day of Arafat on the second day of Hadj in Saudi Arabia

Muslim pilgrims flocked to Mount Arafat in Saudi Arabia on Thursday on the second day of the annual Hadj.

The rocky hill, just outside the holy city of Mecca, holds immense significance for Islam. It is believed to be the place where the Prophet Muhammad delivered his final sermon.

Undertaking the Hajj is one of the Five Pillars of Islam, a religious obligation involving rituals and acts of worship that every Muslim must fulfil once in their lifetime, if they can afford to and are physically able.

The Day of Arafat is the most sacred of the Islamic calendar, when God draws near to the faithful and forgives their sins.

“We feel the best at of the holy sites with humble heart and faith, it is a very nice feeling,” said Hatem Salem, an Egyptian pilgrim.

The Saudi government says more than 1.5 million foreign pilgrims are attending this year’s Hadj.

Pilgrim Salem Naji Ahmed travelled all the way to from Yemen.

“We came by land. It took four days and nights. This is our best day, the day of Arafat. We pray for the Arab and Muslim nations to be united,” he said.

After sunset on Thursday, pilgrims will head to the desert plain of Muzdalifah to gather pebbles for the symbolic “stoning of the devil”.