November 12, 2010

The annual hajj pilgrimage to Mecca

The annual Islamic pilgrimage draws 3 million visitors each year, making it the largest yearly gathering of people in the world

Hajj In Mecca: Afghans Prepare To Leave For Mecca — 2 November: Afghans prepare to leave for the hajj, in Herat, Afghanistan. It is expected that some 30,000 Afghan pilgrims will travel to Saudi Arabia this year for Umrah with more than 100 buildings being reserved for Afghan pilgrims this year Photograph: Majid Saeedi/Getty Images

Hajj In Mecca: Saudi Arabian men ride on the newly-opened Holy Sites metro light railway — 2 November: Saudi Arabian men ride on the newly-opened holy sites metro light rail in Mecca. The Chinese-built monorail project, will link Mecca with the holy sites of Mina, Arafat and Muzdalifah, and will operate for the first time during the hajj this month Photograph: Amer Hilabi/AFP/Getty Images

Hajj In Mecca: Afghans Prepare To Leave For Mecca — 2 November: Afghans prepare to leave for the hajj Photograph: Majid Saeedi/Getty Images

Hajj In Mecca: Muslim pilgrims on their way to the hajj in Mecca from Gaza — 3 November: A bus carries Muslim pilgrims on their way to the hajj across the border between the Gaza Strip and Egypt, in Rafah Photograph: Eyad Baba/AP

Hajj In Mecca: Muslims pilgrims from Sudan and Egypt arrive from Sudan and Egypt — 3 November: Pilgrims from Sudan and Egypt arrive by ship at the Red Sea port city of Jeddah Photograph: Amer Hilabi/AFP/Getty Images

Hajj In Mecca: Saudi workers clean returned empty carboys of 'zamzam' water — 7 November: Saudi workers clean returned empty carboys of "zamzam" water at the Zamazemah United office in Mecca. According to Islamic belief, zamzam is a miraculously-generated source of water from God, which began thousands of years ago when Abraham's infant son Ishmael was thirsty and crying for water when he discovered a well by kicking the ground Photograph: Mustafa Ozer/AFP/Getty Images

Hajj In Mecca: A Saudi worker sews Islamic calligraphy on a drape in Mecca — 8 November: A Saudi worker sews Islamic calligraphy in gold thread on a drape to cover the Kaaba at the kiswa factory in the holy city of Mecca. The Kaaba cover is called the kiswa and is changed every year at the culmination of the hajj Photograph: Mustafa Ozer/AFP/Getty Images

Hajj In Mecca: A Muslim pilgrim reads the Koran at the Grand Mosque in Mecca — 9 November: A Muslim pilgrim reads the Qur'an at the Kaaba, in the Grand Mosque of Mecca Photograph: Mustafa Ozer/AFP/Getty Images

Hajj In Mecca: Muslim pilgrims perform the walk around Kaaba, Mecca — 9 November: Muslim pilgrims perform the tawaf - the walk around the Kaaba seven times - at the Grand Mosque in Mecca Photograph: Mustafa Ozer/AFP/Getty Images

Hajj In Mecca: Muslim pligrims walk between Marwa and Safa hills in the Kaaba Mecca — 9 November: Muslim pligrims walk between Marwa and Safa hills at the Grand Mosque in Mecca Photograph: Mustafa Ozer/AFP/Getty Images

Hajj In Mecca: Elderly and walk-impaired Muslim pilgrims circle the Kaaba — 9 November: Elderly and disabled Muslim pilgrims circle the Kaaba their wheelchairs as they perform the tawaf Photograph: Mustafa Ozer/AFP/Getty Images

Hajj In Mecca: Muslim pligrims walk between Marwa and S — 9 November: Muslim pligrims walk between Marwa and Safa hills at the Grand Mosque Photograph: Mustafa Ozer/AFP/Getty Images

Hajj In Mecca: Muslim pilgrims sleep inside the Kaaba at the Grand Mosque — 9 November: Muslim pilgrims sleep at the Grand Mosque Photograph: Mustafa Ozer/AFP/Getty Images

Hajj In Mecca: Muslim pilgrims reach to touch the Kaaba in Mecca — 9 November: Muslim pilgrims reach to touch the Kaaba as they perform the tawaf Photograph: Mustafa Ozer/AFP/Getty Images

Hajj In Mecca: Muslim pilgrims perform the walk around the Kaaba — 9 November: A young boy looks on as pilgrims perform the tawaf Photograph: Mustafa Ozer/AFP/Getty Images

Hajj In Mecca: Muslim pilgrims moving around the Kaaba, the black cube Mecca — 10 November: Tens of thousands of Muslim pilgrims move around the Kaaba, the black cube seen at centre, inside the Grand Mosque Photograph: Hassan Ammar/AP

Hajj In Mecca: Muslim pilgrims pray inside the Grand Mosque, during the annual Hajj — 12 November: Tens of thousands of Muslim pilgrims pray inside the Grand Mosque Photograph: Hassan Ammar/AP

Hajj In Mecca: Tens of thousands of Muslim pilgrims pray inside the Grand Mosque in Mecca — 12 November: Pilgrims pray inside the Grand Mosque Photograph: Hassan Ammar/AP

Hajj In Mecca: Muslim pilgrims perform Friday prayers in Mecca — 12 November: Friday prayers in front of the Grand Mosque in Mecca Photograph: Mustafa Ozer/AFP/Getty Images

Hajj In Mecca: Muslim pilgrims perform Friday prayers in Mecca Hajj — 12 November: Friday prayers in front of the Grand Mosque in Mecca Photograph: Mustafa Ozer/AFP/Getty Images

Hajj In Mecca: Muslim pilgrims pray inside the Grand Mosque, during Hajj in Mecca — 12 November: Muslim pilgrims pray inside the Grand Mosque Photograph: Hassan Ammar/AP

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