Hajj, the largest annual Muslim gathering, is set to take place in Mecca from June 14 to June 16, 2024, marking a significant spiritual journey for millions of Muslims worldwide. Eid al-Adha, the festival of sacrifice, will be celebrated on June 16.

Hajj, an obligatory pilgrimage once in a lifetime for all able-bodied Muslims who can afford it, is performed in the final month of the Islamic calendar, Dhul-Hijjah. It is intended to cleanse pilgrims of sin and bring them closer to God. Pilgrims arrive in Mecca in a state of ihram, a symbol of humility and spiritual focus, where men dress in seamless white cloth and women wear plain clothing observing hijab.

Eid al-Adha falls on the 10th of Dhul-Hijjah, coinciding with the third day of Hajj and lasts for three days. It marks the end of Hajj and is the second major Muslim festival after Eid al-Fitr. Muslims who can afford it sacrifice an animal and distribute a portion of its meat to those in need, symbolizing the Prophet Ibrahim’s readiness to sacrifice his son Ismail as an act of obedience to God.

Hajj begins 10 to 12 days earlier each year, and the dates for future years can be seen in the infographic below. In 2023, 1.85 million Muslims performed Hajj, with the majority coming from Asian countries, followed by Arab and African countries.

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