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Mecca

A pilgrimage turns to tragedy as scorching heat causes 1,300 people to die during the Hajj

Religion

Performing the five days of the Hajj is a profoundly spiritual and physically demanding task. But this sacred journey turned deadly for many this year as temperatures soared beyond 124 degrees in Saudi Arabia’s holiest city of Mecca. Faisal Kutty, professor at Southwestern Law School in Los Angeles, speaks with host Marco Werman about what made this Hajj fatal for many pilgrims.

Build it, and they will come: The dream of King Abdullah Economic City, Saudi Arabia. Join the journey at outofedenwalk.org.

Out of Eden Walk: Paul Salopek traverses the Arabian Peninsula via Saudi Arabia

Out of Eden Walk
Pilgrims are shown from above around the cube-like Kaaba in Mecca walking on specified lines and carrying colored umbrellas.

PHOTOS: Very different, symbolic hajj in Saudi Arabia amid the coronavirus

Religion
A police officer wears a face mask to prevent contracting coronavirus, as Muslim pilgrims pray at Kaaba in the Grand mosque in the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, on Feb. 27, 2020.

Saudi Arabia imposes travel ban to Mecca over coronavirus

Every year, millions of Muslims from around the world descend upon Mecca, Saudi Arabia for the Hajj.

Politics complicate the hajj spiritual journey for some Muslims

Religion
A muslim pilgrim climbs Mount Al-Noor

Middle Eastern conflicts leave prices high as hajj gets underway

Religion

Every able-bodied Muslim who has the means should perform the hajj at least once in their lifetime under a quota system.

A conservative Saudi Arabian cleric has said women who drive risk damaging their ovaries and bearing children with clinical problems

Meet the Saudi woman who ignited a firestorm when she got behind the wheel

Books

Challenging prohibitions on driving in Saudi Arabia is no easy task.

Hajj cameras

All-seeing ‘eye’ watches over Mecca pilgrims

Religion

More than 5,000 cameras have been installed in the entire Mecca sector covering a radius of around 10 six miles around its Grand Mosque, the single holiest place in Islam.

Pain lingers one year after Hajj tragedy in Saudi Arabia

Belief

Despite scars from the tragedy, the faithful have returned to Saudi Arabia for another pilgrimage.

An aerial view of the Haj pilgrimage in Mecca

“You’re not Muslims!” Iran and Saudi Arabia in new war of words.

Global Politics

Iran and Saudi Arabia have upped the ante in their war of words. Both are now denouncing the other’s Islamic legitimacy. The two Persian Gulf powers are already locked in numerous proxy conflicts across the region. The US is not happy about the mess.