Huge crowds of robed Muslim pilgrims prayed on Saudi Arabia's Mount Arafat yesterday, the climax of the biggest hajj pilgrimage since the pandemic forced drastic cuts in numbers two years in a row.

Groups of worshippers, many holding umbrellas against the fierce sun, recited verses from the Holy Quran on the rocky rise, where the Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) is believed to have given his final sermon.

Prayers on Mount Arafat are the highlight of the pilgrimage, capped this year at one million people including 850,000 from abroad.

Pilgrims, many in white robes, chanted "Oh Allah, here I am" as they reached Mount Arafat on foot or in buses from their nearby tents.

Pilgrims touch the pillar atop Mount Arafat, also known as Jabal al-Rahma (Mount of Mercy). The crowds, capped at one million including 850,000 from abroad chosen by lottery, are the biggest since 2019 after two Covid-hit years when only tens of thousands were allowed. Photo: AFP

After sunset, they will travel the short distance to Muzdalifah, where they will sleep under the stars before performing the symbolic "stoning of the devil" ceremony today.

"I am so happy to be here... This is the biggest hajj in the coronavirus era, but it isn't big enough yet," Egyptian pilgrim Saad Farhat Khalil, 49, told AFP.

"There are one million here today, but if the Saudis allowed more, 10 million would have come," he added.

Entry roads were packed with worshippers as helicopters buzzed overhead and volunteers handed out bottles of water and collected rubbish in green plastic bags.

The hajj, usually one of the world's largest annual religious gatherings, is among the five pillars of Islam and must be undertaken by all Muslims with the means at least once in their lives.

In 2019, as in previous years, some 2.5 million Muslims from around the world took part, a figure that dropped to a few thousand in 2020 and 60,000 in 2021.

A number of world leaders have participated this year, including Mauritania's president and Indonesia's vice president. State media yesterday reported that Chechen strongman Ramzan Kadyrov had arrived in the kingdom to perform the hajj.

At noon, thousands of pilgrims prayed in Namirah mosque, where the Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) gave sermons.

The hajj is taking place against the backdrop of a resurgence in the region, with some Gulf countries tightening restrictions to keep Covid outbreaks in check.

All participants were required to submit proof of vaccination and negative PCR tests. On reaching their white-tent encampment at Mina on Thursday, they were handed bags containing masks and sanitiser.

Muslim pilgrims will take part in the "stoning" today, the last major ritual of the hajj which has previously led to deadly stampedes, as hundreds of thousands converge on a small space.

After the stoning ritual, pilgrims return to the Grand Mosque in Makkah to perform a final "tawaf" or circling of the Kaaba.

Eid al-Adha, the feast of the sacrifice that begins today, marks the end of hajj.