Nigeria, June 4 -- Over 1.5 million Muslim pilgrims performing the 2025 pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia will converge in Mina on Wednesday, marking the beginning of the annual Hajj. Pilgrims gather there to perform crucial rites that make the city the focal point of the pilgrimage.

Hajj is one of Islam's five pillars and a mandatory spiritual journey for every able-bodied person who can afford it. Muslims aspire to undertake this journey at least once in their lifetime. As part of this spiritual pilgrimage, the pilgrims visit many sacred sites, including Mina.

Mina is a sacred place connected to Islamic history and the story of Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham). Muslim teachings state that Mina was where Allah tested Prophet Ibrahim by asking him to...