Approximately 5,000 volunteers are preparing to serve hajj pilgrims this season according to the Makkah branch of the Saudi Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Dawah, and Guidance.

The ministry has introduced 247 volunteer opportunities via its platform to align with the commencement of the Hajj season.

These initiatives include distributing over 235,000 water bottles across 3,850 mosques, providing umbrellas for sun protection, distributing informative booklets, and offering meals to pilgrims, Arab News reported.

📚 Read Also: Ka`bah Kiswa Raised Ahead of Hajj 1445

This effort is part of the ministry’s continuous campaign to foster a culture of volunteering within communities.

Muslims from around the world pour into Makkah every year to perform hajj, one of the five pillars of Islam.

Hajj consists of several rituals, meant to symbolize the essential concepts of the Islamic faith, and to commemorate the trials of Prophet Abraham and his family, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon them.

📚 Read Also: 3 Types of Hajj…What Are Differences? (+Charts)

Every able-bodied adult Muslim who can financially afford the trip must perform hajj at least once in a lifetime.

Hajj is officially expected to fall this year between Friday, June 14, and Wednesday, June 19, 2024.