Hajj 2026 has started. This is the world’s largest religious and economic event, where worship, arrangements and economy are at their peak together. This time more than 15 lakh foreign Hajis have reached Saudi Arabia and the total number is estimated to cross 17 lakh. These include 1.75 lakh Hajis from India, which is a history in itself. On May 26, when crores of hands will rise for prayer in the 45 degree heat on the grounds of Arafat, it will be a sight not only of worship but also of an arrangement whose example cannot be found anywhere else. This explainer is about every aspect of Hajj 2026, which will surprise you…

How many lakh Muslims will perform Haj this year?

Despite the ongoing tension in West Asia and the Iran war, about 17 lakh pilgrims are expected to participate in Haj this year. This is a figure which seems to be leaving behind even last year’s figures. A total of 16,73,230 people performed Haj in 2025, including 15,06,576 foreigners and 1,66,654 domestic (Saudi citizens and expatriates).

More than 15 lakh foreign pilgrims and flood of local applications from Saudi Arabia

Hajj Passport Forces Commander Saleh Al-Murabba told a press conference on 23 May 2026 that 15,18,153 foreign Hajis have reached Saudi Arabia so far. This figure has exceeded the number of foreign pilgrims of last year and this trend is still continuing.

At the same time, there was tremendous enthusiasm for the domestic Hajis of Saudi Arabia this year. 5,58,270 applications were filed, of which 59% were from men and 41% from women. Of these, 3% of the applicants were youth below 20 years of age. That means, every person of every age is ready to say no to this call.

Long list of countries performing Hajj together

People from more than 180 countries of the world are performing Hajj this year. To make this easier, Saudi Arabia has started a special initiative named ‘Makkah Route Initiative’. Under this, so far 3,88,694 Hajis have been provided special immigration and logistics facilities from 17 airports in 10 countries. Countries like Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Morocco, Maldives, Turkey, Côte d’Ivoire, Tunisia and Algeria are included in this initiative.

Participation of men and women: equal participation in worship

Official figures for 2025 show that out of 16,73,230 people who performed Haj, 8,77,841 were men and 7,95,389 were women. This means that about 47% of the total Hajis were women. The same ratio is expected to remain this year also. This time 5,446 women from India are going to perform Haj without Mehram (without male guardian), which is the largest number so far after the relaxation in rules.

Which countries have the highest number of Hajis?

According to the Haj quota of 2026, the five countries in the world which have got the highest quota are:

rank	Country	Haji quota (2026)
1	Indonesia	2,21,000
2	Pakistan	1,80,000
3	India	1,75,025
4	bangladesh	1,27,198
5	iran	87,000

Where is the important pillar of Hajj performed?

The four pillars of Hajj are – Ihram, staying in Arafat (Waqf-e-Arafa), Tawaf-e-Ifada, and Sa’i. The most important among these is Arafat’s Waqf (stay). Sunan Abu Dawood, Hadith no. It is written in 1949 that ‘Al-Hajju Arafa’ means Hajj Arafat.

The Plain of Arafat, also known as ‘Jabal al-Rahma’ (Mountain of Rahmat), is located about 20 kilometers south-east of Mecca. Hajj in 2026 has started on 25th May and the Day of Arafat (9th Zilhajj) will be on 26th May 2026. On this day, all the pilgrims stay here from Zuhr to Maghrib, this is considered the soul of Hajj. There are 4 big reasons why Arafat is the most important leader:

1. This is the purpose of Hajj: Hajj itself means ‘to intend’ or ‘to move towards’. The plain of Arafat is the place where direct communication is established between Allah and his followers. The remaining three Arkans are also important, but Arafat is the climax of Hajj.
2. No Hajj without this: Hajj can be completed by paying Kaffara (fine) if one of the other Arkan is omitted, but Hajj is not valid without staying in Arafat. If a pilgrim does not attend Arafat before sunset, his entire Hajj is considered void.
3. The greatest revelation of Allah’s mercy: On the day of Arafa, Allah sends down His greatest mercy. It is mentioned in the Hadith that on this day Allah says to the angels about the pilgrims, ‘Look, these are My servants. I have forgiven them.
4. This is the day of surrender and equality: From millionaires to fakirs, from kings to common people, everyone stands in the same field wearing two unstitched white clothes and prays to their Lord. There is no greater example of unity and dedication than this in any corner of the world.

That is why it is said that whoever understood Arafat, understood Hajj.

How much does an Indian Haji cost?

The government package for Haj Committee of India (HCoI) in 2026 ranges between Rs 3.36 lakh to Rs 4.19 lakh, depending on different cities. However, due to tensions in West Asia, air fares have increased by an additional Rs 10,000 per person, forcing many Hajis to deposit additional money at the last minute.

Whereas, if we talk about private packages, they are much more expensive. According to a private operator in Delhi, private Haj packages can go up to Rs 10 lakh. Typically, economy private packages start from Rs 4.85 lakh to Rs 6.5 lakh, while VIP packages go even higher. Premium packages from foreign countries (like America or Britain) go above $15,000 (about Rs 12.5 lakh).

How much is spent on Hajj and how much income does Saudi Arabia earn?

Hajj and Umrah together are the backbone of Saudi Arabia’s economy. These two religious pilgrimages together generate an income of about 12 billion dollars (about Rs 1 lakh crore) every year. This is 20% of Saudi Arabia’s non-oil GDP and 7% of total GDP.

Talking only about this year’s Hajj, according to Maher Jamal, head of the Mecca Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the total expenditure of the Hajis is estimated to be 20 to 25 billion Saudi Riyals (5.3 to 6.7 billion dollars), which is 70% more than last year.