Incredible photos have shown two million Muslims gathering in the holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia to perform initial rites of the Hajj.
Dressed in white, a massive crowd from more than 160 countries congregated near Saudi Arabia's Mecca.
The Islamic pilgrimage takes the faithful along a path traversed by the Prophet Muhammad some 1,400 years ago.
The pilgrimage, seen as one of the five pillars of Islam – which every adult Muslim is expected to perform at least once in their lives – started on Friday.
The huge gathering marks the beginning of a five-day pilgrimage.
Those attending will circle Islam's most sacred site, the cube-shaped Kaaba in Mecca, and take part in a series of rituals intended to bring about greater humility and unity among Muslims.
The Hajj traditionally begins in Mecca, with a smaller "umrah" pilgrimage which can be performed year-round.
To perform the umrah, Muslims circle the Kaaba counter-clockwise seven times while reciting supplications to God, then walk between the two hills travelled by Hagar. Mecca's Grand Mosque, the world's largest, encompasses the Kaaba and the two hills.
Before heading to Mecca, many pilgrims also visit the Saudi city of Medina, where the Prophet Muhammad is buried and where he built the first mosque.
The Hajj this year comes at a time of heightened sectarian and political tensions in the Persian Gulf and as Muslim minorities in China, Myanmar, India, New Zealand and other countries face increased threats.
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