Saudi 準備するs for hajj as 湾 緊張s 固執する
巡礼者s at the hajj will 請け負う 宗教的な 儀式s that have remained 不変の since the 設立するing of Islam 14 centuries ago
More than 2.5 million イスラム教徒s will on Friday begin the 年次の hajj 巡礼の旅 in the Islamic 宗教上の city of メッカ, Saudi Arabia, against a 背景 of 緊張s in the 湾.
（人が）群がるs of worshippers have already begun to gather in メッカ in the days ahead of the hajj, the 焦点の point of the Islamic calendar.
"It's the first time I've felt something so 堅固に -- it's striking," said 40-year-old Indonesian 巡礼者 Sobar in rudimentary Arabic.
More than 1.8 million 訪問者s had arrived by midday 地元の time on Tuesday, 当局 said.
（人が）群がるs of faithful from across the world wore flowing white 式服s as they descended on the 宗教上の city 位置を示すd in the west of the ultra-保守的な kingdom.
The 巡礼者s will 請け負う 宗教的な 儀式s that have remained 不変の since the 設立するing of Islam 14 centuries ago.
"Islam 部隊d us. We are all together... so that's why I'm very happy," said Leku Abibu, 46, a Ugandan mechanic who wore a beige salwar kameez.
"I'm enjoying it here."
This year's hajj takes place まっただ中に 緊張s in the 湾 地域 悪化させるd by a 一連の attacks on oil タンカーs, drone strikes and interceptions of 海上の traffic on the high seas.
Saudi, the 湾's 主要な 力／強力にする, and its 同盟（する） Washington 告発する／非難する Iran -- Riyadh's 地域の 競争相手 -- of 存在 behind the attacks and 破壊行為 操作／手術s against 商業の shipping.
Tehran has 否定するd 責任／義務.
にもかかわらず the absence of 外交の 関係 between Saudi and Iran, some 88,550 Iranian 巡礼者s are 予定 to 参加する the hajj this year, によれば the Tasnim news 機関.
- 'No differences between us' -
Hajj is one of the five 中心存在s of Islam and イスラム教徒s must 成し遂げる it at least once in their lives if they can afford to.
A 巡礼者 chooses a bracelet at a shop in the Saudi 宗教上の city of メッカ
"There are all nations of the world, all languages. There are no differences between us," said Nurul Jamal, a 61-year-old 巡礼者 from India.
メッカ, の近くにd to 非，不，無-イスラム教徒s, is home to the Kaaba -- a cube structure draped in 黒人／ボイコット cloth embroidered in gold 位置を示すd at the heart of the イスラム教寺院.
The 広大な／多数の／重要な イスラム教寺院 of メッカ with its Ottoman minarets sits まっただ中に 超高層ビルs that host upmarket 商店街s and 高級な hotels.
イスラム教徒s 直面する toward the Kaaba when praying the 定める／命ずるd five-times daily.
巡礼者s circle the Kaaba seven times and 成し遂げる a number of sacred 儀式s.
While waiting for the beginning of the hajj, worshippers roam the esplanade or pray in the イスラム教寺院 in stifling heat.
気温s can より勝る 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) and some 巡礼者s carry sun shades.
Large もやing machines 任命する／導入するd at the 宗教上の 場所／位置s help to make the heat more bearable.
巡礼者s circle the Kaaba seven times and 成し遂げる a number of sacred 儀式s
"The イスラム教寺院s are 空気／公表する 条件d, water is readily 利用できる, you just have to 保護する yourself from the sun," said Algerian Kamal Bouslimani, 57.
Men wear two pieces of unstitched cloth called "ihram" that leaves one shoulder exposed.
巡礼者s move together in large groups, led by guides 持つ／拘留するing their 国家の 旗s.
- Billions of dollars -
Guards in khaki fastidiously lead worshippers to their five daily 祈りs.
Traffic in the city is 極端に 激しい and the 空気／公表する 質 is poor.
The odour of exhaust ガス／煙s mixes with the smell of bitumen emitted by the heated road surface and many 巡礼者s wear 直面する masks.
Away from 祈りs, many of the 約束 ful visit the innumerable shops that speckle the 宗教上の City.
宗教的な 観光旅行，事業 brings in 歳入s 価値（がある） billions of dollars.
But the 広大な 集会 also 現在のs major logistical and safety challenges.
In 2015, some 2,300 worshippers were killed in the worst 殺到 in the history of the hajj.
イスラム教徒s choose 祈り mats at a shop in メッカ - many arrive weeks before the 巡礼の旅
Since then Saudi Arabia has sought to 安心させる 巡礼者s, （軍隊を）展開する，配備するing tens of thousands of 安全 officers and 任命する／導入するing cameras to 監督する every corner of the 宗教上の 場所／位置s.
Even though the hajj lasts only five days, many 巡礼者s arrive weeks before and ぐずぐず残る in the city.
The total number of arrivals is 限られた／立憲的な however as each イスラム教徒 country receives a 巡礼者 割当.
Some worshippers have spent years on waiting 名簿（に載せる）／表（にあげる）s -- いつかs as long as a １０年間 -- just to 成し遂げる their 宗教的な 義務.
Outside of the hajj, イスラム教徒s can also 請け負う a lesser, year-一連の会議、交渉／完成する 巡礼の旅 known as umrah.
