MECCA , Saudi Arabia, April 15 (UPI) -- The annual hajj, the pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia -- Islam’s most holy city -- is receiving $227 billion in improvements in a 30-year project.
The pilgrimage, ordained by the prophet Muhammad as one of Islam’s five pillars, attracted fewer than 100,000 followers annually until air travel made the journey easier. The demand for pilgrim visas is such that about 2 million people are allowed to attend, and the hajj waiting list is 12 years long.