Two million Muslims praise God in Mecca

More than two million Muslim pilgrims from almost 180 countries raised their hands to heaven and chanted in unison as they hiked through a desert valley yesterday to a tent city on the outskirts of Mecca in preparation for the annual hajj.

The journey through the eight-mile valley puts pilgrims from across the globe in place for the start of rituals today. As they walked, they chanted “Labaik Alluhumma Labaik” (“We are coming answering your call, God”).