Muslim pilgrims converge at Mount Arafat for worship as Hajj reaches its peak

Muslim pilgrims gather at the top of the rocky hill known as the Mountain of Mercy (Rafiq Maqbool/AP)

Following in the footsteps of prophets beneath a burning sun, Muslims from around the world congregated on Saturday at a sacred hill in Saudi Arabia for intense, daylong worship and reflection.

The ritual at Mount Arafat, known as the hill of mercy, is considered the peak of the Hajj pilgrimage.