No kids, excess heat and payment plans. What to know about Hajj 2025

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — Muslims from around the world are in the Saudi city of Mecca for the Hajj, one of the Five Pillars of Islam.

In the coming days, people will immerse themselves in religious rituals and acts of worship that originated more than 1,400 years ago.

They also have to contend with excess heat and other earthly factors, like a ban on children under the age of 12 and a crackdown on unauthorized entry.

Here's what to know about this year's Hajj:

Beating the heat in the Saudi desert

Last year's pilgrims struggled through burning sun and suffocating hot weather, with the mercury hitting 47 degrees Celsius (117 degrees Fahrenheit). More than 1,300 people died.

This year, Saudi authorities are advising caution in direct sunlight, telling pilgrims to avoid going out during the day and uncovering their heads, except for rituals, unless necessary.

An official safety kit emphasizes the importance of light-colored clothing and umbrellas. It also has details on recognizing and treating the symptoms of dehydration and heat exhaustion.

But it's tough to avoid the heat and crowds when the Hajj is outdoors. It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for many, elevating the personal stakes further, and temperatures in Mecca are already 41 degrees Celsius (about 106 Fahrenheit).

Although the desert kingdom spends billions of dollars on crowd control and cooling, the sheer number of pilgrims and climatic conditions make it difficult to guarantee people's safety.

A ban on children under 12 at the Hajj

Saudi Arabia has banned children under 12 from this year's Hajj — one of the biggest policy changes in recent years.

Riyadh reportedly introduced the ban as a precautionary measure to ensure children's safety during the pilgrimage, which could be a dangerous environment for them because of the huge crowds.

Children are exempt from doing the Hajj and are not required to fulfill other Islamic obligations, like prayer and fasting, until they reach puberty.

But that doesn't stop some parents from wanting to take their children to experience the Hajj and see the holiest site in Islam, the Kaaba, the black, cube-shaped structure that is the focal point for daily prayers.

Father of five Talha Ayub, from the Pakistani city of Lahore, said his kids were staying with their grandparents while he and his wife performed the Hajj in a ''more relaxed way.''

''Even if children were allowed, we probably wouldn't have taken them because the weather is extremely harsh this year,'' said Ayub, whose children are aged 1 to 13. ''I have mixed feelings about leaving them behind. I'll miss them.''

There's no official age breakdown for pilgrims, but most are between 35 and 64.

Layaways and lowering the price tag

The price of a Hajj ranges from $4,000 to $20,000, depending on the length of stay, level of comfort, and country of departure. Depreciating currencies, high inflation, and tax hikes in Saudi Arabia also have an impact on how much Muslims end up paying.

The countries that typically send the most pilgrims are developing nations. Some have trimmed the price of government-backed Hajj programs to make them more affordable. But this step isn't always enough.

Farid Ahmed Majumder, secretary general of the Hajj Agencies Association of Bangladesh, said the country was allowed to send some 127,000 pilgrims this year but failed to meet this quota, mainly because of higher costs.

Pakistan has reduced the price of the state-run Hajj program. It has also debuted a flexible payment system.

Farmer and small business owner Zaheer Ahmad said he didn't have enough money to pay for his Hajj up-front, 1.2 million rupees or about $4,255.

He paid in three installments, applying for the Hajj in December with an advance and finishing his payments in February. ''Otherwise, I might not have been able to go for Hajj at all,'' he said.

In Saudi Arabia, which has also introduced flexible payments, domestic pilgrims pay 20% within 72 hours of booking, another 40% during Ramadan and the final 40% the following month.

Managing wait times and overcrowding

Although the Hajj is at least a once-in-a-lifetime obligation — for every Muslim who can afford it and is physically able to make it — people don't want to wait a lifetime to fulfill it.

But the Hajj has limited capacity, countries have set quotas, and there is only one time each year to do it. Patience really is a virtue and everything needs to align: availability, health, and finances.

Muslim-majority countries like Indonesia and Malaysia have decades-long waiting lists for the Hajj. Indonesia has 5.4 million people awaiting their turn, with the number increasing each year.

While there is nothing to stop people from performing the Hajj more than once, some governments believe this practice deprives others of the opportunity, especially in countries where demand is high.

India has a ban on ''repeaters'' and excludes applications from anyone who has previously performed the pilgrimage through the national Hajj committee, although there are exceptions from those accompanying certain categories of people like the elderly.

With a restricted supply of Hajj spaces, it's inevitable that people will try to find ways to get to the holy city and stay there.

In April, to curb unauthorized Hajj pilgrimages and control inbound travel, Saudi Arabia suspended the issue of short-term visas for 14 countries: India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iraq, Nigeria, Jordan, Algeria, Sudan, Ethiopia, Tunisia, Yemen, and Morocco.

People have in the past traveled to Saudi Arabia on short-term visas and entered Mecca without official permission for the Hajj. Authorities said that many of those who died in the heat during last year's Hajj were unregistered and unable to access air-conditioned pilgrim amenities.

The Interior Ministry warned in May that a fine of up to 20,000 riyals, or about $5,330, would be imposed on anyone attempting to enter Mecca during the Hajj without the correct visa.

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Associated Press writers Sheikh Saaliq in New Delhi, Julhas Alam in Dhaka, Bangladesh, and Munir Ahmed in Islamabad contributed to this report.

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Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP's collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.