A new study has revealed that the Hajj season is becoming an increasing threat to the lives of pilgrims due to climate change.
During the Hajj season of 2024, the extreme heat and humidity exceeded the limits of the human body's ability to survive, even among healthy young people.
According to the study led by researcher Attallah , in collaboration with the Weather and Climate Services Center in Islamabad, and the Berlin-based organization "Climate Analysis," June 17, 2024, saw four continuous hours in which the combined effect of heat and humidity exceeded the safe survival threshold.
Under such conditions, the body cannot cool itself through sweating alone, making any prolonged exposure to sunlight without cooling life-threatening.
The temperature reached 51.8 degrees Celsius in the Grand Mosque, coinciding with reports of approximately 1,300 deaths during the five days of Hajj.
Millions of Muslims perform the Hajj pilgrimage every year, which is mandated by Islamic law for every able person once in a lifetime. Most of its rituals take place in the open air, such as circumambulating the Kaaba, walking between Safa and Marwa, standing at Arafat, spending the night in Mina and Muzdalifah, and throwing pebbles at the Jamarat.
Although some modifications have been implemented to protect pilgrims, such as moving the Sa'i (ritual walking between Safa and Marwa) to air-conditioned areas and building permanent canopies in Mina, researchers believe these measures are insufficient if temperatures continue to rise.
“Climate change is no longer just an environmental issue, but is affecting religious practices, human health and human communities on a global scale,” the researchers said while presenting their findings at the European Geosciences Union General Assembly 2026 (held 3-8 May 2026). “For the Hajj, one of the world’s most sacred and physically demanding journeys, the threat is acute, severe and growing.”
Researchers point out that the Islamic calendar is based on the lunar cycle, which is why the Hajj pilgrimage advances by 11 to 12 days each year compared to the Gregorian calendar. Fortunately, the Hajj will fall during relatively cooler seasons for the next 20 to 30 years, but starting around 2050, it will begin to coincide with hotter periods, increasing its risks.
