Mecca

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In this July 31, 2019, photo, Temel Atacocugu, who was shot nine times during the Christchurch mosque attacks, tries on the clothes he will wear during the Hajj pilgrimage, in Christchurch, New Zealand. He is among 200 survivors and relatives from the Christchurch mosque shootings who are traveling to Saudi Arabia as guests of King Salman for the Hajj pilgrimage, a trip many hope will help them to heal.(AP Photo/Nick Perry)

Hajj trip may help Christchurch mosque victims heal

By NICK PERRY - Associated Press

FILE - In this March 19, 2019, file photo, Aya Al-Umari wears the T-shirt that her brother, Hussein Al-Umari, 35, teased her about the last time she saw him, before he was killed on March 15 in the attack at the Al Noor mosque in Christchurch, New Zealand. Aya Al-Umari says she feels like her brother will be accompanying her and will constantly be in her prayers when she travels to Mecca next month to take part in the annual Hajj pilgrimage. Al-Umari is one of 200 relatives and survivors from the Christchurch mosque shootings who is traveling to Saudi Arabia as a guest of King Salman. (AP Photo/Juliet Williams, File)

Saudi king hosts 200 from Christchurch shootings for Hajj

By NICK PERRY - Associated Press

Kuwait's Emir Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah, left, and Saudi Arabia's King Salman, center, listen to Tunisian President Beji Caid Essebsi, right, during a group photo session ahead of an emergency Arab summit in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Thursday, May 30, 2019. King Salman opened an emergency summit of Gulf Arab leaders in the holy city of Mecca on Thursday with a call for the international community to use all means to confront Iran, but he also said the kingdom extends its hand for peace. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil)

The Latest: Islamic summit defends Palestinian statehood

Associated Press

Saudi King Salman chairs an emergency summit of Gulf Arab leaders in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Thursday, May 30, 2019. King Salman opened an emergency summit of Gulf Arab leaders in the holy city of Mecca on Thursday with a call for the international community to use all means to confront Iran, but he also said the kingdom extends its hand for peace. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil)

Saudi king slams Iran’s ‘terrorist acts’ at Islamic summit

By AYA BATRAWY - Associated Press

Muslim pilgrims walk towards Namirah mosque on Arafat Mountain, during the annual hajj pilgrimage, outside the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Sunday, Aug. 19, 2018. More than 2 million Muslims have begun the annual hajj pilgrimage, one of the five pillars of Islam and is required of all able-bodied Muslims once in their life. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin)

Muslim pilgrims gather at Mount Arafat for hajj’s pinnacle

By OMAR AKOUR - Associated Press

Muslim pilgrims circumambulate around the Kaaba in the Grand Mosque, before leaving for the annual Hajj pilgrimage in the Muslim holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, early Sunday, Aug. 19, 2018. The annual Islamic pilgrimage draws millions of visitors each year, making it the largest yearly gathering of people in the world. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin)

Over 2 million Muslims begin annual hajj pilgrimage

By OMAR AKOUR - Associated Press

Muslim pilgrims touch the golden door of the Kaaba, the cubic building at the Grand Mosque, as they pray ahead of the annual Hajj pilgrimage in the Muslim holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Friday, Aug. 17, 2018. The annual Islamic pilgrimage draws millions of visitors each year, making it the largest yearly gathering of people in the world. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin)

Q&A: The hajj pilgrimage and its significance in Islam

By AYA BATRAWY - Associated Press

Bucks will play Celtics on Oct. 26 in ‘Return to Mecca’ game

Associated Press

8 hikers rescued from Southern California’s Mecca Hills

Associated Press

FILE -- In this Nov. 10, 2015 file photo, King Salman of Saudi Arabia waits to receive leaders during their arrival to participate in a summit of Arab and South American leaders in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Within hours of ascending to the Saudi throne, King Salman announced sweeping changes that would recast the kingdom’s line of succession, and rework its security and economic decision-making processes. It marked the start of what would be a tumultuous year for King Salman, who completes one year as monarch on Saturday, Jan. 23, 2016. (AP Photo/Hasan Jamali, File)

Tumultuous 1st year for Saudi King Salman’s ‘decisive’ reign

By AYA BATRAWY - Associated Press

In this image posted on the official Twitter account of the directorate of the Saudi Civil Defense agency, a pilgrim is treated by a medic after a stampede that killed and injured pilgrims in the holy city of Mina during the annual hajj pilgrimage on Thursday, Sept. 24, 2015. (Directorate of the Saudi Civil Defense agency via AP)

Saudi Arabia: Stampede at hajj kills 717 pilgrims

By Aya Batrawy and Adam Schreck - Associated Press

Turkish kadayif, a pastry dish similar to baklava, is offered as the dessert course of a traditional Muslim iftar, a fast-breaking meal served after sundown during the holy month of Ramadan, alongside cay, a tea drink. (By Emily Leslie/The Washington Times)

RAMADAN: Non-Muslims get a glimpse of Islam’s holiest night of the year

By Massarah Mikati - Deseret News

Muftis in Saudi Arabia issue a ban on smoking and tobacco use in Islam's holiest cities and sites. The ban includes the use of hookahs, which are popular in Middle Eastern culture, as seen here being smoked by Payam Rez at Lebnan Zaman in Vienna, Va. (File)

RAHAT HUSAIN: Saudi fatwa bans smoking, hookahs, tobacco in Islam’s holiest cities

By Rahat Husain

Muslim pilgrims moving around the Kaaba, the black cube at center, inside the Grand Mosque, a day before Muslim's annual pilgrimage, known as the Hajj, in the Muslim holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2014. (AP Photo/Khalid Mohammed)

Saudi Arabia: 2 million in Mecca for start of hajj

By MOKHTAR SHEHATA and BENJAMIN WIACEK - Associated Press

The Islamic State is on the rise and must be stopped. (Raqqa Media Center via Associated Press)

ORTEL: Fight against radical Islam requires action now

By Charles Ortel

In this photo taken Tuesday May, 13, 2014, Muslim pilgrims wear surgical masks to prevent infection from respiratory virus known as the Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) in the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia. Officials in Saudi Arabia are raising alarm that the kingdom is not doing enough to prevent Mecca from becoming a route for exporting an often deadly respiratory virus as millions of Muslims from around the world converge on the city to perform pilgrimage at Islam’s holiest site. (AP Photo/Hasan Jamali)

Saudis question Mecca preparedness as MERS spreads

By AYA BATRAWY - Associated Press

FILE - In this Thursday, Oct. 17, 2013, file photo, Egyptian Muslim pilgrims, some wearing masks as a precaution against the Middle East respiratory syndrome, pray after they cast stones at a pillar, symbolizing the stoning of Satan, in a ritual called &quot;Jamarat,&quot; the last rite of the annual hajj, in Mina near the Muslim holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah sacked the country’s health minister on Monday, April 21, 2014, amid a spike in deaths and infections from the virus known as the Middle East respiratory syndrome, or MERS. The official Saudi Press Agency carried the royal order that said Abdullah al-Rabiah was relieved of his post as Health Minister, and that Labor Minister Adel Faqih will temporarily take over the health minister’s portfolio until a replacement is named. The statement said al-Rabiah is now adviser to the Royal Court. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil, File)

Saudi Arabia reports pilgrim infected with MERS

By ABDULLAH AL-SHIHRI - Associated Press