Over 2 million Muslims are gathered in the Islamic holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, for this year’s hajj pilgrimage, or religious trip. The pilgrimage has returned to the usual level of participation for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The pilgrims made their way out of Mecca on Monday after circling Islam’s holiest site, the Kaaba. They are gathering in the nearby desert for a day and night of prayer. The pilgrimage is one of the five pillars, or central beliefs, of Islam. The Quran, Islam’s holy book, says that all Muslims who are physically and financially able should make the pilgrimage once in their lifetime. It takes place over five days. The hajj follows a path that Muslims believe their prophet Muhammad walked almost 1,400 years ago. The holy walk is seen as a uniting event for the world’s 1.8 billion Muslims. Some people spend years saving up money to pay for the trip.
Title: Two Million Expected in Hajj Pilgrimage as it Starts in Saudi Arabia
Content: <div id='article-page'><div id='article-content' data-media-url='//news-app-staging.s3.amazonaws.com' data-base-url='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5927/A5.wav' data-capture-url='//staging.analytics.lingraphica.com/events/capture_news' data-article-title='Two Million Expected in Hajj Pilgrimage as it Starts in Saudi Arabia' data-article-id='6534'><script src='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com/javascripts/getscripts.js'></script><link rel='stylesheet' href='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com/stylesheets/article.css' type='text/css' /><div class='article'><p><span data-start-time='0' data-end-time='14188'>Over 2 million Muslims are gathered in the Islamic holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, for this year’s hajj pilgrimage, or religious trip.</span> <span data-start-time='14188' data-end-time='25854'>The pilgrimage has returned to the usual level of participation for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic began.</span> <span data-start-time='25854' data-end-time='35500'>The pilgrims made their way out of Mecca on Monday after circling Islam’s holiest site, the Kaaba.</span> <span data-start-time='35500' data-end-time='42083'>They are gathering in the nearby desert for a day and night of prayer.</span> <span data-start-time='42083' data-end-time='49625'>The pilgrimage is one of the five pillars, or central beliefs, of Islam.</span> <span data-start-time='49625' data-end-time='63083'>The Quran, Islam’s holy book, says that all Muslims who are physically and financially able should make the pilgrimage once in their lifetime.</span> <span data-start-time='63083' data-end-time='67146'>It takes place over five days.</span> <span data-start-time='67146' data-end-time='77396'>The hajj follows a path that Muslims believe their prophet Muhammad walked almost 1,400 years ago.</span> <span data-start-time='77396' data-end-time='86563'>The holy walk is seen as a uniting event for the world’s 1.8 billion Muslims.</span> <span data-start-time='86563' data-end-time='92333'>Some people spend years saving up money to pay for the trip.</span> </p></div><div class='control-buttons-sticky' style='display:none;'><div class='control-buttons'><button title='Back' class='back' disabled='disabled'></button><button title='Play' class='play' disabled='disabled'></button><button title='Pause' class='pause' style='display:none;'></button><button title='Forward' class='forward' disabled='disabled'></button><button class='finished-reading' style='display:none;'>Done</button></div></div></div><div id='article-media'><div id='media-image'><img src='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5927/A5.jpg'/></div></div><div id='question-content' style='display:none;'><div class='sentence_completion_question question-container' data-question-id=19573 data-hint-location='42083' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5927/the_pilgrimage_is_one_of_the_five_pillars_or_central_beliefs_of__blank_.wav'>The pilgrimage is one of the five pillars, or central beliefs, of <span class='blank'>Islam</span>.</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='Islam'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5927/judaism.wav'><span>Judaism</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5927/islam.wav'><span>Islam</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5927/christianity.wav'><span>Christianity</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5927/buddhism.wav'><span>Buddhism</span></div></div></div><div class='multiple_choice_question question-container' data-question-id=19574 data-hint-location='0' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5927/how_many_muslims_are_gathered_at_the_islamic_holy_city_of_mecca_this_year.wav'>How many Muslims are gathered at the Islamic holy city of Mecca this year?</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='over 2 million'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5927/over_2_thousand.wav'><span>over 2 thousand</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5927/over_4_thousand.wav'><span>over 4 thousand</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5927/over_2_million.wav'><span>over 2 million</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5927/over_4_million.wav'><span>over 4 million</span></div></div></div><div class='vocabulary_question question-container' data-question-id=19575 data-hint-location='14188' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5927/what_is_a_definition_of_the_word_participate.wav'>What is a definition of the word participate?</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='to take part in an activity or event with others'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5927/to_take_part_in_an_activity_or_event_with_others.wav'><span>to take part in an activity or event with others</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5927/relating_to_or_in_the_form_of_minute_separate_particles.wav'><span>relating to or in the form of minute separate particles</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5927/used_to_single_out_an_individual_member_of_a_specified_group_or_class.wav'><span>used to single out an individual member of a specified group or class</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5927/regard_as_probable_expect_or_predict.wav'><span>regard as probable; expect or predict</span></div></div></div><div class='question-buttons'><button class='skip-button'></button><button class='hint-button'></button><button class='speak-button'></button></div></div></div>
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