Watch: Security official helps visually impaired pilgrim circumambulate Kaaba during Haj

A heart-warming video, which shows a security official in Saudi Arabia's Makkah helping a visually impaired pilgrim circle the holy Kaaba during Haj, is drawing praise on the internet. The annual Haj pilgrimage began on June 26.

In the video shared on Twitter, a security official deployed in Makkah is seen moving around the Kaaba as a woman holds his shirt while walking behind him. “A security man helps a blind woman circumambulate the Kaaba,” read the text attached to the video, posted on Monday.

During the Haj pilgrimage, which is one of the largest religious gatherings in the world, Muslims circle the holy Kaaba counter-clockwise seven times while reciting prayers.

The five-day Haj pilgrimage officially opened on Monday this year returning to its full capacity for the first time since the Covid-19 pandemic. A spokesperson for the Saudi Haj Ministry, Ayedh al-Ghweinim, said on Tuesday that over 1.8 million pilgrims from across the globe had already arrived in and around Makkah.

The Haj pilgrimage is one of the five pillars of Islam and all Muslims are expected to perform it at least once in life if they are financially and physically capable of doing so. It is a deeply spiritual experience for pilgrims that brings them closer to God, washes away sins, and unites Muslims around the world.

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