![Muslim Hajj pilgrims try to touch Kaaba stone as they circumambulate around the Kaaba, Islam's holiest site, located in the center of the Masjid al-Haram (Grand Mosque) in Mecca, Saudi Arabia on 22 August, 2017 [Fırat Yurdakul/Anadolu Agency]](https://i0.wp.com/www.middleeastmonitor.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/2017_08_23-Muslim-Hajj-pilgrims-at-Masjid-al-Haram-in-Mecca20170823_2_25383871_25177198.jpg?w=400&h=300&ssl=1 "Muslim Hajj pilgrims at Masjid al-Haram in Makkah")
Muslim Hajj pilgrims try to touch Kaaba stone as they circumambulate around the Kaaba, Islam’s holiest site, located in the center of the Masjid al-Haram (Grand Mosque) in Mecca, Saudi Arabia on 22 August, 2017 [Fırat Yurdakul/Anadolu Agency]
![Muslim Hajj pilgrims try to touch Kaaba stone as they circumambulate around the Kaaba, Islam's holiest site, located in the center of the Masjid al-Haram (Grand Mosque) in Mecca, Saudi Arabia on 22 August, 2017 [Fırat Yurdakul/Anadolu Agency]](https://i0.wp.com/www.middleeastmonitor.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/2017_08_23-Muslim-Hajj-pilgrims-at-Masjid-al-Haram-in-Mecca20170823_2_25383871_25177199.jpg?w=225&h=300&ssl=1 "Muslim Hajj pilgrims at Masjid al-Haram in Makkah")
Muslim Hajj pilgrims try to touch Kaaba stone as they circumambulate around the Kaaba, Islam’s holiest site, located in the center of the Masjid al-Haram (Grand Mosque) in Mecca, Saudi Arabia on 22 August, 2017 [Fırat Yurdakul/Anadolu Agency]
![Muslim Hajj pilgrims try to touch Kaaba stone as they circumambulate around the Kaaba, Islam's holiest site, located in the center of the Masjid al-Haram (Grand Mosque) in Mecca, Saudi Arabia on 22 August, 2017 [Fırat Yurdakul/Anadolu Agency]](https://i0.wp.com/www.middleeastmonitor.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/2017_08_23-Muslim-Hajj-pilgrims-at-Masjid-al-Haram-in-Mecca20170823_2_25383871_25177200.jpg?w=563&h=300&ssl=1 "Muslim Hajj pilgrims at Masjid al-Haram in Makkah")
Muslim Hajj pilgrims try to touch Kaaba stone as they circumambulate around the Kaaba, Islam’s holiest site, located in the center of the Masjid al-Haram (Grand Mosque) in Mecca, Saudi Arabia on 22 August, 2017 [Fırat Yurdakul/Anadolu Agency]
![Muslim Hajj pilgrims try to touch Kaaba stone as they circumambulate around the Kaaba, Islam's holiest site, located in the center of the Masjid al-Haram (Grand Mosque) in Mecca, Saudi Arabia on 22 August, 2017 [Fırat Yurdakul/Anadolu Agency]](https://i0.wp.com/www.middleeastmonitor.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/2017_08_23-Muslim-Hajj-pilgrims-at-Masjid-al-Haram-in-Mecca20170823_2_25383871_25177201.jpg?w=771&h=989&ssl=1 "Muslim Hajj pilgrims at Masjid al-Haram in Makkah")
Muslim Hajj pilgrims try to touch Kaaba stone as they circumambulate around the Kaaba, Islam’s holiest site, located in the center of the Masjid al-Haram (Grand Mosque) in Mecca, Saudi Arabia on 22 August, 2017 [Fırat Yurdakul/Anadolu Agency]
![Muslim Hajj pilgrims try to touch Kaaba stone as they circumambulate around the Kaaba, Islam's holiest site, located in the center of the Masjid al-Haram (Grand Mosque) in Mecca, Saudi Arabia on 22 August, 2017 [Fırat Yurdakul/Anadolu Agency]](https://i0.wp.com/www.middleeastmonitor.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/2017_08_23-Muslim-Hajj-pilgrims-at-Masjid-al-Haram-in-Mecca20170823_2_25383871_25177202.jpg?w=421&h=315&ssl=1 "Muslim Hajj pilgrims at Masjid al-Haram in Makkah")
Muslim Hajj pilgrims try to touch Kaaba stone as they circumambulate around the Kaaba, Islam’s holiest site, located in the center of the Masjid al-Haram (Grand Mosque) in Mecca, Saudi Arabia on 22 August, 2017 [Fırat Yurdakul/Anadolu Agency]
![Muslim Hajj pilgrims try to touch Kaaba stone as they circumambulate around the Kaaba, Islam's holiest site, located in the center of the Masjid al-Haram (Grand Mosque) in Mecca, Saudi Arabia on 22 August, 2017 [Fırat Yurdakul/Anadolu Agency]](https://i0.wp.com/www.middleeastmonitor.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/2017_08_23-Muslim-Hajj-pilgrims-at-Masjid-al-Haram-in-Mecca20170823_2_25383871_25177203.jpg?w=421&h=320&ssl=1 "Muslim Hajj pilgrims at Masjid al-Haram in Makkah")
Muslim Hajj pilgrims circumambulate around the Kaaba, Islam’s holiest site, located in the center of the Masjid al-Haram (Grand Mosque) in Mecca, Saudi Arabia [Fırat Yurdakul/Anadolu Agency]
![Muslim Hajj pilgrims try to touch Kaaba stone as they circumambulate around the Kaaba, Islam's holiest site, located in the center of the Masjid al-Haram (Grand Mosque) in Mecca, Saudi Arabia on 22 August, 2017 [Fırat Yurdakul/Anadolu Agency]](https://i0.wp.com/www.middleeastmonitor.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/2017_08_23-Muslim-Hajj-pilgrims-at-Masjid-al-Haram-in-Mecca20170823_2_25383871_25177204.jpg?w=421&h=346&ssl=1 "Muslim Hajj pilgrims at Masjid al-Haram in Makkah")
Muslim Hajj pilgrims circumambulate around the Kaaba, Islam’s holiest site, located in the centre of the Masjid al-Haram (Grand Mosque) in Mecca, Saudi Arabia on 22 August, 2017 [Fırat Yurdakul/Anadolu Agency]
![Muslim Hajj pilgrims try to touch Kaaba stone as they circumambulate around the Kaaba, Islam's holiest site, located in the center of the Masjid al-Haram (Grand Mosque) in Mecca, Saudi Arabia on 22 August, 2017 [Fırat Yurdakul/Anadolu Agency]](https://i0.wp.com/www.middleeastmonitor.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/2017_08_23-Muslim-Hajj-pilgrims-at-Masjid-al-Haram-in-Mecca20170823_2_25383871_25177205.jpg?w=789&h=592&ssl=1 "Muslim Hajj pilgrims at Masjid al-Haram in Makkah")
Muslim Hajj pilgrims try to touch Kaaba stone as they circumambulate around the Kaaba, Islam’s holiest site, located in the center of the Masjid al-Haram (Grand Mosque) in Mecca, Saudi Arabia on 22 August, 2017 [Fırat Yurdakul/Anadolu Agency]
![Muslim Hajj pilgrims try to touch Kaaba stone as they circumambulate around the Kaaba, Islam's holiest site, located in the center of the Masjid al-Haram (Grand Mosque) in Mecca, Saudi Arabia on 22 August, 2017 [Fırat Yurdakul/Anadolu Agency]](https://i0.wp.com/www.middleeastmonitor.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/2017_08_23-Muslim-Hajj-pilgrims-at-Masjid-al-Haram-in-Mecca20170823_2_25383871_25177206.jpg?w=403&h=294&ssl=1 "Muslim Hajj pilgrims at Masjid al-Haram in Makkah")
Muslim Hajj pilgrims try to touch Kaaba stone as they circumambulate around the Kaaba, Islam’s holiest site, located in the center of the Masjid al-Haram (Grand Mosque) in Mecca, Saudi Arabia on 22 August, 2017 [Fırat Yurdakul/Anadolu Agency]
![Muslim Hajj pilgrims try to touch Kaaba stone as they circumambulate around the Kaaba, Islam's holiest site, located in the center of the Masjid al-Haram (Grand Mosque) in Mecca, Saudi Arabia on 22 August, 2017 [Fırat Yurdakul/Anadolu Agency]](https://i0.wp.com/www.middleeastmonitor.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/2017_08_23-Muslim-Hajj-pilgrims-at-Masjid-al-Haram-in-Mecca20170823_2_25383871_25177207.jpg?w=403&h=294&ssl=1 "Muslim Hajj pilgrims at Masjid al-Haram in Makkah")
Muslim Hajj pilgrims try to touch Kaaba stone as they circumambulate around the Kaaba, Islam’s holiest site, located in the center of the Masjid al-Haram (Grand Mosque) in Mecca, Saudi Arabia on 22 August, 2017 [Fırat Yurdakul/Anadolu Agency]
![Muslim Hajj pilgrims try to touch Kaaba stone as they circumambulate around the Kaaba, Islam's holiest site, located in the center of the Masjid al-Haram (Grand Mosque) in Mecca, Saudi Arabia on 22 August, 2017 [Fırat Yurdakul/Anadolu Agency]](https://i0.wp.com/www.middleeastmonitor.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/2017_08_23-Muslim-Hajj-pilgrims-at-Masjid-al-Haram-in-Mecca20170823_2_25383871_25177208.jpg?w=603&h=444&ssl=1 "Muslim Hajj pilgrims at Masjid al-Haram in Makkah")
Muslim Hajj pilgrims try to touch Kaaba stone as they circumambulate around the Kaaba, Islam’s holiest site, located in the center of the Masjid al-Haram (Grand Mosque) in Mecca, Saudi Arabia on 22 August, 2017 [Fırat Yurdakul/Anadolu Agency]
![Muslim Hajj pilgrims try to touch Kaaba stone as they circumambulate around the Kaaba, Islam's holiest site, located in the center of the Masjid al-Haram (Grand Mosque) in Mecca, Saudi Arabia on 22 August, 2017 [Fırat Yurdakul/Anadolu Agency]](https://i0.wp.com/www.middleeastmonitor.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/2017_08_23-Muslim-Hajj-pilgrims-at-Masjid-al-Haram-in-Mecca20170823_2_25383871_25177209.jpg?w=589&h=444&ssl=1 "Muslim Hajj pilgrims at Masjid al-Haram in Makkah")
Muslim Hajj pilgrims try to touch Kaaba stone as they circumambulate around the Kaaba, Islam’s holiest site, located in the center of the Masjid al-Haram (Grand Mosque) in Mecca, Saudi Arabia on 22 August, 2017 [Fırat Yurdakul/Anadolu Agency]