Muslim worshipers seek green inspiration at annual Haj pilgrimage
Some 2 million people are travelling across the globe to eat, sleep, and pray in unison as the annual Islamic pilgrimage of Haj gets underway in Mecca.
For billions of Muslims who are physically and financially able, Haj is a mandatory act of worship. But the religious celebration also has a substantial impact on the environment.
Environmentally aware worshippers say that that should be reduced, inspiring Muslims to adopt a greener lifestyle.
"Haj is all about living lightly and centring yourself around God," 28-year-old pilgrim Shanza Ali — the chair of the UK-based group Muslim Climate Action — told the Thomson Reuters Foundation from Mecca in Saudi Arabia.
"We make many journeys in our life, and we go to many places, but this is the only journey that's physical, mental and spiritual," she added.
With Luv