In pictures: Worshippers begin 'socially distanced' Hajj pilgrimage in Mecca

The Hajj is an annual five-day pilgrimage that usually sees millions of Muslims travel from around the world to the holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia. This year, the number of pilgrims has been restricted to 1,000 to prevent the spread of the coronavirus (AFP)

Hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam. Muslims who are physically and financially able must perform it at least once in their lifetimes. Saudi Arabia selected this year's pilgrims: two-thirds of the pilgrims are foreign residents of the Gulf kingdom, and one-third of those selected are security and medical staff (AFP) 

Pilgrims selected to attend the pilgrimage were chosen via an online portal and required to be between the ages of 20 and 50. Anyone who is immunocompromised, suffering from a terminal illness or exhibiting coronavirus symptoms was barred from attending (AFP)

During the first rites of Hajj, Muslims circle the Kaaba counter-clockwise seven times while reciting supplications. Located in Mecca’s large mosque complex known as Masjid al-Haram, Muslims face in the direction of the Kaaba when offering their five daily prayers - wherever they are in the world. To maintain social distancing, pilgrims were asked to circumambulate the Kaaba using designated lines on the ground (AFP) 

Pilgrims have also been given their own prayer rugs and special attire to wear during the Hajj. Saudi Arabia said that pilgrims were given attire laced with silver nanotechnology to help kill bacteria and make clothes water resistant (AFP) 

The pilgrimage would normally attract at least 2.5 million people from across the world (AFP)

Pilgrims will only be able to drink holy Zamzam water packaged in plastic bottles and pebbles usually picked along Hajj routes will be sterilised and bagged ahead of time. As part of the Hajj ritual, stones are thrown at each of the three pillars in the city of Mina, east of Mecca, to commemorate Abraham's rejection of Satan (AFP)

Social distancing stickers have also been placed across the different parts of the Grand Mosque in Mecca to help pilgrims stay at a safe distance (AFP) 

A handout picture from the Saudi Ministry of Media shows pilgrims holding coloured umbrellas along coloured rings separating them from other pilgrims (AFP) 

The Grand Mosque in Mecca had been shut down since March. Cleaning teams regularly disinfect the tawaf area - where pilgrims circle the Kaaba - in the Grand Mosque (AFP)