Key facts
- Photojournalist Altaf Qadri captured a moment of synchronized prayer around the Kaaba during the Hajj pilgrimage.
- The image was taken from an elevated vantage point in the Mecca Clock Tower.
- Pilgrims are shown wearing ihram, simple white garments for men, and modest attire for women.
- The Hajj pilgrimage draws millions of Muslims to Mecca for a series of rituals.
- The photograph aims to visually express the unity and devotion of the worshippers.
Award-winning photojournalist Altaf Qadri captured a striking image of Muslim pilgrims performing synchronized prostration around the Kaaba in Mecca during evening prayers as part of the annual Hajj pilgrimage. Qadri, a Kashmiri photojournalist based in Dubai with over 16 years of experience, including work with The Associated Press, utilized a Sony A1 camera with a 70-200 mm lens from the Mecca Clock Tower, a vantage point granted through arrangements with the Saudi Ministry of Media.
The photograph aims to visually represent the profound sense of unity and devotion experienced by the millions of Muslims who undertake the Hajj, one of the five pillars of Islam. Men in the traditional white ihram garments and women in modest attire are depicted in a unified movement of worship. Qadri noted that photography within the Grand Mosque is generally restricted, making this elevated perspective crucial for capturing the scale and rhythm of the event. For Muslims, the Kaaba is the holiest site in Islam and the central focus of prayer worldwide, and this image transforms individual acts of worship into a collective visual expression of faith, highlighting the order, scale, and spiritual intensity of the pilgrimage.