Huge numbers of Muslims prayed on Mount Arafat Tuesday at the climax of the hajj pilgrimage, defying searing temperatures under the desert sun as they fulfilled

Pilgrims flock to Saudi Arabia for Hajj as war rages in the Middle East, with worshippers citing faith, safety measures and a once-in-a-lifetime spiritual duty.

More than a million pilgrims gathered in Mecca on Monday for the Hajj, but the harsh heat has been brutal for many attendees. This week’s daytime temperatures will hover between…