MAKKAH, 28 January — Saudi Arabia is gearing up for the annual pilgrimage amid expectations that record numbers will perform the Haj this year.

Various Saudi ministries have mobilized thousands of employees and volunteers to help organize the Haj, which is scheduled to culminate on Feb. 22, when the Muslim faithful will stand on Mount Arafat in prayer.

More than 100,000 pilgrims have already arrived in the Kingdom by air, in addition to several thousand others who traveled by sea or land, officials said. All pilgrims from abroad are required to arrive by Feb. 17.

A record 1.5 million pilgrims poured into Saudi Arabia in 2001, joined by some 600,000 Saudis and expatriate residents, to perform the Haj, an event that highlights world Muslim unity and solidarity.

Although each Muslim country has a pilgrim quota, experts predicted a record number of up to three million might throng Makkah and Madinah this year as a result of the increasing religious awareness.

An economic forum last week in Jeddah, gateway to Makkah, heard from numerous officials that more Muslims would travel to Makkah this year. “I think more Muslims will go for pilgrimage this season,” said Khaled Kanoo, head of the Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Prince Sultan ibn Salman, chairman of the Supreme Commission for Tourism, agreed the number of pilgrims would rise this season as various experts put the figures between 2.5 million and three million pilgrims.

Saudi Arabian Airlines said it has signed contracts to transport more than 720,000 pilgrims, an all-time record.

This year’s Haj comes in the backdrop of the Sept. 11 terror attacks in the United States, the war on Afghanistan, and the escalation of tension between Palestinians and Israelis.

Haj Minister Iyad Madani has already issued the annual regulations governing the pilgrimage, reminding the faithful to refrain from any political activity that may distract them from the central spiritual occasion.

The pilgrims’ housing committee, a government department, has issued more than 5,000 housing permits for 200,000 rooms, sufficient to accommodate some 1.1 million pilgrims.

Health Minister Osama Shubokshi said measures to combat infectious diseases during Haj have been improved. All pilgrims from abroad are required to be vaccinated against serious diseases, including meningitis.

Makkah Governor Prince Abdul Majeed is scheduled to lead the ceremonial washing of the Holy Kaaba tomorrow.

Pilgrims converge on Mina, about 10 kilometers from Makkah, on Feb. 21 at the start of the annual pilgrimage. There they will sleep in thousands of fireproof tents. The next day they will proceed to Arafat for the standing in prayer, the climax of the event.

Complaining of limited space, operators of Haj companies have sought permission to build double-tier beds inside the tents.

The Ministry of Islamic Affairs has printed more than eight million Islamic books in some 18 languages to be distributed among the faithful during the pilgrimage.

The United Zamzam Office has set up an automatic Zamzam water filling station to supply 30,000 bottles of Zamzam water daily among pilgrims.

Haj Minister Madani, who visited the facility yesterday, said the Zamzam office was the only organization authorized by the ministry to distribute the holy water. He said people selling Zamzam water cans along the roads had nothing to do with the ministry or the Zamzam office. “We don’t know whether they are selling pure and healthy Zamzam water or not,” he added.