Millions of Muslims from across the world are currently gathering in the holy city of Makkah to perform the annual Hajj pilgrimage. Pilgrims from different races, cultures, and languages stand together in identical white garments, performing the same rituals in obedience to Allah set. The annual gathering once again demonstrates the spiritual unity of the Muslim Ummah, transcending social status, nationality, and ethnicity.

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday said that Pakistan hopes to host the next round of US-Iran talks "very soon," as diplomatic efforts push toward a possible agreement. He pledged that Pakistan would continue its peace efforts "with utmost sincerity."

Al-Rayah Newspaper: Issue 601 in English

Eid al-Adha arrives these days, a time of mixed joys and sorrows. Joy in the believers' response to Allah's call for Hajj, answering His summons in a gathering that unites them from all corners of the earth, with their diverse ethnicities and colors, in obedience to Allah's command and to attain His pleasure. And deep sorrow grips their hearts for their plight since the loss of their power and the destruction of their state at the hands of the criminal Mustafa Kemal.