A 102-year-old Muslim woman from Thepha District, Songkla, Thailand has arrived Makkah for hajj, becoming the oldest pilgrim at the 2019 Hajj season, Pattaya Mail reported on July 29.

“I had intended to make the Hajj pilgrimage for several years, but always missed the opportunity,” Noh Lanai expressed happily.

”Today, I have the chance to complete a Muslim duty by performing the Hajj pilgrimage in the holy land of Islam.”

The Muslim woman has traveled with her son from Madinah to Makkah. However, as the Hajj approaches, she has been advised to use a wheelchair to conserve her energy for the physically-demanding rituals.

In preparation for the Hajj, not only did Lanai attend a Hajj panel discussion, but she also trained her body by exercising every day.

“Now, my mind and body are ready for the pilgrimage. I wish for those, who haven’t yet had the chance to go on the Hajj pilgrimage, to keep praying so that one day they can fulfill their wish to be here,” Lanai hopes.

Muslims Flock to Makkah

Each year, more than two million Muslims commit to Hajj, a spiritual journey that represents the 5th Pillar of Islam and one of the largest annual human gatherings on the planet.

Every Muslim who is physically and financially able to do so is expected to make this pilgrimage once in their lifetime.

According to the 2018 report of the General Authority of Statistics in Saudi Arabia, a total of 2,371,675 Muslims performed Hajj last year in a steady and substantial annual increase during the past 92 years.

Millions out of the world’s 1.8 billion Muslims apply for Hajj visa but due to a quota system, not everyone is able to come as the local authorities usually allocate 1,000 places for each million Muslim per country.