Last Updated on June 23, 2020, 8:54 AM AST by Anthony Morris
Saudi Arabia has barred all the international pilgrims from Haj this year.
Haj is an annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca, and the international pilgrims have been barred from Hajj due to Coronavirus pandemic.
The announcement regarding Haj was made on Monday by the Saudi government, and it said that only a limited number of Saudi residents and citizens would be allowed to visit Mecca to ensure social distancing this year.
This would be the first event in the modern history when the Muslims from across the globe will not be able to make the annual pilgrimage to Mecca, an essential ritual for Muslims as they are supposed to perform Haj at least once in a lifetime.
The official statement released by the Saudi Ministry of Haj and Umrah mentions, “In the light of the pandemic and the risks of the virus spreading in crowded spaces and large gatherings, and the transmission between countries, and the increase in average infections globally, it has been decided that Haj for this year would be held whereby a minimal number of pilgrims from various nationalities who already reside in Saudi Arabia, would be able to perform it.”
The statement further said the decision is taken to make sure that Haj is performed safely from a public health perspective, maintaining all the measures to protect people from the risks related with this Coronavirus in accordance with the teachings of Islam in preserving the lives of human beings.
Every year, around 2.5 million pilgrims visit Mecca and Medina to perform the week-long Haj pilgrimage. According to official data, the country earns more than $12 billion a year from the pilgrimage.
In March 2020, the country stopped international passenger flights and asked pilgrims to hold their plans until further notice.
Foreign pilgrims wanting to perform Umrah were also asked to keep their travel on hold until further notice.
The local travel agents are happy with the decision as they believe that the vast gathering would account for more virus cases, and human life is precious. As of now, Saudi Arabia has recorded 161K COVID-19 positive cases and 1307.
Anthony Morris covers stories related to politics and regional developments. His in-depth reporting about governance and reforms makes him stand out in regional journalism, with a deep analysis of political trends and their impact on Caribbean communities.
