Shaheer Ahmed
Saudi Arabia announced on Saturday that it will allow 1 million Muslims from inside and outside the country to take part in the current year’s hajj, a sharp increase after pandemic limitations. The limitations stayed imposed for 2 years.
The hajj service “has approved 1 million pilgrims, both unfamiliar and homegrown, to play out the hajj this year,” it said in a proclamation.
One of the five mainstays of Islam, the hajj should be attempted by all Muslims at least once in their lives. Generally, one of the world’s biggest strict social affairs, around 2.5 million individuals participated in 2019.
However, after the Covid pandemic in 2020, Saudi specialists permitted just 1,000 pilgrims to take part.
The next year, they increased the number to 60,000 to completely immunized residents and occupants picked through a lottery.
The current year’s hajj, which will take place in July, will be restricted to inoculated pilgrims under age 65, Saturday’s declaration said.
Those approaching from outside Saudi Arabia will be expected to present a negative COVID-19 PCR result from a test taken in no less than 72 hours of movement.
The public authority needs to advance pilgrims’ wellbeing “while at the same time guaranteeing that the greatest number of Muslims overall can play out the hajj,” Saturday’s assertion said.
Facilitating limitations
The hajj comprises a progression of strict customs that are to be carried out in a duration of five days in Islam’s holiest city, Mecca, and encompassing areas of western Saudi Arabia.
Facilitating the hajj involves eminence for Saudi rulers, as the custodianship of Islam’s holiest locales is the most impressive wellspring of their political authenticity.
Before the pandemic, Muslim journeys were the key income generator for the realm, acquiring some $12 billion every year.
The limitations in 2020 and 2021 stirred up hatred among Muslims abroad who were not allowed to perform Hajj.
The realm of around 34 million individuals has up until this point recorded more than 751,000 Covid cases, including 9,055 passings, as per wellbeing service information.
Toward the beginning of March, it declared the lifting of most COVID limitations incorporating social gatherings and quarantine for vaccinated people, moves that were supposed to work with the appearance of Muslim pilgrims.
The choice included suspending “social removing measures in all open and shut places” including mosques, while veils are currently just expected in shut spaces.
We are very happy that things are getting back to normal.
