Saudi Arabia to lift ban on Umrah pilgrimage from October
September 23, 2020
Saudi Arabia will reopen the pilgrimage to residents, and then visitors from select countries. Authorities said it will return to its full capacity only after the threat of the virus has been eliminated.
Image: Getty Images/AFP
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Saudi Arabia announced it will lift the ban on the Umrah pilgrimage starting October, after seven months of closure due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Pilgrims residing in the country will be able to undertake the pilgrimage from October 4, whereas pilgrims traveling from specific countries will be allowed from November 1. Authorities said it will return to its full capacity only after the threat of the virus has been eliminated.
What is Umrah
Umrah refers to the pilgrimage to Mecca undertaken around the year, by Muslims from across the world. It attracts millions of visitors every year. This is not to be confused with the hajj pilgrimage, which takes place once a year.
Saudi Arabia held a heavily downsized hajj pilgrimage in July this year, over concerns of the event being a super spreader event for COVID-19. Instead of the more than 2 million hajj visitors, only thousands participated this year.
2020 hajj: Amid COVID-19, thousands flock to Mecca
In a normal year, millions of Muslims flock to Mecca for the hajj pilgrimage. But with COVID-19 still a global threat, only a few thousand have been allowed to make the journey this year, under strict rules.
Image: Getty Images/AFP
Final touches
Ahead of this year's hajj, the most important pilgrimage for Muslims, crews at the Grand Mosque were busy with more than just the usual cleaning and maintenance work. To keep people at a distance from each other and avoid spreading the virus, strips of tape have been stuck to the ground around the Kaaba, Islam's most sacred site, showing people where to walk.
Image: Getty Images/AFP
Keeping a distance
In past, tens of thousands of faithful have thronged to Mecca. This year, however, crowds were more manageable — only 10,000 people were allowed to attend. Participants were chosen in an online process. Their temperature was checked upon arrival in Mecca, and they were quarantined for two weeks.
Image: Getty Images/AFP
Hands off
Pilgrims at the Grand Mosque are required to keep the proscribed distance from each other, circling the sanctuary counterclockwise seven times while staying at least 1.5 meters (about 5 feet) from the next pilgrim. They are also strictly forbidden from touching the Kaaba, the cube-shaped building in the center.
Image: Getty Images/AFP
Uniforms and face masks
Wearing face masks, these security officers have set an example for the pilgrims chosen to participate in the 2020 hajj. The pilgrims are Saudi, or foreigners living in Saudi Arabia; arrivals by plane weren't allowed this year. Saudi Arabia has been severely affected by the pandemic, with more than 270,000 infections reported as of late July and around 3,000 to 4,000 new cases every day.
Image: Reuters/Saudi Ministry of Media
Once in a lifetime
Faithful Muslims are obliged to make a pilgrimage to Mecca once in their lives, as long as they are healthy and of age and "if they find a possibility to do so," according to the Quran (surah 3, verse 97). The hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam.
Image: Reuters/Saudi Ministry of Media
Disinfected stones for Satan
The ritual stoning of Satan at Mina, near Mecca, is part of the hajj pilgrimage. Here too, people must keep their distance. The pilgrims also receive disinfected stones for the ritual, a prayer rug and hand sanitizer.
Image: Reuters/Saudi Press Agency
A view of the past
In 2018, more than 2 million faithful made the journey to Mecca, with many staying in this tent city in Mina. In addition to its religious significance, the hajj is also an economic event: Past pilgrimages have netted Saudi Arabia more than €10 billion ($11.8 billion) annually. In Mecca and the surrounding area, hundreds of thousands of jobs depend on the event.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/D. Yasin
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Pilgrims were selected through an online portal. According to official data, the hajj and umrah pilgrimages earn $12 billion a year for the kingdom.
Saudi Arabia's interior ministry said the decision was taken to fulfill "aspirations of Muslims home and abroad" to perform the ritual and visit the holy sites.
During the first phase, 6,000 nationals will be allowed to undertake the pilgrimage at the Grand Mosque in Mecca per day. The second phase launches on October 18, allowing a maximum of 15,000 pilgrims. From November 1, the capacity will be raised to 20,000 pilgrims per day.
Visitors will have to make reservations through an online application for a specific date and time to pray. They will also be able to select modes of transport and meeting points through this app.
