(Riyadh) Saudi Arabia announced on Saturday that it would allow one million Muslims from around the world to participate in the great annual pilgrimage to Mecca, opening its doors to those coming from abroad for the first time since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Posted at 9:18 a.m.
The Ministry of Hajj, a major annual pilgrimage to Mecca, “has authorized one million pilgrims, foreign or national, to perform the hajj this year”, he announced in a press release.
The government wants to ensure the safety of pilgrims “while ensuring that as many Muslims around the world as possible can perform the hajj”, the statement continued.
The great pilgrimage to Mecca is one of the five pillars of Islam and must be performed by all Muslims who can afford it at least once in their lifetime. It is usually among the largest religious gatherings in the world – around 2.5 million people in 2019.
After the pandemic began, Saudi authorities allowed just 1,000 pilgrims in 2020, and 60,000 residents the following year, all vaccinated against the coronavirus and chosen by lottery.
The lifting of these restrictions has sparked joy among worshipers around the world.
“We were very sad for the past two years to see so few pilgrims in Mecca. I am extremely happy to know that things will return to normal,” Mohamed Tamer, a 36-year-old Egyptian, told AFP.
This resident of Cairo hopes to be able to participate this year, but he says he fears “an exaggerated rise in prices” which would prevent him from doing so.
The hajj is a series of religious rites performed over five days in Islam’s holiest city, Mecca, and surrounding areas of western Saudi Arabia.
An economic boon
Hosting the hajj is a matter of prestige for Saudi leaders, with responsibility for Islam’s holiest sites contributing to their political legitimacy.
It is also an essential source of income. In normal times, the two main Muslim pilgrimages, the hajj and the Umrah, bring in some $12 billion a year to Saudi Arabia, which is trying to diversify its ultra-oil-dependent economy.
They represent a godsend for airlines and travel agencies.
Hairdressers, tour operators or souvenir sellers… in Mecca, hundreds of thousands of jobs have suffered from the pandemic.
Last August, the kingdom had reopened its borders to foreign pilgrims wishing to participate in the small pilgrimage, the Oumra, which unlike the hajj can be carried out throughout the year.
This year’s hajj will be limited to vaccinated pilgrims under the age of 65, according to Saudi authorities.
Travelers from outside Saudi Arabia will need to present a negative PCR test less than 72 hours old.
The kingdom of around 34 million people has recorded more than 751,000 coronavirus cases since the start of the pandemic and 9,055 deaths, according to health ministry data.
In early March, he announced the lifting of most COVID-19 restrictions, including social distancing in public places and quarantine for vaccinated arrivals, while masks are now only mandatory in closed places.