Saudi Arabia, May 22, 2021: Overseas pilgrims will be allowed to perform Haj this year, it was announced on Thursday.
According to the Saudi Gazette, the ritual pilgrimage will be open to all in the 2021 season with strict Covid safety measures in place.
The announcement comes after the Kingdom’s Ministry of Hajj and Umrah said on May 9 that it would be going ahead with this year’s pilgrimage.
The ministry also said that it would release the specific measures to be undertaken at a later date.
The obligatory Muslim pilgrimage to the holy city of Makkah was curtailed for the first time in modern history in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Saudi Arabia last year only allowed 1,000 pilgrims from within its borders to make the pilgrimage, a far cry from the over 2.5 million Muslims that generally make Haj every year.
Courtesy:Khaleej Times