Saudi Arabia will take away COVID-19 restrictions for the 2023 Hajj season and host pre-pandemic numbers of pilgrims, the Kingdom’s ministry of Hajj and umrah stated on Monday.
In 2019, the final yr earlier than the pandemic struck, some 2.6 million folks carried out the Hajj. The Kingdom allowed solely restricted numbers from its residents in 2020 and 2021 earlier than it welcomed again a million international pilgrims in 2022.
The ministry of Hajj stated in a Tweet that the Kingdom, residence to Islam’s holiest websites in Mecca and Medina, will impose no restrictions, together with age limits, for this season.
Entry was restricted in 2022 to pilgrims aged 18 to 65 who’ve been totally vaccinated or immunized in opposition to the coronavirus and didn’t undergo from persistent illnesses.
Hajj season is anticipated to start on June 26 in 2023.
Over time, the Kingdom has spent billions of {dollars} on making one of many world’s greatest spiritual gatherings safer.
Hajj is a once-in-a-lifetime obligation for each able-bodied Muslim who can afford it.
An financial reform plan of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman goals to extend umrah and Hajj capability to 30 million pilgrims yearly.
About 19 million additionally took half yearly within the umrah, one other type of pilgrimage to Mecca which – in contrast to the Hajj – will be carried out at any time of the yr, earlier than the pandemic.
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