The Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah decided that only the kingdom's citizens and residents would be allowed to carry out the pilgrimage to Mecca and Medina this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Saudi state media reported on Saturday
DOHA (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 12th June, 2021) The Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah decided that only the kingdom's citizens and residents would be allowed to carry out the pilgrimage to Mecca and Medina this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Saudi state media reported on Saturday.
According to the Saudi Press Agency, no more than 60,000 Muslims can make the pilgrimage this year.
This is the second year in a row that foreign Muslims are banned from visiting their holy cities. Last year, due to the COVID-19, the kingdom selected only 10,000 Muslims living in Saudi Arabia for making the Hajj.
The Hajj is the Muslim pilgrimage to the sites of Mecca and Medina, including Masjid al-Haram - the world's most important mosque. Every Muslim must go on this pilgrimage at least once in his life. This year the Hajj will take place from July 17-22.
