SAUDI ARABIA: MAKKAH GEARS UP FOR HAJ SEASON

Mon 15 May 2023:

Riyadh: The authorities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) are gearing up for a Haj season 2023/1444 AH, which is expected to start on Monday, June 26.

This week, the authorities in the Saudi city of Makkah reviewed plans and preparations for the Haj season, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.

The Central Haj Committee met in Makkah and discussed the projects implemented in the holy sites to receive the expected large numbers of pilgrims from inside and outside the Kingdom to perform Haj this year.

The meeting, chaired by the Deputy Governor of the Makkah Region, Prince Badr bin Sultan, touched upon the readiness of the facilities and facilities set up in the holy places to serve the pilgrims.

It is worth noting that more than 4,000 housing permits have been issued so far, and more than 19,000 buses have been prepared.

سمو نائب أمير منطقة مكة المكرمة يرأس اجتماع لجنة الحج المركزية.https://t.co/4DkUmKUldB #واس_عام pic.twitter.com/ufLwYJUn4Y

— واس العام (@SPAregions) May 9, 2023

#MoHU tests the hypothesis of prior preparation, for the Hajj season 1444H.#Makkah_and_Madinah_Eagerly_Await_You pic.twitter.com/1TOyz4ihTr

— Ministry of Hajj and Umrah (@MoHU_En) May 9, 2023

This year, authorities emphasized that pilgrims who want to perform Haj must be vaccinated against COVID-19.

In April, Ministry of Haj and Umrah said the vaccination deadline was 10 days before the start of the Haj season, and that pilgrims must have all three doses of a COVID-19 vaccine to obtain the Haj permit.

Vaccinations against seasonal influenza and meningococcal meningitis have also been included by the ministry. Other vaccinations required for those coming from outside Saudi Arabia include yellow fever and polio.

On January 10, Kingdom announced that it will no longer impose limits on the number of pilgrims for this year’s Haj after three years of restrictions to curb the COVID-19 pandemic.

Priority is given to those who have not performed Haj before.

The Kingdom expects to receive two million pilgrims during this season.

The number of pilgrims during the 2022 season reached 899,353, including 779,919 from outside the Kingdom, while the 2021 season was limited to 60,000, compared to only 10,000 in 2020.

Saudi Arabia had received 2.5 million pilgrims in 2019, in the last season before the pandemic.

What is Haj?

The Haj pilgrimage to Makkah is a mandatory religious duty that must be performed by those Muslims who are physically and financially able to perform it, at least once in a lifetime.

This year, the Haj is expected to start on June 26 and will take place without COVID-19 restrictions, allowing a large number of pilgrims to participate.

-Siasat

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