Kerala clears 10,000 people for Hajj amidst Coronavirus fears

In the backdrop of coronavirus outbreak in the world, more than 10,000 people in Kerala have been cleared by the State Hajj Committee despite Saudi Arabia suspending visas for the Umrah pilgrimage. 

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The Chairperson of Kerala State Hajj Committee said, "This year more than 10,000 people in Kerala have been cleared by the Hajj committee. There is no cause of worry. We hope that during the time of the Hajj pilgrimage, the travel restriction by Saudi Arabia will be lifted".

Umrah and Hajj

Hajj and Umrah are religious pilgrimages to Mecca situated in Saudi Arabia. Hajj takes place from the 8th through the 12th day of the last month of the Islamic year (Dhul Hijah). The timing of Hajj (based on the lunar Islamic calendar) varies with respect to the Gregorian calendar, occurring about 11 days earlier each successive year. Muslims may perform Umrah, the “minor pilgrimage,” any time of the year; unlike Hajj, Umrah is not compulsory. Every year approximately 7 million people visit Umrah pilgrimage.  

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"The move by the Saudi Arabian government to impose travel restriction was due to the outbreak of Coronavirus. It is a preventive step to contain it. In such large gatherings, if one person is affected, it will spread to others. So we fully understand the concerns of the Saudi government," he pronounced.

The State Hajji Committee only processes the requests of annual Hajj visit pilgrims and not Umrah, he further added. 

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Stating the committee hasn't received any travel restrictions, he clarified, "This year we expect the Hajj pilgrimage season to be from June to August after Ramzan. But it may vary according to the Ramzan date. Till now we yet get any official correspondence from Saudi government regarding travel restrictions."

From the countries affected by the Coronavirus, the Saudi Arabian government has suspended visas with people cancelling their Umrah pilgrimage last minute. 

Representative Image

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