Saudi Arabia to resume Umrah from next month, precautions to be followed

Months after successful conduction of Hajj, Saudi Arabia, on September 22, said that it would allow pilgrims to perform Umrah in gradual stages while taking necessary precaution. The ʿUmrah’ is an Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca that can be undertaken at any time of the year, in contrast to the Ḥajj, which has specific dates according to the Islamic lunar calendar.

Phase 1 to start from October 4

The resumption of the pilgrimage is divided into four phases. In the first phase, only citizens and expatriates from within the kingdom would be allowed to perform the pilgrimage. This would begin on October 4 with a capacity of 30 per cent that is 6,000 pilgrims per day.

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While in the second phase, the capacity of the Grand Mosque would increase to 75 per cent, that is 15,000 pilgrims and 40,000 worshipers per day. In the third phase, which would begin on November 1, pilgrims from abroad would be allowed to perform Umrah at full capacity of 20,000 pilgrims and 60,000 worshippers per day. The last and the fourth phase would see the Grand Mosque return to normal. This would only happen when COVID-19 virus would have gone, the Arab News reported.

Elaborating further, the interior ministry said that the decision was made in response to the desire of Muslims to perform Umrah and also after an analysis of coronavirus. The visit of the pilgrims would be regulated by an app called ‘I’tamarna’ which would soon be launched by the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah. The application aims at enforcing health standards and making it easier for pilgrims to book their journeys, the ministry reckoned. 

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