2022 Hajj: Saudi Arabia To Allow One Million Pilgrims

• After the onset of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, Saudi Arabia allowed only 1,000 pilgrims to participate

• The pilgrimage, which will take place in July, will be limited to vaccinated Muslims under age 65

EDITOR’S PICK 

• Kaduna Train Attack Victim Dies From Gunshot Injury
• Insecurity: Nigerians Leave Their Homes Unsure Of Returning – Wole Soyinka
• ‘Our Policies, Programmes Aim At Nothing But The Betterment Of Nigeria’ – Buhari

EKO HOT BLOG reports that Saudi Arabia has announced that it will permit one million Muslims from inside and outside the country to participate in this year’s hajj, a sharp uptick after pandemic restrictions forced two years of drastically pared-down pilgrimages.

The move, while falling short of reinstating normal hajj conditions, offered hopeful news for many Muslims outside the kingdom who have been barred from making the trip since 2019.

One of the five pillars of Islam, the hajj must be undertaken by all Muslims with the means at least once in their lives. Usually one of the world’s largest religious gatherings, about 2.5 million people took part in 2019.

But after the onset of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, Saudi authorities allowed only 1,000 pilgrims to participate.

The following year, they upped the total to 60,000 fully vaccinated Saudi citizens and residents chosen through a lottery.

This year the Saudi hajj ministry “has authorised one million pilgrims, both foreign and domestic, to perform the hajj,” it said in a pre-dawn statement Saturday.

The pilgrimage, which will take place in July, will be limited to vaccinated Muslims under age 65, the statement said.

Those coming from outside Saudi Arabia, who must apply for hajj visas, will this year also be required to submit a negative Covid-19 PCR result from a test taken within 72 hours of travel.

FURTHER READING

• Nigeria Lost $1.5bn Worth Of Oil To Vandals In Q1 – NNPC
• Ige’s Murder: I’m Willing To Go To Court, Says Soyinka
• 4 Unhealthy Habits, That Could Make You Look Older Than Your Age

The government wants to promote pilgrims’ safety “while ensuring that the maximum number of Muslims worldwide can perform the hajj”, the statement said.

Click to watch our video of the week

---

Advertise or Publish a Story on EkoHot Blog:

Kindly contact us at ekohotblog@gmail.com. Breaking stories should be sent to the above email and substantiated with pictorial evidence.

Citizen journalists will receive a token as data incentive.

Call or Whatsapp: 0803 561 7233, 0703 414 5611