Citing the arrival of Islamic pilgrims from Indonesia on Sunday, Middle East Eye news source said, on Saturday, Saudi Arabia received the first batch of foreign Hajj pilgrims since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic in China.
On June 4, a plane from Indonesia landed at Prince Mohammed bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Medina and was carrying “358 male and female pilgrims”, according to the state-owned Saudi Press Agency (SPA).
The spa said, “The Almighty Allah welcomed the guests and was given bouquets of roses, beautiful date varieties and holy Zamzam drinking water.”
Saudi Deputy Minister of Hajj Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Bijawe and Indonesian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Dr. Abdulaziz Ahmed greeted Indonesian pilgrims as they descended on Saturday.
“Now that we have received the first group of pilgrims from Indonesia this year, flights from Malaysia and India will resume,” Al Bijawi told the state-owned Al Ekhbariya news channel on June 4.
“After a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic, we are now delighted to welcome God’s guests from outside the kingdom.”
The annual pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia will take place from 7 to 12 July this year. Indonesian pilgrims arriving in Medina on Saturday were the first of several groups from around the world to land in Saudi Arabia to prepare for the event next month. Hajj is a pilgrimage to the holiest place in Islam in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, for all Muslims at least once in their lifetime, as long as they are financially and physically able. Iman is one of the five pillars of Islam, along with prayer, zakat and fasting.
The pilgrimage is traditionally one of the largest religious gatherings in the world. It is extremely profitable for the Saudi economy, generating an average of $12 billion a year for the Kingdom. The Saudi government has closed the pilgrimage to all foreigners from 2020 to 2021, citing public health concerns during China’s coronavirus pandemic. The event grew from 2.5 million attendees in 2019 to just 1,000 Saudi citizens and residents in 2020, after the kingdom government drastically tightened the attendance limit for the ceremony.
“By 2021, this number will rise to 60,000 to fully vaccinated Saudi citizens and residents selected by lottery,” Middle East Eye said in a statement on June 5.
In April, the Saudi government announced plans to allow one million pilgrims, including foreigners, to perform the Hajj this year.
Pilgrims applying for Hajj this year must be at least 65 years old and have a valid residence permit in Saudi Arabia. The Kingdom’s Ministry of Pilgrimage said, “People who have not yet made Hajj and who are fully vaccinated in the Tevekkalna application will be given priority.” [Saudi health ministry app]” arabic news It was announced on June 4th.
“To make the pilgrimage this year, citizens and residents are required to receive three doses of COVID-19. [Chinese coronavirus] vaccine,” said a newspaper from Riyadh.
Source: Breitbart
