Manama: The annual Hajj pilgrimage began on Wednesday in Saudi city of Makkah amid strict Covid-19 protocols including limiting the number of pilgrims.
The pilgrims will gather at Mount Arafat on Thursday (today) for a vigil to atone for their sins and seek God's forgiveness as the Hajj pilgrimage reaches its climax.
The number of pilgrims for this year’s Hajj has been dramatically reduced to ensure social distancing and other COVID-19 protocols are adhered to. Around 1,000 pilgrims inside the country are performing this year’s pilgrimage.
Hajj started on Wednesday as pilgrims began their journey from the Grand Mosque in Makkah to Mina, located 7 km northeast of the Grand Mosque, to mark the day of Tarwiyah (Day of quenching thirst). They performed the noon, afternoon, sundown and night prayers at Mina, before heading to Arafat on Thursday. The stand (wuqoof) of pilgrims on Mount Arafat is considered as the pinnacle of the Hajj ritual. They will return to Mina on Friday and spend the night in Muzdalifah.
The pilgrimage this time has been very different from normal due to the strict measures in place to prevent the spread of coronavirus disease.
The pilgrims were directed into the mosque in small groups, walking along paths marked on the floor, in contrast to the sea of humanity that usually twirls around the Kaaba during Hajj.
The authorities have allocated specific entrance and exit doors for each group of pilgrims to prevent any crowding and ensure a smooth flow of movement and strict social distancing.
The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah provided housing for pilgrims in the residential towers in Mina after taking preventive measures.
Deputy Minister Mashat said that the approved health criteria are strictly being enforced for the pilgrims in their places of accommodation and buses.
International travelers have been banned from making the journey to Mecca, in a bid to curb the pandemic. Instead of the 25 lakhs people from around the world that normally attend the Hajj, Saudi has barred all international visitors from entering the kingdom to perform the Hajj, limiting the attendees to just 1,000 made up of Saudis and foreign residents who were pre-selected weeks ago.
The pilgrims are between the ages of 20 and 50 and have been tested for COVID-19 before traveling to Mecca, and placed four days of isolation in Makkah before the start of the Hajj. They were required to quarantine at home for seven days prior to their arrival at Makkah. They will also have to quarantine after the pilgrimage.
