In view of the corona infection that has spread in the world, the Saudi Arabian government announced a ban on the hajj of foreign Muslims about 3 months ago. This was the first time in Saudi Arabia’s monarchy history.
New Delhi: Saudi Arabia has overturned its old verdict and approved haj pilgrimage to 1,000 foreigners. However, the sanction has been granted to foreigners who are currently residing in Saudi Arabia. Foreign Muslims living in the rest of the world will not be able to perform hajj this year. They will have to wait next year to come to Mecca-Medina.
In view of the coronavirus infection that spread around the world, the Saudi Arabian government announced a ban on the hajj of foreign Muslims about 3 months ago. This was the first time in Saudi Arabia’s monarchy history. When foreign Muslims were not allowed to perform hajj in Mecca-Medina. The decision was followed by disappointment by Muslims spread all over the world. While many elevated choice Muslims had supported this decision to prevent the spread of corona infections. Now, under pressure from the people, the Saudi government has changed its old decision and approved the hajj of 1,000 foreign Muslims. However, the decision will benefit foreign Muslims living in Saudi Arabia. This number is much lower than the 2.5 million Hajj Muslims annually.
Hajj pilgrimage from July 31
Haj pilgrimage is going to start from July 31 this year. How will these one thousand foreign Muslims be selected? This remains the big question right now. Saudi Haj minister Mohammed Betanen said in Riyadh that the number of Hajis would remain around 1,000. It can be a little less than that and a little more. But it won’t stay in the hundreds or thousands at all. Saudi Health Minister Taufiq al-Rabih said that only those people will be allowed for hajj this time. Those who are under 65 years of age and will not have any kind of disease. The corona virus will be tested as soon as the selected people arrive in Mecca. After doing hajj, they will have to go to their home and complete the quarantine period.
According to the information, other Muslim countries in the world had pressed for haj clearance to foreign Muslims. According to those countries, hajj is an essential part of Islam. The ban on Hajj may deprive millions of Muslims from fulfilling this duty of Islam.
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The saudi arabian government’s decision comes at a time when it comes to When there are cases of corona infections on rapidly growing. There have been 1 lakh 61 thousand cases of corona infection and 13 hundred people have died. This is the highest level of corona in gulf countries.
Huge economic losses to the government
The main thing is that every year hajj pilgrimage has been a major revenue generation tool for Saudi Arabia. The saudi arabian government will incur huge economic losses as the Haj pilgrimage is limited. This would be the second blow for the Saudi government. Earlier, Saudi Arabia is suffering a major loss as prices of petroleum products have reached a historically low level.
According to official statistics, the Saudi government also suspended the Umrah pilgrimage in March this year. They contribute USD 12 billion to the Saudi economy every year, together with Umrah and Hajj. That is why hosting hajj has been a matter of prestige for Saudi rulers for years. Doing so fills the Saudi government’s treasury. Saudi Arabia’s global influence as a patron of Islam also increases.
