Saudi Arabia cancels International Hajj

The government of Saudi Arabia announced in a statement on Monday that this year’s hajj will be restricted to only residents in Saudi Arabia.

The decision was made to ensure the safety of pilgrims due to the coronavirus pandemic, Riyadh’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Twitter.

A statement issued by the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah regarding Hajj of 2020 reads in part:

“In light of continuation of the pandemic and the risks of coronavirus spreading in crowded spaces and large gatherings, and its transmission between countries, and the increase in average infections globally,” the foreign ministry wrote.

“It has been decided that Hajj for this year (1441 H/ 2020 AD) will be held whereby a very limited number of pilgrims from various nationalities who already reside in Saudi Arabia, would be able to perform it.”

COVID-19 disease, a contagious pneumonia-like infection, has infected over 9 million people — half of whom have recovered — and killed about half a million.

The outbreak pushed countries to enforce nationwide lockdown and international travel bans. But even though cases continue to rise in some countries, restrictions have been lifted in some of them.

Saudi Arabia has 50,000 active cases — and has discharged double of that — but has lifted some of the lockdown restrictions it enforced when it broke out in the Asian country.

The country’s government said it is restricting the hajj rites to locals due to the uncertainty that surrounds the spread of the virus and its incurability at the moment.

“This decision is taken to ensure Hajj is performed in a safe manner from a public health perspective while observing all preventative measures and the necessary social distancing protocols to protect human beings from the risks associated with this pandemic and in accordance with the teachings of lslam in preserving the lives of human beings,” it said in its statement.

Hajj is an annual Islamic rite that traditionally draws around 2 million people from around the world, and this year’s edition is set to hold at the end of July.

At least once in their lifetime, all able-bodied Muslims with financial means are required to perform hajj, the pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia which centres around five intense days of worship and rituals in Mecca, the city that houses Ka’aba, Islam’s most sacred site.

Due to the pandemic, some countries like Malaysia and Indonesia had earlier announced that they would not be sending their citizens to the pilgrimage this year.

The pilgrimage has not been cancelled since the founding of the Saudi Kingdom in 1932.