Muslims
Another million pilgrims admitted to the Mecca pilgrimage
Muslim pilgrims circumambulate the Kaaba at the al-Haram Mosque. Photo: Amr Nabil/AP/dpa/Archive
© dpa-infocom GmbH
For devout Muslims, pilgrimage is one of the five basic duties. Saudi Arabia is again allowing Muslims from abroad this summer – after severe corona restrictions in recent years.
After severe corona restrictions in recent years, Saudi Arabia is once again allowing a million believers in the Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca this summer.
While in the past two years only pilgrims from the kingdom were allowed to go to Mecca for the Hajj, Muslims from abroad can now travel again, as the Saudi Hajj Ministry announced on Saturday. However, only believers under the age of 65 who have been vaccinated against Corona are admitted.
The pilgrimage to the city of Mecca, which is holy to Muslims, begins in early July this year. Before the Corona pandemic, around two million pilgrims took part. Last year, the kingdom only allowed around 60,000 people amid fears of the virus spreading.
For devout Muslims, pilgrimage is one of the five basic duties. Every devout Muslim who is healthy and can afford it should make a pilgrimage to Mecca once in their lifetime. Many of them save years for the long journey from Asia, Africa or other parts of the world. The pilgrimage can cost a pilgrim several thousand dollars. It is also an important economic factor for Saudi Arabia.