Saudi Arabia decides to open''Umrah season''good news for Muslims abroad
Saudi media say authorities have decided to allow Muslims who have received the vaccine to perform Umrah outside the country this year.
According to the report of the official Al-Arabiya TV, the Saudi government has decided to open the Umrah season for the pilgrims from outside Saudi Arabia from 1st Muharram 1443 AH (August 10).
Hani Ali Al-Omari, a member of the National Committee for Hajj and Umrah, said those wishing to perform Umrah would be able to book through about 6,000 agencies and 30 online platforms around the world.
According to him, vaccination will be mandatory for Umrah and safety measures will be ensured at all places.
"B2B and B2C online booking, accommodation and travel facilities can be booked with the approved and trusted portals of the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah," the report said.
After the end of the Hajj season, pilgrims have started arriving at the holy places of Makkah. According to Al-Arabiya,''500 Umrah companies are preparing to welcome foreign pilgrims and arrange a schedule for prayers at the Grand Mosque.''
Health Minister Tawfiq al-Rubayeh said that not a single new case of code 19 was reported during the Hajj.
This year, all the pilgrims were Muslims who were in Saudi Arabia and had received the corona vaccine. It was also necessary to follow the instructions of social distance during Hajj.
The use of technology was also common during this time. The smartphone app, electric vehicles and robots ensured that the virus did not spread during the Hajj gathering.
According to the latest official figures, 1,194 victims and 12 deaths per day have been confirmed in Saudi Arabia. The total number of deaths from cod is 8167 and so far 518143 victims have been identified.
For the first time in seven months, foreign Muslims circumambulate the Kaaba
It should be noted that last year 10,000 Saudi Muslims were allowed to perform Hajj, while this year the number of pilgrims increased to about 60,000. They also included foreigners in Saudi Arabia.
Umrah was banned after the outbreak but was revived in late October 2020.
So far, the Umrah facility is limited to citizens and foreigners residing in Saudi Arabia.