Immunised pilgrims perform Umrah as Ramazan begins

MAKKAH: Pilgrims immunised against COVID-19 circled Islam´s holiest site in Saudi Arabia´s Makkah city Tuesday as they performed the year-round Umrah pilgrimage on the first day of the fasting month of Ramazan.Mask-clad worshippers entered Makkah´s Grand Mosque in batches to perform the ritual of circling the sacred Kaaba, a cubic structure towards which Muslims around the world pray, along socially distanced paths.

Only immunised pilgrims are eligible for permits to perform the pilgrimage and to attend prayers in the Grand Mosque during Ramazan, the Haj and Umrah Ministry announced earlier this month. According to the ministry, three categories of people are considered "immunised" -- those who have received two doses of coronavirus vaccine, those administered a single dose at least 14 days prior, and people who have recovered from the infection.

The policy has effectively raised the Grand Mosque´s capacity during Ramazan to accommodate 50,000 Umrah pilgrims and 100,000 worshippers per day, according to state media.

It is unclear whether the policy, which comes amid an uptick in coronavirus infections in the kingdom, would be extended to the annual Haj pilgrimage later this year.

In late July last year, the kingdom hosted a downsized Haj, one of the five pillars of Islam and a must for able-bodied Muslims at least once in their lifetime. Only up to 10,000 Muslim residents of Saudi Arabia itself were allowed to take part, a far cry from the 2.5 million Muslims from around the world who participated in 2019.