Many countries have announced canceling their participation in this year’s hajj season, including Indonesia, which alone sends approximately 220,000 people yearly.
Rabat – Saudi authorities are considering canceling the hajj season this year as confirmed COVID-19 cases exceeded 123,000 and are still increasing daily, Gulf News quoted a senior official in the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah as saying to Financial Times.
“The case has been carefully studied and various scenarios are being considered. A formal decision will be taken within a week,” the official said.
The pilgrimage is one of the five pillars of Islam. Healthy Muslims are expected to make the journey at least once during their lifetime if they can afford to do so.
This year’s hajj, which is scheduled for late July, would bring together approximately two million Muslims from the four corners of the world, under normal circumstances.
The hajj and the year-round umrah pilgrimage are a critical source of foreign currency for Saudi Arabia. The country’s revenue from the pilgrimage is estimated at $12 billion annually, according to Reuters.
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Saudi authorities are also considering cutting the number of pilgrims allowed to participate this year. This may involve a cap at 20% of standard numbers. They may also limit the 2020 hajj to exclude the elderly, as well as institute safety measures such as health screenings.
If the cancellation takes place, it would be for the first time since the establishment of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in 1932.
Many countries have announced canceling their participation in this year’s hajj season, including Indonesia, which alone sends approximately 220,000 people yearly.
The list of countries that already withdrew their participation also includes Malaysia, Singapore, Cambodia, Thailand, and Brunei.
