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Rabat – With Saudi Arabia having eased its COVID-19 restrictions, hundreds of thousands of pilgrims who perform Taraweeh (extra evening prayers) have been flocking to Saudi Arabia’s two iconic Grand Mosques for Ramadan prayers.
Saudi Arabia began Ramadan on Saturday, April 2, and The National, one of the country’s top English language news outlets, reported that thousands of pilgrims from across the world have been queuing up to pray and break “their fasts at the two Grand Mosques in Makkah and Madinah.”
Saudi authorities’ easing of COVID restrictions for foreign Umrah goers is the first such measure the Gulf country has taken since the outbreak of the pandemic two years ago.
Umrah is a shorter version of the annual Hajj. It refers to a visit to the Holy Kaaba and can be performed anytime of the year. Most Muslims prefer to perform Umrah in Ramadan given the importance of the holy month in Islam.
Reporting the joy and happiness of pilgrims as they visit the two Grand Mosques, The National emphasized that unvaccinated pilgrims from abroad can now travel to Saudi Arabia to perform pilgrimage rituals and pray at the two Grand Mosques of Mecca and Madina. The only requirement is that the visitors are not infected with COVID-19.
Meanwhile, the people seeking to perform Umrah during Ramadan will have to register for a permit through the Eatmarna application.
The National’s report quoted tour operators in Saudi Arabia who expressed satisfaction with the easing of restrictions, saying it has helped the Islamic sites that have in recent weeks received millions of Ramadan visitors for Umrah as well as for Hajj.
Aman Ul Haq, a tour operator in Jeddah, said that pilgrims are now flocking to Mecca from many countries, including Indonesia, Pakistan, and India to perform Umrah.
“The Grand Mosques are full of happy pilgrims, crying tears of joy,” he said, adding that the current atmosphere makes one feel like COVID-19 never happened. “The mosques are full of large groups of international pilgrims and local worshippers,” he said.
Recently, Saudi Arabia announced that anyone with an active Schengen visa will be able to perform Umrah without first obtaining a Saudi visa.
