The Saudi Ministry of Hajj “authorized one million pilgrims, foreign or national, to perform the hajj this year”, he announced on Saturday, April 9, in a press release. This annual pilgrimage to Mecca will take place from July 7 to 12, 2022.
The government wants to ensure the safety of pilgrims “while ensuring that as many Muslims around the world as possible can perform the hajj”continues the press release.
Hajj, one of the five pillars of Islam, must be performed by all Muslims who can afford it at least once in their lifetime. It is one of the largest religious gatherings in the world. Around 2.5 million people took part in 2019.
After the pandemic began in 2020, Saudi authorities only allowed 1,000 pilgrims to participate. The following year, they allowed 60,000 fully vaccinated residents chosen by lottery. These restrictions fueled resentment among Muslims abroad who were not allowed to participate.
Access conditions ranging from vaccine to PCR tests
According to the announcement made on Saturday, this year’s hajj will be limited to vaccinated pilgrims under the age of 65. Those coming from outside Saudi Arabia will need to present a negative PCR test less than 72 hours old.
Hajj is a series of religious rites performed over five days in Islam’s holiest city, Mecca, and surrounding areas of western Saudi Arabia. Hosting the hajj is a matter of prestige for Saudi leaders, with responsibility for Islam’s holiest sites underpinning their political legitimacy.
Before the pandemic, the pilgrimage was an essential source of income for the kingdom, bringing in some 12 billion dollars (11 billion euros) a year.
The kingdom of around 34 million people has recorded more than 751,000 coronavirus cases since the start of the pandemic and 9,055 deaths, according to health ministry data. In early March, he announced the lifting of most Covid-19 restrictions, including social distancing in public places and quarantine for vaccinated arrivals, while masks are now only mandatory in closed places.