Saudi Arabia expects ‘exceptional, safe’ Hajj pilgrimage

Saudi Arabia expects to receive over 2M Muslim pilgrims this year


Anadolu Agency June 11, 2023

ANKARA:

Saudi Arabia said Saturday it expects an “exceptional” and “safe” Hajj pilgrimage this year.

“All preparations bode well. We are optimistic about this Hajj season,” Sheikh Abdulrahman Al-Sudais, head of the General Presidency for the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques, told the state-run Al-Ekhbariya television channel.

He said this year’s Hajj pilgrimage will be “exceptional, distinguished and safe.”

The oil-rich kingdom expects to receive over two million Muslim pilgrims this year.

Saudi Arabia held downsized Hajj in the last three years due to restrictions imposed to stem the outbreak of COVID-19.

Also read: For first time, Hajj quota remains underutilised

In 2022, over 899,999 Muslim pilgrims visited Saudi Arabia to perform the Hajj pilgrimage, according to official figures.

In 2021, the kingdom welcomed up to 60,000 pilgrims from inside Saudi Arabia amid COVID-19 restrictions, while only 10,000 performed the ritual in 2020.

The Hajj, the pilgrimage to Islam's holiest site Kaaba in Mecca, is one of the five pillars of Islam. Muslims are required to perform it at least once in their life if they have the means to do so.

COMMENTS (1)

Ahad Adnan | 1 year ago | Reply I m a hajj pilgrim for 2023 and now writing from hotel Al Saha Madina near gate no 338 . We re facing intense problem here and finding no authority to lodge complaint. Here the hotel rooms are overcrowded and probably the authority has set extra beds in each room. Only 3 lift with tiny space are available for 1000 people. Washrooms accessories are in horrible condition. We re suspecting of involvement of corruption by hotel authority to run such type of poor conditioned hotel. Please make a report on this type of covert corruption in hajj management.
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