SRINAGAR: The suspense over the Haj 2021 is finally over. Riyadh has finally decided against allowing foreign pilgrim to the Haj for the second consecutive year.

An image of Holy Kaaba

The Haj 2021 will be restricted to the pilgrims from within the desert Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and unlike 2020 when only one thousand pilgrims were permitted; it will be 60,000 pilgrims this year.

A statement issued by the kingdom’s Hajj and Umrah Ministry said that the Hajj will begin in mid-July and pilgrims in the age group of 18 to 65 years will be permitted.

Mecca bound Haj Pilgrims from Kashmir photographed at the Delhi Junction on June 12, 1957. Pic: Photo Division

“It stressed that those wishing to perform Hajj must be free of any chronic diseases, and to be within the ages from 18 to 65 years for those vaccinated against the virus,” Arab News reported. “Hajj pilgrims should be fully vaccinated, or those who took one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine at least 14 days before, or those who are vaccinated after recovering from Coronavirus infection.”

The 60 thousand pilgrims will be chosen from within Saudi Arabia as the government has decided against permitting any foreigner to join the yearly Muslim pilgrimage. Last year, almost two-thirds of the Muslims who performed Hajj were foreign residents from among the 160 different nationalities and the remaining one-third were natives. Possibly, the same principle may be upheld this year as well.

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