Saudi Arabia: Citizens of 160 countries selected for Hajj

Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has finalized the names for this year’s Hajj after examining applications received from citizens of 160 countries.

“The Ministry of Hajj has selected citizens from 160 countries residing in the country for the Hajj,” the statement said.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Interior said that anyone found to enter the sites of Hajj (Mina, Muzdalifah and Arafat) without a permit from Dhul Qadah 28 till the end of Dhu Al-Hijjah 12 will be issued with a fine of SR10,000.

The fine will be doubled if the offence is repeated. It added that security personnel will be posted on roads leading to the holy sites to ensure that anyone who breaks the law will be stopped and fined.

Notably, Saudi Arabia has issued guidelines for about 1,000 pilgrims who will be allowed to perform the hajj pilgrimage in Mecca later this month, an experience that will be unlike any before because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The pilgrims will only be able to drink holy water from the Zamzam well in Mecca that is packaged in plastic bottles, and pebbles for casting away evil that are usually picked up by pilgrims along hajj routes will be sterilized and bagged ahead of time. Pilgrims will also have to bring their own prayer rugs.

The guidelines were announced as Saudi authorities prepare for a very limited hajj, which for the first time will not include pilgrims from outside the country. Instead, the kingdom said that 70% of pilgrims allowed to make the pilgrimage this year will be from among foreign residents of Saudi Arabia and 30% would be Saudi citizens.

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