A Jordanian engineer and his wife residing in Saudi Arabia cried a lot of joy, after they learned that they had chosen from among the few who would participate in the Hajj pilgrimage this year, which was decided to be held in very limited numbers, against the background of the threat of the new Corona virus.
For the first time in modern history, millions of pilgrims from outside Saudi Arabia will not participate in the rituals of Hajj, due to fears of the virus, knowing that 2.5 million people performed rituals in 2019.
Many residents within the Kingdom applied to register for the Hajj. Saudi officials say: “They received applications from more than 160 nationalities, and about 10,000 applicants were selected to perform the rites. The decision disappointed many who were contemplating the duty.
"With so many applicants, we didn't have a 1% chance to choose," says the 29-year-old Jordanian engineer, who lives in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, with his wife working in the health field.
He continued, "We were shocked and happy when the news of our selection arrived."
The Jordanian engineer, who preferred not to be named, confirmed that he felt compelled to cancel his post on social media, in which he announced his choice to perform the Hajj this year, fearing the envy of many of those whose requests were rejected.
For his part, the Nigerian Nasser feels elated after choosing to participate in performing the pilgrimage, explaining: "I possessed a golden ticket" after agreeing to his request to perform the pilgrimage. He added, "This feeling cannot be described explicitly."
The pilgrimage, which will start in a few days, is one of the largest gatherings of people annually in the world.
The kingdom had previously announced that only about 1,000 people would be allowed to perform the Hajj this year. But local media reported that the numbers would rise to about 10,000.
The decision has disappointed millions, who often spend their savings traveling on pilgrimage, and some wait many years for the pilgrimage. The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah said earlier: “The percentage of non-Saudis residing in the Kingdom is 70% of the total pilgrims this year, and the percentage of Saudis is only 30%.”
Saudi Arabia confirmed that the pilgrims will undergo a new Corona virus test before they arrive in Makkah Al-Mukarramah, and they must submit to a quarantine before and after performing the duty.
Pilgrims will be provided with Zamzam water bottled from the well, in addition to gravel that has been sterilized to throw stones.
Farah Abu Shanab (a Palestinian) residing in Riyadh, whose request to perform the duty, was rejected, "The only thing that impresses me a little bit is that the thankful kingdom established the Hajj, even if the number is limited."
For the first time in modern history, pilgrims from outside Saudi Arabia will not participate in the Hajj.