Saudi Arabia is preparing to organize an exceptional pilgrimage season starting from Wednesday, in light of the threat of the emerging Corona virus, which prompted it to reduce the numbers of pilgrims in annual rites and allow only some of its residents to perform it, for the first time in its modern history.

About 10,000 residents will participate in the rites, which will continue over five days, compared to the 2.5 million Muslims who attended last year, after a selection process by the authorities, which some considered vague and witnessed the acceptance of requests and the refusal of other large numbers.

The foreign press is not authorized to cover the pilgrimage this year, which is usually a huge global media event, as the government seeks to tighten access procedures to the holy city of Mecca, and put strict health restrictions to prevent the spread of the virus during rites.

The pilgrims began arriving in Mecca during the weekend, and they were subjected to a temperature test and quarantined in the city's hotels, and they were provided with a set of tools and supplies, including medical and sterile Ihram, stones of stones, masks, carpet and umbrella, according to the book "Pilgrims' Journey" issued by the authorities.

Pilgrims must be tested for the new Corona virus before they arrive in Mecca, and they will also have to quarantine after the pilgrimage.

The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah said it had set up several health facilities and mobile clinics, and equipped ambulances to meet the needs of pilgrims who would be required to adhere to social separation.


The Gold Card The Saudi authorities initially announced that only about 1,000 pilgrims residing in the Kingdom would be allowed to perform the rituals, but local media published reports that would allow the participation of about 10,000 pilgrims.

The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah explained earlier that the percentage of non-Saudis residing inside the Kingdom is 70% of the total pilgrims this year, and the proportion of Saudis is only 30%, noting that the participants in the duty from the Saudis will be limited to "health practitioners and security men recovering from the emerging Corona virus." ".

The pilgrimage is one of the largest human gatherings annually in the world, and it is one of the five pillars of Islam, and one of the believers has been able to perform it at least once in a lifetime, but it may constitute a possible major focus for the spread of diseases.

Significant costs
 and analysts say the government has reduced Hajj because it may be a major source of the outbreak of the new Corona virus, but this step will deepen the economic recession in the wealthy oil kingdom.

The International Monetary Fund expects Saudi Arabia's gross domestic product to contract by 6.8% this year, in its worst performance since the 1980s.

The country faces the consequences of the sharp drop in oil prices and the losses caused by the Corona virus, which has led to austerity measures including an increase in the value-added tax from 5% to 15% and a reduction in civil servants allowances.

The virus has also hit pilgrimages that employ hundreds of thousands of people in Mecca, from travel agents to street barbers and shops selling souvenirs.

Many have reported large-scale layoffs, wage cuts or salary delays.

Mecca has witnessed a construction boom in recent years, as shopping centers and luxury hotels began to spread, but most of these places remained empty since the epidemic reached the Kingdom and the city that witnessed a curfew that lasted for weeks.

And Saudi Arabia announced last March the suspension of Umrah, which generates millions annually and is performed by Muslims throughout the year and often includes a visit to Medina.

The Kingdom recorded more than 260 thousand infections, including about 2,700 deaths from the virus, while the number of people infected with the epidemic in the world exceeded 16 million people, including 645 thousand deaths at least.

Eid prayers ... countries allow and others prohibited
on the other hand, 7 Arab countries decided, until Sunday evening, to prevent the holding of Eid al-Adha prayers next Friday in all mosques and arenas, for fear of an outbreak of the Corona virus, while 4 countries decided to establish them partially or completely, and did not announce 11 countries about its decision yet.

According to the Anatolia Agency’s monitoring of official decisions, the situation regarding the performance of Eid prayers in mosques and public squares was as follows:

Prevention Countries
So far a number of countries have announced the prevention of Eid prayers in all mosques and squares. These countries are:

Morocco
The Ministry of Islamic Affairs announced, in a statement, that Eid al-Adha prayers in mosques and mosques were prohibited, and that it was permissible to stay in homes without sermons as a precautionary measure to prevent the spread of corona.

Algeria
The Fatwa Ministerial Committee said, through a statement, that Eid al-Adha prayers are performed in groups or individually and without engagement.

Syria
The government’s Ministry of Endowments announced that the Eid Al-Adha prayers will not be held in the governorates of Damascus and Damascus countryside due to the increased epidemic.

Sultanate of Oman
The Supreme Committee in Charge of Corona decided to completely close the governorates of the Sultanate, in addition to continuing to prevent gatherings of all kinds, especially Eid prayers, greeting gatherings and collective celebrations of the feast.

UAE
National Authority for Emergency and Crisis Management spokesman Saif Al-Dhaheri announced, in a press statement, that it was decided to perform Eid Al-Adha prayers in homes, with the takbeers broadcasted through audio-visual means.

Egypt
In a statement, the Egyptian government announced that Eid al-Adha prayers could only be performed from one of the major mosques, and with a limited number of worshipers, which meant that they were banned throughout the mosques and squares.

Iraq
The Ministry of Interior and Health announced, in a joint statement, the imposition of a comprehensive curfew in the country during the Eid al-Adha holiday to prevent the spread of the virus. This means preventing prayers in all mosques and squares.

Partial or total permitting .. 4 countries only

Kuwait
, government spokesman Tariq Al-Muzaram said, in a press statement, that the cabinet agreed to hold Eid al-Adha prayers in all state mosques and outside Eid prayer halls that are specified by the Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs, while adhering to the terms of the Ministry of Health in this regard.

Qatar
The Qatari authorities announced, on Sunday, the details of the third phase of easing the restrictions imposed due to the Corona outbreak, and include the reopening of a limited number of mosques and Eid prayer halls to perform Eid al-Adha prayers, taking due precautions.

Saudi Arabia
The Ministry of Islamic Affairs announced, through a statement on July 13, the establishment of Eid al-Adha prayers for this year in mosques and mosques only prepared (without specifying them).

On Sunday, the Ministry stated that hundreds of mosques have been identified throughout the Kingdom to perform Eid prayers.

Jordan
The Ministry of Endowments announced, on Sunday, the holding of Eid al-Adha prayers in all mosques of the Kingdom, and in the chapels that the ministry will set up in public squares, in compliance with public health and safety guidelines.

11 countries have not announced their positions,
according to the monitoring of the Anatolia Agency, 11 Arab countries have not yet announced their positions regarding the performance of Eid al-Adha hardness in mosques and public squares.

These countries are: Libya, Palestine, Yemen, Lebanon, Tunisia, Sudan, Bahrain, Somalia, Mauritania, Djibouti and Comoros.