Saudi Arabia will gradually resume the year-round Umrah pilgrimage from October 4, the interior ministry said Tuesday after it was suspended in March because of the coronavirus pandemic.
In March, the Saudi Arabia had declared a freeze on Umrah, which is an Islamic pilgrimage to the holy cities of Makkah and Medina undertaken any time of the year, attracting 19 million people last year.
Saudi Arabia to resume Umrah in Phases
The Saudi Ministry of Interior said the decision was made after assessing the developments of the coronavirus and in response to the desire of Muslims around the world to perform the ritual.
In phases one and two, services will operate at 40% and 75% of capacity; overseas pilgrims will return in phase three.
While developing the stages to reopen pilgrimage, Benten said more than 30 local and international companies will provide services to the pilgrims through an electronic platform that will enable the service providers to carry out the necessary follow-up while serving pilgrims. He added that Umrah companies and institutions serve more than 16 million pilgrims from the Kingdom, the region and the rest of the world.
The first phase of the gradual return will include allowing citizens and expatriates from within the Kingdom to perform Umrah at a capacity of 30 percent from Oct. 4. This is the equivalent of 6,000 pilgrims per day.
The second phase will increase the capacity of the Grand Mosque to 75 percent, which would include 15,000 pilgrims and 40,000 worshippers a day from Oct. 18.
In the third phase, pilgrims from abroad would be allowed to perform Umrah as of Nov. 1 with a full capacity of 20,000 pilgrims and 60,000 worshippers per day.
The fourth stage will see the Grand Mosque return to normal when all the COVID-19 risks have gone away.
I’tamarna
The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah announced that the entry of Umrah pilgrims, worshipers, and visitors to the Two Holy Mosques will be regulated through the application “I’tamarna,” which will be available on smartphones effective from Sept. 27 (10th of Safar).
The ministry has developed the app in cooperation with the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA) to regulate the times of rituals of those wishing to visit Makkah and Madinah to perform Umrah and pray at the Two Holy Mosques.
The app will enable the pilgrims and visitors to plan their pilgrimage and visit in advance, as well as to make a reservation of optional services to perform their rituals in ease and comfort, in addition to ensuring the compliance of the health and precautionary measures and preventive protocols, approved by the Ministry of Health and other competent authorities, to stem the spread of coronavirus.
The registration of the data entered by the pilgrims and visitors to the Two Holy Mosques will be directly related to the application “Tawakkalna,” the official app launched by the Ministry of Health to prevent the spread of coronavirus.
The ministry said in a statement, “This step would consist of a number of procedures, including providing a guarantee that the pilgrim or visitor is free from coronavirus.
“The application enables pilgrims and visitors to select the appropriate time for performance of the rituals in accordance with the available dates, as well as to choose the accompanying services that they wish to be made available for them such as choosing the means of transportation, gathering points, and service centers.”
The government is hoping to welcome 30 million pilgrims to the kingdom annually by 2030.