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Saudi Arabia calls on Muslims to halt preparations for hajj

Saudi authorities on Tuesday called on Muslims in all countries to suspend preparations for the hajj, the great pilgrimage, for the time being, amid uncertainties linked to the pandemic of the new coronavirus.

Earlier in March, Saudi Arabia suspended Umrah, the small pilgrimage, fearing that the virus would spread to the holy cities of Mecca and Medina.

This groundbreaking decision raised concerns about the holding of the hajj, which attracts millions of pilgrims from around the world each year.

Saudi Arabia fully prepared to serve pilgrims“Said Saudi Minister of Pilgrimage, Mohammad Benten, on Al-Ekhbariya state television.”But under the current circumstances […] the kingdom wants to protect the health of muslims and citizens and we asked our Muslim brothers in all countries to wait, before signing a contract (with companies to perform hajj), until the situation is clear“, he added.


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Saudi authorities have yet to say whether or not they will continue the hajj, which is scheduled to start in late July this year.

This pilgrimage, which attracted 2.5 million faithful in 2019, is an important source of income for the kingdom but would be a privileged place of contamination due to the presence of a huge crowd in religious sites.

Saudi Arabia has officially recorded 1,563 cases of new coronavirus and 10 deaths. It adopted a series of restrictions, including the suspension of prayers in mosques.

The call to halt preparations for the hajj is likely to provoke the most radical criticism for those who place religion before health considerations.

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