Mecca Holy Site Opens After Seven Months

Finally at long last, the Mecca shrine will be opened for the general public. The Mecca was closed seven months ago in view of Corona. The Muslim holy place has remained shut with no rituals being observed as part of the Corona protocol. Significantly, this was done at a time when Tablighi Jamaat was holding its Tablighs across the world in utter disregard for the Corona safety protocols.

Saudi authorities, who manage the Muslim holy shrine, said that Umrah, the year-long pilgrimage of the devout, would now be allowed from Sunday. However, in the first phase only 6000 pilgrims per day would be allowed.  During this phase, only the residents and citizens within Saudi Arabia would be allowed to perform Umrah. The pilgrimage also involves circumambulation around the cube-shaped black monument Kaaba.

Saudi authorities have also said that the devout would be allowed in carefully crated batches  and they would follow social distancing modules. The Kaba circumambulation would also begin from Sunday, the authorities said.