COVID-19 pandemic impact on Hajj

The global outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic has affected over 188 countries and more than 9,000,000 people's social, economic, educational lives and overall well being.[1][2] The Coronavirus pandemic affected Hajj (pilgrimage), which is the fifth pillar of the Five Pillars of Islam,[3] where millions of Muslims from around the world visit Macca and Medina every year during Hajj season for a week, over 2,400,000 pilgrims attended Hajj in 2019.[4] In March 2020, the minister of Hajj and Umrah encouraged those planning to visit the holy sites of Macca and Medina later in the year to wait before making any bookings.[5] Due to the highly contagious nature of COVID-19 in crowded places, flight restriction in many countries, and the unavailability of a vaccine against the virus the ministry of Hajj and Umrah took such serious measures.[6] However; in June 2020, the ministry of Hajj and Umrah announced that people from all nationalities who reside in Saudi Arabia are allowed to perform Hajj in a limited number of pilgrims, to ensure the safety and to prevent the transmission of COVID-19.[7][8]

History

COVID-19 pandemic is an ongoing global pandemic caused by Coronavirus.[9] The outbreak of the virus was first noted in Wuhan, China in early December 2019.[10] In 30 January 2020, COVID-19 was declared by World Health Organization as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern, and was declared as a pandemic in 11 March 2020.[11][12] The COVID-19 transmission happens mainly through personal contact with a carrier of the coronavirus, which makes it highly contagious in small spaces where human contact is inevitable.[13][14][15] COVID-19 can be transmitted through contaminated objects that were touched or coughed on by an infected person.[16][17][18] Saudi Arabia closed the two holy sites of Mecca and Medina to stop the virus from spreading, further measures where taken by the Saudi government to prevent an outbreak of the COVID-19 virus, such as imposing 24 hours curfew in Mecca and Medina.[19] [20][21]

Hajj Cancellation in History

Hajj (pilgrimage) has been cancelled 40 times through the history of Islam due to plague, political disagreements, and battles.[22][23] In 1523-1533 (930-940 AD), Hajj was canceled due to the Qarmatian attack which led to the murder of 30,000 pilgrims and the looting of the Black Stone.[24][25] In 1831, Hajj was suspended after a plague that was brought by the pilgrims coming from India, which is claimed to have ended the lives of more than half of the pilgrims in Mecca.[26] The first outbreak of Cholera spread in Mecca was in 1846, killing more than 15,000 and causing a plague until 1850 in Mecca. The second outbreak of Cholera happened in 1858, causing pilgrims to quarantine themselves inside Hajj camps in Egypt.[27][28]

Countries Pulling Out of Hajj in 2020

In 11 June 2020, Malaysia announced barring pilgrims from attending Hajj in 2020 out of concerns over the danger of COVID-19, and the high spreadability of the virus in crowded places.[29][30]

In 2 June 2020, the Indonesian Minister of Religious Affairs declared cancelling the Hajj of 2020 before any groups of Indonesian pilgrims head to Mecca.[31][32]

In 6 June 2020, the Indian Hajj Committee announced providing refunds to all the pilgrims due to the inability of attending Hajj in 2020.[33][34]

Attending Hajj 2020

In 23 June 2020, Saudi Arabia announced holding Hajj for a limited number of pilgrims of muslims who resides inside the country due to the high risk of COVID-19. [35][36] The Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah sat restrictions to the type of pilgrims who can attend Hajj in 2020, including banning older pilgrims from preforming Hajj.[37][38][39]

References
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