The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has decided to rely on artificial intelligence (AI) and information technology (IT) to safeguard the pilgrims going on Hajj during the Covid-19 pandemic. The Saudi ministry will use robots, interactive screens, and quality tech solutions for this purpose. It will aid in limiting contact between individuals during the rituals.

Right from the very start, people can use online portals for receiving and accepting Hajj applications. Digitalization will help pilgrims register themselves without any hassle. It will also reduce the contact points of pilgrims before visiting the city of Makkah for pilgrimage. The Islamic electronic library will also install 30 interactive screens for offering needful assistance.

People going on Hajj in 2021 will receive smart cards. They will record personal and health-related information on pilgrims and grant access to hotels, camps, and transport services. The smart cards will also facilitate payment allowing the ministry to keep an eye on the crowded locations in Makkah.

Morocco World News reported that this year the ministry would allow 60,000 pilgrims to go on Hajj. As part of the stringent measures, the location of each pilgrim will be closely monitored with the help of AI robots. They will aid in regularly sterilizing and disinfecting the buildings and surrounding areas of holiest Muslim sites. Deployment of robots with interactive abilities to offer help and guidance to pilgrims will also take place. They will also respond to people’s queries regarding the rituals.

As part of the precautionary measures, the ministry of Saudi Arabia has decided to give pilgrims free access to Wi-Fi. They have also set up a tech-reinforced security gate at Makkah’s Shimisi entrance. It will vet and inspect pilgrims from over 16 different tracks. The entrance gate will significantly reduce the waiting time for visitors even during busy hours. As such, the pilgrims will be able to complete their journey in a seamless and smooth manner.

The AI robots deployed at the well will hand out the holy Zamzam water to avoid physical contact between individuals. The authorities have also decided to put on 62 screens in Makkah to make people aware of the dos and don’ts during the pilgrimage. Broadcasting of messages in different languages on these displays to promote easy understanding will take place.

Besides, a host of applications and programs are set up by the relevant authorities to ensure a safe and hassle-free Hajj and Umrah trip to Makkah. Asharq Al-Awsat has reported that the Minister of Islamic Affairs, Call and Guidance Sheikh Abdullatif Al Al-Sheikh inaugurated operational and maintenance projects with the total cost amounting to more than SAR 31 million. These projects intend to establish coordination between several agencies to provide the highest standards of service.

The pilgrimage of Hajj is an important Islamic tradition that every abled Muslim has to make at least once in his/her lifetime. Due to the Coronavirus pandemic, this tradition was brought to a halt. However, with the Covid-19 cases going down, Saudi Arabia has decided to allow some vaccinated pilgrims to undergo the journey. The well-intended AI and tech solutions for safe Hajj are an effort on the part of Saudi Arabia to safeguard the people arriving for the pilgrimage.

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Umrah And Hajj During COVID-19 In 2021

At times new strains of COVID-19 infections were spreading worldwide, the authorities put strict restrictions on Hajj and Umrah pilgrimage. In July, only 60,000 people came to perform Hajj in comparison to an average of 2 million Hajj pilgrims every year. The allowed pilgrims were fully inoculated with the doses of Oxford’s AstraZeneca, and Moderna, Pfizer-BioNTech, or one dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

As per the latest data, currently, Saudi reports– 545k total cases and 8.78k deaths due to COVID-19. However, the cases have seen a significant decline in the past few weeks. Consequently, authorities are preparing to permit foreign pilgrims at full capacity.

Mobile Application – E-Visa For Hajj And Umrah

Prince Faisal bin Farhan, Saudi minister of foreign affairs, announced the launch of an electronic visa registration smartphone-based application. The authorities will disclose the name of the app, its specifications, and necessary fields for the form registrations very soon. The application will ease the pressure from people gathering at the visas centers and possibly catching infections.

The biometric application will prove beneficial for people who are not aware of the new protocols. Some experts assume that it will contain guidelines that have to be followed while performing Umrah and Hajj. Pilgrims will have to submit necessary documents along with a certificate for vaccination. The authorities will verify the details and automatically grant e-visas according to the authenticity of the details.

Masjid Al-Haram To Work At Full Capacity

Another major news came from Masjid Al-Haram on 17th Oct 2021. The authorities at Grand Mosque are lifting off restrictions on the numbers of pilgrims to perform Hajj and Umrah. They took this decision considering the decline in COVID-19 cases and increasing inquiries for pilgrimage. Local media are publishing pictures and footage of people praying alongside maintaining minimal social distance. Though social distancing has been relaxed in Al-Haram, pilgrims will still have to wear masks at all times within the perimeter of the mosque.

Saudi Arabia has also lifted bans from many countries, including India, for the pilgrimage. These countries fell under red names due to COVID-19’s severity. As the world has considerably recovered from the havoc caused by COVID-19’s new strains, Saudi Arabia is steadily opening doors for these countries.

Authorities are using various mobile applications to track the individuals arriving in Makkah for the pilgrimages. These applications will tell the vaccination status, individual’s infection status, visa’s authenticity, and much more. Authorities request pilgrims to follow the guidelines provided by the authorities and keep themselves posted with any updates.

Moreover, several online portals and support stations are present to help pilgrims with their questions and answers related to Hajj and Umrah. Authorities request worshippers to take full advantage of such centers for safe pilgrimage.

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On 17th Oct 2021, Grand Mosque removes the markings for maintaining social distance as it prepares to work at full capacity. On Sunday morning, local media released pictures and footage of people praying alongside each other, symbolizing the restriction-free opening of Al-Haram.

Though authorities are relaxing the social distancing for the pilgrims, they will still strictly follow other COVID-19 protocols. Worshippers coming from all around the world and Saudi Arabia for the pilgrimage should produce a certificate of vaccination and wear masks at all times. The holy Kaaba will remain unavailable from the general public’s reach.

The authorities have lifted the restrictions on fully vaccinated people gathering at public places. Restaurants and cinemas will work as normal, keeping COVID-19 protocols alive. As per their will, people can wear masks or not in open places but are mandatory in closed confinements. Additionally, vaccinated fans can attend sports events in the arenas and stadiums all around Saudi Arabia.

Umrah And Hajj During COVID-19 in 2021

Hajj is an essential pilgrimage that every Muslim has to do at least once in their lifetime. Hajj, along with Umrah, holds extreme importance in Islamic traditions. Therefore, authorities wouldn’t unnecessarily restrict people for long when the daily cases of infection have dropped considerably.

In July, only 60,000 fully vaccinated local pilgrims were allowed to carry out Hajj during COVID-19. The number is significantly less as compared to 2 million average hajj attendance every year. Also, the Umrah pilgrimage has seen a drastic decline due to COVID-19 restrictions. As the infection spread because of close human interactions, the restrictions were crucial to curb the new variants of the virus. Consequently, the annual revenue of the Kingdom of $12 billion from these two major pilgrimages has took a heavy toll.

As the Grand Mosque drops social distancing, it is expected to result in an increased influx of pilgrims. Vaccination has provided hope and faith in a better future. From August, fully inoculated foreigners were allowed to perform Umrah under strict guidelines. News of restrictions lifting from Hajj and Umrah Pilgrimage is making restaurateurs and cinema theatres to be on their forefront. Malls are stalking up products to become locals’ delight. Restaurants have started to stack up and prepare for a surge in customers.

Authorities are launching new apps and ways to ease on to the process of pilgrimage registrations. Pilgrims coming to Makkah for Hajj and Umrah can make use of biometric self-registration. Also, due to many apps, people can see the infected individuals around them. The authorities are opting for new and best alternatives to make Umrah and Hajj secure. The authorities will serve holy water from the Zamzam well in single-use bottles. Moreover, the sterilization of bottles will effectively prevent any chances of spreading the COVID infection.

Ministry of Health And Hajj Authorities Recommendations

Authorities suggest worshippers take extra precautions on their part while performing pilgrimage. Further, they request the pilgrims to avoid unnecessary involvement with the crowd and wear masks in and out of Al-Haram. They should use sanitizers frequently, as suggested by the medical experts. Pilgrims should take advantage of online applications for visa and pilgrimage registrations. They should also install data-providing apps to identify COVID-19 infected individuals in their proximity. Finally, if a person feels sick and develops COVID-19 symptoms, the health ministry suggests they isolate themselves and seek medical guidance immediately.

In the wake of cases declining every day, Grand Mosque prepares to work at full capacity. Pilgrims can now pray restriction-free and focus on their devotion alone. As Hajj is an essential pilgrimage and is one of the five pillars of Islam, the excitement among the devotees for the restriction being lifting of is eminent. Skeptics are unsure about the safe Hajj and Umrah during COVID-19 as all are aware of the past havoc of the virus. But as the future is unstable and risks of new strains of infection loom worldwide, the authorities are on high alert. The authorities recommend pilgrims update themselves with the rules and regulations while performing Hajj and Umrah.

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Hajj to Mecca

Hajj is an obligation for every person who believes in Prophet Muhammad, and one must carry it out at least once in a lifetime. It takes place in the last month mentioned in the Islamic calendar, and after its completion, the pilgrim is called Hajji or al-Hajj. Pilgrims carry out the rituals for about five or six days.

It is believed that the rituals of Hajj have remained unchanged since inception. Hajj, also known as the major Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca, continues to draw millions of people every year to the holy city of Mecca.

What is the purpose an annual pilgrimage to Mecca?

Hajj is an opportunity to wipe clean the past sins, shortcomings and mistakes so that one can make a fresh start. After performing Hajj, Prophet Muhammad said that one attains freedom from evils, lusts and immoral crimes to become as new as an infant.

People who are not financially strong or are incapable of performing the pilgrimage, can even attend it by proxy. Hajj Badal allows one to ask a relative to perform the pilgrimage in their place and pray to Allah to forgive the sins and bless the heart.

Significance of Hajj

The main purpose of Hajj, the main Muslim pilgrimage to Makkah is to awaken the senses of pilgrims and provide them with the realisation of the purpose of their birth. It symbolises humility by discarding races and classes between people and allows them to interact freely with one another. They believe that the season of Hajj brings good fortune for Muslims, who come together to praise the almighty.

The Pillars of Hajj: The Islamic culture stands on five pillars – faith (shahada), alms-giving (zakat), fasting (sawm), prayer (salah) and pilgrimage (Hajj). Irrespective of the ethnicity, sectarian differences and region, Muslims uphold these pillars and consider them obligatory for all males and females of Sunni and Shia communities.

The Story of Hajj

One can trace the history of Hajj to 2,000 B.C. According to the old testament, Prophet Ibrahim left his wife and son, Hajra and Ishamel, in the dunes of Mecca. In the deserted place, when Ishmael got dehydrated, Hajra ran between the two hills of Safa and Marwa in search of water.

At last, she prayed to God, and an angel from heaven struck the ground, opening a water spring in front of the mother and son. It is believed that Prophet Ibrahim got a word from Allah to build a sacred place near the spring. The father and son duo worked hard and built a stone building, called Kaaba.

As Prophethood was bestowed upon Ishmael, he spoke to the people around and asked them to surrender themselves to Allah. The water source that saved his life was called the well of ZamZam. Since then, Mecca became a sacred city where Prophet Ibrahim and after him, Prophet Ishmael came every year to perform Hajj.

Years went on, and the people of Mecca started believing in other Gods and worshipped spirits. According to legends, it was at this time that Prophet Muhammad received a word from Allah to restore the sanctity of Kaaba and spread the word to worship Him alone. Around 628 CE, Prophet Muhammad and his followers started their journey to Mecca, re-established the purity of Kaaba and restored the tradition started by Prophet Ibrahim. It was the first Islamic pilgrimage.

Rituals Of Hajj

The major Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca needs a minimum of six days to complete. Key rituals that all pilgrims must perform during Hajj are:

Day 1: Pilgrims walk from Mecca to Mina and spend the day in camps making Salah, listening to lectures and reciting Talbiyah.
Day 2: Pilgrims visit Mount Arafat. It is renowned because legends say that Prophet Muhammad gave his final sermon here.
Day 3: This is the Day of Sacrifice and the first day of Eid. It follows a series of rituals – Rami (pelting stones at Jamarah al-Aqaba, the largest pillar), Qurbani (sacrifice of a goat, camel, sheep or cow), Halq (men shave their heads) and Taqsir (women trim their hair) and Tawaf al-Ziyarah (circling the Kaaba).
Day 4: Stones are pelted on Jamarah al-Ula (smallest pillar), Jamarah al-Wusta (middle pillar) and Jamarah al-Aqaba (largest pillar). After each pelting, Dua is performed.
Day 5: The same ritual is repeated on day five along with Fajr, an obligatory prayer before leaving Mecca.
Day 6: People perform farewell Tawaf, also called Tawaf al-Wida (another seven circles around Kaaba). It is followed by two Rakats and drinking of water from the well of ZamZam.

7 Steps of the Hajj Pilgrimage

Before performing the Mecca pilgrimage, pilgrims must make niyat and wear Ihram at a miqat. Then the pilgrims enter the holy boundaries to reach Masjid Al-Haram and the holy Kaaba for Hajj. Upon reaching the Grand Mosque, one has to perform Umrah and then follow the prescribed rituals. Here is how Hajj is performed step by step.

1. While in Ihram, state the intentions to perform Hajj

Pilgrims should make another intention to perform Hajj; once they have completed the Umrah.

2. Reach Mina

After offering the Fajar prayers, pilgrims should head to Mina and spend an entire day praying and performing the rituals of Hajj – Zuhr, Asr, Maghrib, and Isha.

3. Head to Mount Arafat for performing Wafuq

On the 9th day of Dhu-al-Hijjah or the 2nd day of Hajj, pilgrims head to Mount Arafat from Mina. While traveling, one should recite Labbaik Allahumma Labbaik’s Tasbeeh. Upon reaching Mount Arafat, pilgrims are required to perform Duhr and Asr along with Qasar prayers near the Jabal al-Rahmah from midday to sunset. The act is called Waquf.

4. Travel to Muzadalifah

After sunset, pilgrims reach Muzadalifah for Maghrib and Asr prayers. One can rest until the night before Fajr’s prayers to prepare for the next morning’s ritual of pelting the Devil. Pilgrims take equal sized pebbles to throw at the Devil. On the 10th day, Dhu al-Hijjah pilgrims depart for Makkah to do Tawaf al-Ifadah & Saee before sunset. They must return to Mina to perform Rami, Nahr, and Halq.

5. Perform Rami

Pilgrims are required to complete Rami or the stoning of the Devil on the 11th, 12th, and 13th days of Hajj. Seven stones of similar sizes are thrown at Jamrat al-Aqabah at noon each day. All pilgrims must depart for Makkah before sunset on 12th of Dhu al-Hijjah.

6. Perform Nahr or animal sacrifice

The stoning ceremony is only completed with animal sacrifice. Pilgrims can buy a sacrifice coupon or voucher, indicating that a sacrifice has taken place in their name. A lamb or a camel are the two options for sacrificial animals. The animal is slaughtered, and its meat is packed and given to the poor in the countries of the Middle East.

7. Carry Out Halq and Taqsir

Men should shave or trim their hair completely. It is forbidden for women to shave their heads. Women can get one hair strand or one lock cut. The cutting of hair signifies one’s separation from the world and submission to Allah.

Best Time to go for Hajj

The journey of Hajj, the Mecca pilgrimage, starts in the Islamic month of Dhul-Hijjah, 2 months and 10 days after the end of Ramadan. Kaaba is the most sacred shrine in the Islamic culture, and it becomes the destiny during the pilgrimage. Muslims follow a lunar calendar to decide the period for Hajj and therefore the dates, according to the Gregorian calendar, vary every year. One must plan and apply for a Hajj visa accordingly.

Rules & Regulations for Hajj

The government of Saudi Arabia lays down certain regulations for all Hajj pilgrims. A few of these regulations are as follows:

1. No pilgrim should enter the King Abdulaziz Airport in Jeddah for Hajj later than 4 Dhul-Hijjah of each year.
2. All pilgrims are required to leave the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia after Hajj is over. They must not stay later than the 10th of Muharram.
3. Depending on the country of residence, each traveller must present mandatory vaccination certificates.
4. If a traveller loses the passport, he or she must inform the office designated to take care of their well-being during Hajj.
5. One must not take outside food products in the land of Saudi Arabia.

Hajj 2022

Hajj 2022 saw pilgrims perform the holy pilgrimage after a break of two years. It has been a successful season but while maintaining the latest COVID protocols. The regulations for Hajj 2022 pilgrimage were strictly enforced to ensure the safety of all pilgrims. Besides these new guidelines, there are many rules and regulations for pilgrims aspiring for Hajj – the major Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca. From visa to health requirements to how to prepare, there is a lot for aspirants to know and learn before taking the pilgrimage. Keep reading to know more about the sacred Islamic pilgrimages of Hajj and Umrah.

Hajj Pilgrimage to Mecca FAQs

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