World Jun 01

Muslims arrive ahead of the annual hajj pilgrimage to the grand mosque in the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia cracks down on Hajj permits to prevent overcrowding

Saudi officials said they had stopped 269,678 people without permits from entering Mecca, and blamed overcrowding at the Hajj on unauthorized participants. It also says they made up large numbers of those who died in last year’s searing summer heat.

World Jul 18

SAUDI-HEALTH-VIRUS-RELIGION-ISLAM-HAJJ
Virus transforms hajj in Mecca and future of the pilgrimage

The pared down hajj of this year and last due to the COVID-19 outbreak not only impacts the ability of people outside Saudi Arabia to fulfill the Islamic obligation but also the billions of dollars annually that Saudi Arabia draws…

Mar 04

Virus halts pilgrimages to Mecca, Friday prayers in Iran

The coronavirus outbreak is disrupting Islamic worship in the Middle East. Saudi Arabia banned its citizens and other residents of the kingdom from performing the pilgrimage in Mecca and Iran canceled Friday prayers in major cities. The decisions affected both…