MECCA (SAUDI ARABIA) – After a lull of seven months, Mecca slowly woke up from its stupor on Sunday as pilgrims trickled in. This comes as Saudi authorities partially lifted a COVID-19-induced ban on performing umrah – a pilgrimage to the two holiest shrines of Islam.
Believers from around the world come to Saudi Arabia for umrah and the haj pilgrimage. Though both share common rites, the haj, which is held once a year, is the main lengthier ritual and it is a once-in-a-lifetime obligation for Muslims.
Earlier this year, the nation held a symbolic haj limited to domestic pilgrims. Now it has allowed citizens and expatriate workers to perform umrah as of Sunday with the capacity limited to 30% or 6,000 pilgrims. Believers from overseas can visit the country from Nov. 1.
Last year, there were 19 million umrah pilgrims.
“All of Mecca is happy today, it’s like the end of a jail term. We have missed the spiritual feeling of pilgrims roaming the city,” said Yasser al-Zahrani, who was forced to become a Uber driver after losing his job as a construction worker.
“I pray we never go through the past few months again, it was a nightmare … there was barely any work to cover my bills,” he said.
Before the outbreak of the pandemic, there were more than 1,300 hotels and hundreds of shops which remained open round the clock to cater to thousands of pilgrims visiting the holy cities of Mecca and Medina.
Many of the establishments are now closed.
As of midnight there were small groups of pilgrims sporting face masks waiting for their turn to enter the Grand Mosque.
Social distancing was enforced as they encircled the Kaaba, a stone structure which is considered sacred by Muslims who face its direction each time they pray wherever they are.
Believers are no longer allowed to kiss the structure which is draped in a black cloth adorned with Arabic calligraphy in gold.
