Saudi Arabia to allow one million hajj pilgrims this year

SaudiArabiasaid Saturday it will permit onemillionMuslims from inside and outside the country to participate in thisyear'shajj, a sharp uptick after pandemic restrictions forced two years of drastically pared-down pilgrimages.

Thehajjministry "has authorised onemillionpilgrims, both foreign and domestic, to perform thehajjthisyear," it said in astatement.

One of the five pillars of Islam, thehajjmust be undertaken by all Muslims with the means at least once in their lives. Usually one of the world's largest religious gatherings, about 2.5millionpeople took part in 2019.

But after the onset of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020,Saudiauthorities allowed only 1,000pilgrimsto participate.

The followingyear, they upped the total to 60,000 fully vaccinated residents chosen through a lottery.

The restrictions have stoked resentment among Muslims abroad who were barred. Saturday's announcement said thisyear'shajjwould be limited to vaccinatedpilgrimsunder age 65.

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Those coming from outsideSaudiArabiawill be required to submit a negative Covid-19 PCR result from a test taken within 72 hours of travel.

The government wants to ensurepilgrims' safety "while ensuring that the maximum number of Muslims worldwide can perform thehajj", Saturday'sstatementsaid.

Thehajjconsists of a series of religious rites that are completed over five days in Islam's holiest city, Mecca, and surrounding areas of westernSaudiArabia.

Hosting thehajjis a matter of prestige forSaudirulers, as the custodianship of Islam's holiest sites is the most powerful source of their political legitimacy.