COVID-19: Kaaba courtyard limited to ritual circumambulation

Cairo: A courtyard around the Holy Kaaba in Mecca’s Grand Mosque will be designated for ritual circumambulation only starting from Sunday when Umrah resumes, according to a senior official.

President-General for Affairs of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque Abdulrahman Al Sudais directed the designation to allow the pilgrims to perform the ritual easily and smoothly, Saudi news portal Sabq reported today.

“This step is taken to protect the pilgrims’ safety and help them perform the ritual perfectly after approval of gradual resumption of the umrah and visits,” he added.

Last week, Saudi authorities unveiled a plan for a phased restart of Umrah and visits to the two holy mosques in Mecca and Medina, starting from early October.

The entry of pilgrims to the holy site is regulated through the smartphone App “I’tamarna” which translates to “We’ve performed the Umrah”.

Saudis and foreign residents in the kingdom will be allowed in the first phase beginning October 4 to perform Umrah at a capacity of 30 per cent amid stringent precautions against the spread of COVID-19.

Muslims abroad will be allowed to go to Saudi Arabia to perform Umrah as of November 1.