Cairo: More than a week after the commencement of the new season of Umrah or lesser pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia, authorities there have stepped up efforts to help domestic and foreign Muslims planning to perform the rites with ease and comfort.
Umrah at the Grand Mosque, Islam’s holiest site in Mecca, is undertaken after obtaining an official permit specifying the date and timing for the rituals.
The kingdom’s Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has repeatedly urged the Umrah pilgrims to show up according to the appointments set in their permits.
But what if a pilgrim failed to show up on time for any reason?
In such a case, the Umrah permit can be cancelled and a new appointment for doing the rites is reserved, the ministry has explained.
Saudi Arabia expects around 10 million Muslims from abroad to do Umrah during the current season.
The Umrah season got underway last week, timed with the start of the Islamic lunar Hijri year.
It followed the annual Islamic Hajj pilgrimage that around 1.8 million Muslims attended for the first time in three years after pandemic-related restrictions were lifted.
Muslims who cannot afford Hajj flock to Saudi Arabia around the year to perform Umrah.
The ministry has called on pilgrims to help ease congestion at the circumambulation courtyard around the Holy Kaaba at the Grand Mosque.
Directives include smooth access to the courtyard, pursuing the ritual encircling non-stop and avoiding performing prayers on the circumambulation tracks.
In recent months, Saudi Arabia has unveiled a host of facilities for overseas Muslims to come to the country to do Umrah.
Muslims holding different types of entry visas such as personal, visit and tourist visas are allowed to undertake Umrah and visit Al Rawda Al Sharifa, where the tomb of the Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him) is located at the Prophet’s Mosque in Medina after booking an e-appointment.
Saudi authorities have extended the Umrah visa from 30 days to 90 days and allowed holders to enter the kingdom via all land, air and sea outlets and leave from any airport.
The kingdom has also said that expatriates residing in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries are eligible to apply for a tourist visa, regardless of their profession, and be able to perform Umrah.
