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HEALTH-VIRUS-SAUDI-RELIGION
Saudi Arabia reopens area around sacred Kaaba amid virus measures
MECCA, Saudi Arabia, March 7, 2020 (BSS/AFP) – Saudi Arabia reopened
Saturday the area around the sacred Kaaba in Mecca’s Grand Mosque, Islam’s
holiest site, reversing one of a series of measures introduced to combat the
coronavirus outbreak.
Saudi authorities this week suspended the year-round umrah pilgrimage,
during which worshippers circle the Kaaba seven times, and also announced the
temporary closure of the area around the cube structure.
But King Salman has “allowed for the opening of the Mataf (where people
circle the Kaaba) for non-umrah performers” starting on Saturday at dawn, the
official Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.
Hundreds of Muslims were seen rotating around the Kaaba, but the area
between two hills that pilgrims must go between seven times to complete umrah
remained closed.
Barricades blocked access to the Kaaba, draped in a gold-embroidered black
cloth, while men in green uniforms cleaned the white-tiled floor.
Authorities had emptied the Grand Mosque for sterilisation on Thursday.
The unprecedented suspension of the umrah has raised uncertainty over the
annual hajj pilgrimage, scheduled for the end of July.
Authorities have said prayers will be allowed at the Prophet’s Mosque in
Medina and in Mecca’s Grand Mosque while the umrah is suspended, apart from
during nighttime cleaning and sterilisation.
The suspension has left thousands of Muslim pilgrims in limbo.
Around two-thirds of the 18.3 million umrah participants in 2018 were
citizens and residents of the kingdom, according to government statistics.
– Additional measures –
On Saturday, SPA said entry into Saudi Arabia from the United Arab
Emirates, Kuwait and Bahrain would be “temporarily” restricted to three
airports in Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam.
Only commercial trucks will be allowed to cross by land, it added.
The newly established ministry of sports said it would “suspend public
attendance” at all sports events starting Saturday, reflecting calls across
the Gulf to cancel mass gatherings. Some 2.5 million faithful travelled to
Saudi Arabia from across the world in 2019 to take part in the hajj, which
all Muslims must perform at least once in their lives if able.
The event is a massive logistical challenge for Saudi authorities, with
colossal crowds cramming into relatively small holy sites, making attendees
vulnerable to contagion.
Already reeling from slumping oil prices, the Saudi kingdom risks losing
billions of dollars annually from religious tourism as it tightens access to
the sites.
BSS/AFP/FI/ 1916 hrs