Muslims begin haj in Mecca but ceremony downsized due to coronavirus pandemic
- Pilgrims will be required to wear masks and observe social distancing during a series of rites to be completed over five days in the holy city
- Only 10,000 people already living in Saudi Arabia will participate, a fraction of the 2.5 million who attended last year
The haj, one of the five pillars of Islam and a must for able-bodied Muslims at least once in their lifetime, is usually one of the world’s largest religious gatherings.
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Haj pilgrimage in Mecca downsized due to coronavirus pandemic
But this year only up to 10,000 people already residing in the kingdom will participate in the ritual, a tiny fraction of the 2.5 million pilgrims from around the world that attended last year.
Pilgrims walked into Mecca’s Grand Mosque to begin the ritual with their first tawaf, the circumambulation of the Kaaba, a large cubic structure draped in gold-embroidered cloth towards which Muslims around the world pray.
Pilgrims were brought in small batches, walking along paths marked on the floor, in sharp contrast to the haj in previous years when a sea of humanity swirled around the Kaaba.
The tawaf, which involves walking around the structure seven times, was completed in “record time”, a security commander told state media.
“This is an indescribable feeling,” said Mohamed Ibrahim, a 43-year-old Egyptian electrician who was among the pilgrims chosen. “It feels like a dream.”