Tag: Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Hajj to be limited to 60,000 pilgrims in Kingdom this year – Saudi Arabia

Aminu Imam

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia says this years Hajj pilgrimage will be limited to no more than 60,000 people, all of them from within the kingdom, due to the on-going coronavirus pandemic. The kingdom made the announcement this Saturday, on its state-run Saudi Press Agency. It cited the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah for making the decision.In last year’s hajj, as few as 1,000 people already residing in Saudi Arabia were selected to take part in the Hajj. Two-thirds were foreign residents from among the 160 different nationalities that would…

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Saudi Arabia lifts travel ban from 11 countries

Aminu Imam

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will lift the travel ban that was imposed on people arriving from 11 countries to curb the spread of coronavirus disease (Covid-19), the State news agency reported yesterday. Citing people familiar with the development, the Saudi Press Agency, (SPA), said that the travel ban will be lifted from 11 countries starting at 1 a.m on Monday (local time). However, the travellers from these countries will be required to go through institutional quarantine, SPA reported. Earlier this month, Saudi Arabia allowed vaccinated individuals to fly abroad…

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Saudi Arabia considers barring foreign pilgrims from 2021 Hajj Report

Aminu Imam

Saudi Arabia has said it is considering barring overseas pilgrims from the annual Hajj for the second year running as Covid-19 cases rise globally and worries grow about the emergence of new variants, two sources familiar with the matter said yesterday. Such a move, it said, would restrict the pilgrimage to Mecca, a once-in-a-lifetime duty for every able-bodied Muslim who can afford it, to Saudi nationals and residents of the Kingdom who were vaccinated or have recovered from Covid-19 at least months prior to attending.  While discussions about a possible…

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Sheikh Sudais completes 38 years as Imam of Masjid Al Haram in Makkah

Aminu Imam

Sheikh Abdul Rahman Al Sudais, on Sunday, completed 38 years of his appointment as Imam of Masjid-al-Haram, Makkah, in Saudi Arabia. Accordine to HaramainSharifain.com, Sheikh Sudais was appointed as Imam of Masjid-al-Haram, Makkah by Royal Decree issued by the Late Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Fahad bin-Abdulaziz in 1984/1404, at the age of 22 years. Sheikh Sudais led his first Salah on 22 Shaban, 1404, corresponding to May, 1984. His First Salah in the Haram was the Asr prayer. Since then, Sheikh Sudais became beloved by Muslims around…

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Hajj 2021 to take place as usual with no limits, Saudi King assures

Aminu Imam

King Salman, of Saudi Arabia, has assured that Hajj 2021 will take place as per schedule with no pilgrims limit, Reuters news agency has reported. Unlike the Hajj in 2020, when only a few pilgrims were allowed to perform it, In 2021, the Saudi king has given go-ahead as the holy sites are geared for fighting against the ongoing pandemic, coronavirus. However, according to the Hajj and Umrah Ministry of Saudi Arabia, getting the Coronavirus vaccine is mandatory for Hajj in 2021. It was earlier announced that the Covid vaccine…

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COVID-19 vaccination compulsory for Hajj pilgrims in 2021

Aminu Imam

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has mandated pilgrims to be vaccinated against COVID-19 ahead of 2021 Hajj. The Kingdom’s Health Minister, Tawfiq al-Rabiah, made the disclosure in a circular issued on Monday. The COVID-19 vaccine is mandatory for those willing to come to the Hajj and will be one of the main conditions (for receiving a permit to come), the minister stated. In 2019, the pilgrimage programme recorded over two million visitors across the globe. The pilgrimage, however, suffered a huge setback in 2020 due to the out-break of COVID-19…

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Saudi women can join military, in latest widening of rights

Aminu Imam

Women in Saudi Arabia can now take up arms and enter the military, which is the latest profession in the Kingdom to open up to female recruits. According to the Saudi-based Arab News. Saudi Arabian women can be employed as soldiers, lance corporals, corporals, sergeants, and staff sergeants The plan to allow women into the military was first announced in 2019, the same year the kingdom said it would allow women to leave the country without permission from a male relative, a major step toward ending a restrictive guardianship system…

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Covid-19: Saudi Arabia bars entry from 20 countries

Aminu Imam

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, on Tuesday, suspended entry from 20 countries, ranging from some neighbouring States to the United States, in a bid to curb a jump in coronavirus infections.  The Interior Ministry announced the temporary suspension would be effective from 9.00 pm (Saudi time) yesterday,  Wednesday, according to the official Saudi Press Agency. The ban applies to neighbouring Egypt and the United Arab Emirates, (UAE) and in the wider region, to Lebanon and Turkey, but it excludes Nigeria. The announcement comes after Saudis health minister Tawfiq al-Rabiah warned…

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Saudi Arabia to re-open borders pre-Covid on March 31st

Aminu Imam

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has announced the re-opening of all borders including international flights and lifting of all restrictions to pre Covid-19 measures as from March 31st, 2021.  The Kingdom has also allowed the travelling of Citizens abroad starting from March 31st. Saudi Citizens are banned from travelling abroad since March of last year. The Kingdoms Interior Ministry also said that a thorough analysis of the Covid-19 measures before reopening of Flights. Earlier, the Kingdom announced the reopening of all borders and lifting of all restrictions from January 1st,…

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