Hajj Concludes Sunday, Pilgrims to Self-Isolate
The Hajj pilgrimage will end on Sunday with worhsippers performing the final “farewell” tawaf, or circumambulation of the holy Kaaba, at the Grand Mosque in Makkah city.
The pilgrims will conclude their holy journey with home isolation as part of the ongoing precautions against the novel coronavirus.
The pilgrims will kick off the final day of the Hajj at dawn on Sunday with the ritual stoning of the devil, by collecting small, medium and large stones, said Saudi deputy minister of Hajj and Umrah, Dr. Abdul Fattah al-Mashat.
They will then head to Mina and at 4:00 pm, they will depart to the Grand Mosque for the final tawaf.
They will be tested for the coronavirus soon after concluding the rituals ahead of their departure from Makkah, he added.
The first day of the stoning of the devil began on Saturday amid heavy security and health measures. Authorities ensured that social distancing measures were adopted and the pilgrims were presented with a souvenir gift from the Hajj and Umrah Ministry on the occasion of the Eid al-Adha holiday.
The disinfection of the Grand Mosque continued on Saturday. The holy mosque has been disinfected at a rate of ten times per day.
The Saudi Health Ministry said there have been no cases of the COVID-19 illness among this year's pilgrims. Government precautions included testing pilgrims for the virus, monitoring their movement with electronic wristbands and requiring them to quarantine before and after.
