Saudi Arabia Opens Umrah Pilgrimage to Vaccinated Worshipers From Abroad

Muslims, keeping a safe social distance, pray as they perform Umrah at the Grand Mosque after Saudi authorities ease the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) restrictions, in the holy city of Makkah, Saudi Arabia, November 1, 2020. Saudi Press Agency/Handout via REUTERS
Muslims, keeping a safe social distance, pray as they perform Umrah at the Grand Mosque after Saudi authorities ease the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) restrictions, in the holy city of Makkah, Saudi Arabia, November 1, 2020. Saudi Press Agency/Handout via REUTERS
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Saudi Arabia Opens Umrah Pilgrimage to Vaccinated Worshipers From Abroad

Muslims, keeping a safe social distance, pray as they perform Umrah at the Grand Mosque after Saudi authorities ease the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) restrictions, in the holy city of Makkah, Saudi Arabia, November 1, 2020. Saudi Press Agency/Handout via REUTERS
Muslims, keeping a safe social distance, pray as they perform Umrah at the Grand Mosque after Saudi authorities ease the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) restrictions, in the holy city of Makkah, Saudi Arabia, November 1, 2020. Saudi Press Agency/Handout via REUTERS

Saudi Arabia will gradually begin receiving Umrah pilgrimage requests from abroad for vaccinated pilgrims starting Aug. 9 after about a year and a half of not receiving overseas worshippers due to the COVID-19 pandemic, state news agency (SPA) reported early on Sunday.

With a capacity that would rise to 2 million pilgrims from 60,000 pilgrims per month, Makkah and Medina will start welcoming visitors from abroad to their mosques while maintaining COVID-19 precautionary measures.

An official in the Hajj and Umrah Ministry said domestic and overseas pilgrims will have to include authorized COVID-19 vaccination certificates along with their Umrah request.

Vaccinated pilgrims from countries that Saudi Arabia includes on its entry-ban list will have to be institutionally quarantined upon arrival, the report added.

Umrah, a pilgrimage to Islam's two holiest sites that is undertaken at any time of the year, was reopened in October for domestic worshippers after it was totally upon the outbreak of the pandemic.

Islam's holiest sites' home for the second year in a row had hosted a limited-numbered, domestic Haj pilgrimage in July.



Saudi Crown Prince Performs Funeral Prayer for Late Prince Mohammed bin Fahd

The Saudi Crown Prince performed the funeral prayer for the late Prince Mohammed bin Fahd bin Abdulaziz after the Asr prayer on Wednesday. SPA
The Saudi Crown Prince performed the funeral prayer for the late Prince Mohammed bin Fahd bin Abdulaziz after the Asr prayer on Wednesday. SPA
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Saudi Crown Prince Performs Funeral Prayer for Late Prince Mohammed bin Fahd

The Saudi Crown Prince performed the funeral prayer for the late Prince Mohammed bin Fahd bin Abdulaziz after the Asr prayer on Wednesday. SPA
The Saudi Crown Prince performed the funeral prayer for the late Prince Mohammed bin Fahd bin Abdulaziz after the Asr prayer on Wednesday. SPA

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, who is also the Saudi Prime Minister, performed the funeral prayer for the late Prince Mohammed bin Fahd bin Abdulaziz after the Asr prayer on Wednesday at Imam Turki bin Abdullah Grand Mosque in Riyadh.

Upon his arrival at the mosque, the Crown Prince was received by several princes.

Prince Mohammed bin Fahd bin Abdulaziz was laid to rest at Al-Oud Cemetery in Riyadh.