Hajj organizers prepare to cancel pilgrimage because of pandemic

The coming days will show whether pilgrims will be able to get to Mecca this year, the Russian Hajj Mission announces.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that this year, pilgrimage tours to Saudi Arabia are under threat of cancellation because of the coronavirus pandemic. Nevertheless, republics of Northern Caucasus began accepting applications from Muslims who would like to perform the Hajj pilgrimage. There is a decrease in the demand for trips from pilgrims from Northern Caucasus, not only because of the spread of the coronavirus infection, but also because of the depreciation of the Russian rouble, tour operators explain.

The office of Ilyas Umakhanov, Hajj Commissioner at the Russian Government Commission on Religious Organisations, has confirmed that the decision concerning the possibility for the Hajj pilgrimages is expected until June 22.

According to the Financial Times, apart from the complete cancellation of the Hajj pilgrimages, an option is being considered to allow pilgrimages for a small number of pilgrims, subject to strict precautions.

Hajj pilgrimages to Mecca have never been cancelled since the foundation of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in 1932. The question about the cancellation was raised after the number of coronavirus-infected people in the country exceeded 100,000.

Let us remind you that in March, Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov criticized a Chechen native who performed a small Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca. According to the leader of Chechnya, the man did not isolate himself for quarantine, but gathered people around him.