Saudi Arabia has received the first overseas Hajj pilgrims, since COVID

• An Indonesian delegation has arrived in Medina and will travel south to Mecca in the following weeks.
• Group of Hajj pilgrims from Indonesia has arrived in Medina, from whence they will journey to Mecca.
• Marking the entrance of the first group of pilgrims from outside the kingdom in two years due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Saudi Arabia declared last month that it will allow one million individuals — both inside and outside the kingdom – to undertake the Hajj in July; up from approximately 60,000 last year and less than 1,000 in 2020.

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Hajj 2022 Pilgrims

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“We welcomed the first group of this year’s pilgrims from Indonesia today, and planes from Malaysia and India will continue;” the country’s Hajj Ministry’s Mohammed al-Bijawi told the state-run Al-Ekhbariya station.

“Today, after a two-year hiatus due to the epidemic; we are glad to welcome God’s guests from outside the kingdom,” he said, adding that Saudi Arabia is “completely equipped” to accommodate them.

The Hajj is one of Islam’s five pillars; all Muslims who have the financial means must perform it at least once in their lifetimes.