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ILLUSTRASI. Haji dan Umrah. Saudi Press Agency / Brochure via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS: THIS PHOTO WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY.
Source: Arab news | Editor: Handoyo.
KONTAN.CO.ID – JEDDAH. After more than six months, barring the pilgrimage, the Great Mosque of Mecca has opened its doors to the first group of pilgrims to perform Umrah as a sign of welcome from new beginnings.
More than 1.8 billion Muslims around the world will rejoice when the lucky first Umrah pilgrims enter the mosque at 6 am Sunday after registering through the Eatmarna app of the Hajj and Umrah Ministry.
Saudi Arabia cracked down on the pandemic and suspended Umrah and prayers in mosques in mid-March. The kingdom also suspended international flights and implemented a lockdown to prevent cases of the Covid-19 virus from reaching unprecedented levels.
To accommodate a quota of 6,000 pilgrims per day, the Ministry of Haj and Umrah has established five meeting points, including the sites of Al-Gaza, Ajyad and Al-Shasha, where pilgrims will meet and join the professionals of the health on buses to the Great Mosque.
To welcome first arrivals, thermal cameras will be placed at the entrances and within the corridors of the Great Mosque to monitor body temperature spikes and issue alerts if necessary. The plans were drawn up at the start of the pandemic to ensure the safety of visitors and allow swift action against potential cases of the virus.
Read also: Visitors to the Kiswah complex in Saudi Arabia are limited to 25 people.
The General Presidency of Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques, in collaboration with other authorities, has completed the preparations to welcome the pilgrims with strict precautions and precautions. About 1,000 employees have been trained to monitor the Umrah rituals at the Great Mosque.
The mosque will be cleaned 10 times a day between the attendance of each group. More cleanings will also take place in high-traffic areas, including fountains, carpets, and bathrooms. The escalator to the top floor has also been equipped with cleaning tools, while hand-washing equipment has been placed at the entrance to the mosque.
The first phase of the Umrah will cover 6,000 worshipers a day. The second phase will begin two weeks later, on October 18, and will involve between 15,000 and 40,000 faithful each day, while in the third phase, between 20,000 and 60,000 faithful will be allowed to perform the ritual every day, including the faithful from abroad. .
The air conditioning system has also been equipped with ultraviolet sanitation technology, while the crew will maintain the air filter cleaning schedule nine times a day in three different stages. The presidency has launched several initiatives, including a “Kammamat” (cover), to ensure the safety of the Hajj.
With a capacity of 2.5 million pilgrims, the area of the Mataf Circle (Mataf) around the Kaaba was chosen by the pilgrims of the Umrah to perform the ritual. A special route, similar to the Haj pilgrimage in August, has been introduced to facilitate access.
The president of the General Presidency of the Two Holy Mosques, Sheikh Dr. Abdulrahman Al-Sudais, referred to the approval of the government of King Salman, which allowed pilgrims to Umrah in the Holy Mosque and visit Rawdah in the Mosque of the Prophet complying with preventive measures.
Al-Sudais said the royal approval reflected the keenness of the Saudi leadership to ensure the safety of visitors to the holy mosque and came in response to Muslims’ desire to perform Umrah.
