The ministry of interior has said that Saudi Arabia will gradually resume the year-round Umrah pilgrimage from 4th October, seven months after it was suspended because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The ministry said in a statement published by the official Saudi Press Agency that in the first stage 6,000 citizens and residents within the kingdom will be allowed to perform the Umrah per day from 4th October.
The statement also read that visitors from outside the kingdom will be permitted from November 1, when umrahs capacity will be raised to 20,000 pilgrims per day.
The umrah, which refers to the Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca that can be undertaken at any time of year, attracts millions of Muslims from across the globe each year.
The ministry said Umrah would be allowed to resume at full capacity once the threat of the pandemic is eliminated.
