Riyadh: All preparations have been completed for Haj starting June 26.
Sheikh Abdul Rahman Al-Sudais, head of the General Presidency for the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques, said in an interview with the state-run Al Ekhbariya television channel on Saturday.
“All the preparations for the Haj season bode well. By following our lead, we are optimistic about an exceptional, safe, and easy Haj season this year, to prove to the world that our religion is a religion of moderation,” Al-Sudais said.
The Kingdom expects to receive two million pilgrims during this season. For being the first to be held completely without restrictions after varying closures in recent years due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The number of pilgrims during the 2022 season reached 899,353, including 779,919 from outside the Kingdom, while the 2021 season was limited to 60,000, compared to only 10,000 in 2020.
Saudi Arabia received 2.5 million pilgrims in 2019, the last season before the pandemic.
Haj is one of the largest religious gatherings in the world and is considered a religious duty that must be completed during the life of every healthy and economically capable Muslim.
