Riyadh, Jun 17: Saudi Arabia is expected to scale back or call off this year's hajj pilgrimage for the first time in its modern history, observers say, a perilous decision as coronavirus cases spike.
Muslim nations are pressing Riyadh to give its much-delayed decision on whether the annual ritual will go ahead as scheduled in late July.
But as the kingdom negotiates a call fraught with political and economic risks in a tinderbox region, time is running out to organise logistics for one of the world's largest mass gatherings.
A full-scale hajj, which last year drew about 2.5 million pilgrims, appears increasingly unlikely after authorities advised Muslims in late March to defer preparations due to the fast-spreading disease.
"It's a toss-up between holding a nominal hajj and scrapping it entirely," a South Asian official in contact with Saudi hajj authorities said.
A Saudi official said: "The decision will soon be made and announced."
Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim nation, withdrew from the pilgrimage this month after pressing Riyadh for clarity, with a minister calling it a "very bitter and difficult decision".
Malaysia, Senegal and Singapore followed suit with similar announcements.
Many other countries with Muslim populations -- from Egypt and Morocco to Turkey, Lebanon and Bulgaria -- have said they are still awaiting Riyadh's decision.
In countries like France, faith leaders have urged Muslims to "postpone" their pilgrimage plans until next year due to the prevailing risks.
The hajj, a must for able-bodied Muslims at least once in their lifetime, represents a major potential source of contagion as it packs millions of pilgrims into congested religious sites.
But any decision to limit or cancel the event risks annoying Muslim hardliners for whom religion trumps health concerns.
It could also trigger renewed scrutiny of the Saudi custodianship of Islam's holiest sites -- the kingdom's most powerful source of political legitimacy.
A series of deadly disasters over the years, including a 2015 stampede that killed up to 2,300 worshippers, has prompted criticism of the kingdom's management of the hajj.
"Saudi Arabia is caught between the devil and the deep blue sea," Umar Karim, a visiting fellow at the Royal United Services Institute in London, told AFP.
"The delay in announcing its decision shows it understands the political consequences of cancelling the hajj or reducing its scale."
"Buying time"
The kingdom is "buying time" as it treads cautiously, the South Asian official said.
"At the last minute if Saudi says 'we are ready to do a full hajj', (logistically) many countries will not be in a position" to participate, he said.
Amid an ongoing suspension of international flights, a reduced hajj with only local residents is a likely scenario, the official added.
A decision to cancel the hajj would be a first since the kingdom was founded in 1932.
Saudi Arabia managed to hold the pilgrimage during previous outbreaks of Ebola and MERS.
But it is struggling to contain the virus amid a serious spike in daily cases and deaths since authorities began easing a nationwide lockdown in late May.
In Saudi hospitals, sources say intensive care beds are fast filling up and a growing number of health workers are contracting the virus as the total number of cases has topped 130,000. Deaths surpassed 1,000 on Monday.
To counter the spike, authorities this month tightened lockdown restrictions in the city of Jeddah, gateway to the pilgrimage city of Mecca.
"Heartbroken"
"The hajj is the most important spiritual journey in the life of any Muslim, but if Saudi Arabia proceeds in this scenario it will not only exert pressure on its own health system," said Yasmine Farouk from the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.
"It could also be widely held responsible for fanning the pandemic."
A cancelled or watered-down hajj would represent a major loss of revenue for the kingdom, which is already reeling from the twin shocks of the virus-induced slowdown and a plunge in oil prices.
The smaller year-round umrah pilgrimage was already suspended in March.
Together, they add $12 billion to the Saudi economy every year, according to government figures.
A negative decision would likely disappoint millions of Muslim pilgrims around the world who often invest their life savings and endure long waiting lists to make the trip.
"I can't help but be heartbroken -- I've been waiting for years," Indonesian civil servant Ria Taurisnawati, 37, told AFP as she sobbed.
"All my preparations were done, the clothes were ready and I got the necessary vaccination. But God has another plan."
Comments
What is ur problem Mr ,go and do ur business don't interfere in our rights.
Someone must check Christina's adhar card sorry, ur id card Whether she Indian or not.
For my sisters you don't go to such college you can go to Madarasha it's best for you in this life and hereafter best education where you get .for the principal first change ur name.
why you send muslim girls to clg.. let them sit at home and help your parents problem is slowed. PFI brother dont waste your time and do not encourage
why muslim girls students using mobile can you stop tiz some of our muslim girl students roaming inside city centre can you stop tiz mybrother
go and wacth inside city centre on friday after many our commuinty student weariing hijab and roaming with their boy friend kindly try to stop tiz
I request the principles sister to were a normal dress insted of religious dress she is wearing , let her be an example for the rules she has set.
I am asking now only muslims wake up when any some so called muslims their marriges arraenging in this christhian churches why? in mangalore no muslim marrige halls ? these all are only for gimik. The college was against the sharia simply, change the college why this college only. if done like this this kind of all colleges they learn lesson .
Their marriage halls we have issue their they cooking haram things & we also cooking hallal then we no problem, because this all our dignity .throw your dignity follow Quran & Sunnah and became original muslim
If clg rules are against democracy we hv to chnge clg rules not our rights.
When injustice becomes law be on the side of justice
thn islam is peace & beautiful bt the systems are against islam thn this islam also hv certain stratagy & thts thought by prophet (s.a)
Secular? If right to cover the head is not secular for you, then there are million christians/hindu women out there wearing head scarfs including former President Prathiba Patil. So, you mean to say that they all cannot have education in India?
Ughhhhh. Individual choice yes. But college has certain rules. You don't want to follow the rules, you don't join that particular college. Also, Islam is a very beautiful religion. Let's not make it all about the Hijab.
100% they are Indians as they are fighting for their rights which is guaranteed by INDIAN CONSTITUTION. Now could you pls chek your voter ID and of the Principal who made rules against the constitution which is legally termed as Anti-Indian rule.
How can this Principal wearing head scarf frame college laws which is against to the constitution of India. Why she is allowing her sibling nuns wearing Hijab like dress and head scarf attend classes in the same college? What is her hidden agenda? How can she justify her draconian dictat??
Someone must check the voter IDs of protesters to find out whether they are really Indians
Why do these bigots go to a secular college if they want Taliban rules?
At one side head of the institutions are wearing head scarf and allowing Christion nuns whose dress code includes head scarf to follow their tradition. On the other side they are objecting Muslim girls to wear head scarf which is similar as their scarf. May I call it as #hypocrisy
Please decent girls don’t go to that college.
Students all are equal in the college
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