www.spa.com Saudi Arabia has issued over 1.2 million visas for pilgrims intending to perform the annual hajj (pilgrimage) to the holy city of Mecca, scheduled to take place in the last two weeks of January.
" Over 1.2 million pilgrims were granted visas," said Foreign Ministry Undersecretary for Consular Affairs Ibrahim al-Kharashi, in a statement carried Saudi Press Agency.
Kharashi announced also that visas issued for performing umrah (minor pilgrimage) during the current Islamic calendar year 1425, which ends in over a month, increased by 16 percent to over 2.6 million.
All Muslims are required to make the pilgrimage to Mecca, one of the five pillars of Islam, at least once in their lifetime, if they have the means to do so.
Official figures put the total number of pilgrims performing last year's hajj at 1,892,710, with 1,419,706 from abroad and 473,004 Saudis and other Muslim residents of the kingdom. |