The government of Indonesia has cancelled the Hajj Pilgrimage 2021 for the second time due to the novel Coronavirus outbreak.
The Minister of Religion, Yaqut Cholil Qoumas announced the cancellation of the departure of the 2021 #Hajj pilgrims at a press conference at the Ministry of Religion, Jakarta (3/6). The decision was taken to prioritize the safety & health of the pilgrims.
According to the religious affairs ministry, Saudi Arabia has not opened access to the Hajj after which Indonesia cancels the Pilgrimage amidst COVID fears.
Last year, more than 220,000 people from the world’s biggest Muslim-majority country were set to take part in Hajj.
However, Intending pilgrims from Indonesia, who have been on a pilgrimage waiting list for years, are disappointed after the government’s decision.
Indonesia, the country with the most Muslim majority, also provides the largest number of Hajj pilgrims.
According to this division, Indonesia ranks up highest in terms of Muslims arriving for Hajj in Mecca followed by Pakistan and India in second and third positions.
Earlier in 2020, the Indonesian government had cancelled the departure of pilgrims for Hajj 2020 due to health concerns amid Coronavirus.
The religious affairs minister had explained this decision was made after much consideration, especially regarding health concerns.
“The religion itself teaches that protecting the soul is an obligation that must be prioritized. ”
“These all become the basis for consideration in making the policy, “he said during a press conference.
He had added that the global scale pandemic has affected the social aspects of religious worship.
Hajj, the pilgrimage to Islam’s holiest sites in the cities of Mecca and Medina, is one of the five pillars of Islam.
Muslims required to perform Hajj at least once in their life if they are able to do so.
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