Arab and Islamic organizations have hailed and supported the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's decision to hold Hajj season this year 1441H with a very limited number from different nationalities inside the Kingdom. The United Arab Emirates Council for Fatwa and Sharia has praised the decision, stressing that everyone should abide by the instructions issued by the government of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz based on its sovereign and legal responsibility to care for pilgrims, Umrah performers and visitors and help it to maintain the health and safety of all. For its part, the Omani Ministry of Endowments and Religious Affairs asserted that this decision puts the safety of all pilgrims as a top priority in light of increasing number of COVID19-infected cases around the world. For his part, Dr. Amjad Shamouat, Chairman of the Arab Bridge Center for Human Rights, said in a statement to Saudi Press Agency (SPA) that this decision is wise and preserves the health and safety of pilgrims in light of COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, the Head of the Tourism and Civil Aviation Committee in Parliament, Amr Sidqi, said in a statement today that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is taking good measures in facing COVID-19 pandemic, indicating that limiting Hajj to citizens and residents inside the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia makes controlling and conducting medical examinations on pilgrims easier than receiving pilgrims from abroad. For his part, President of Peru Islamic Association, Zuhair Mustafa Ismail praised the sincere efforts made by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia being led by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and His Royal Highness Crown Prince in serving the Two Holy Mosques and pilgrims. For his part, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Senegal, Amadou Ba, praised the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's decision to hold Hajj this year 1441 AH, with limited numbers for various nationalities who are inside the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, describing it as the correct decision. Moreover, Sheikh Hamoud bin Abdullah Al Khalifa, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Bahrain to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, described the decision as wise, and reflects the keenness of the Saudi government on the health and safety of pilgrims and protect them from COIVD-19 pandemic. For its part, the Ministry of Hajj and Religious Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan supported Kingdom's decision in order to protect pilgrims' lives and thanked the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and HRH Crown Prince for serving Muslims around the world. Moreover, Yemeni scholars described the Kingdom's decision as wise, adding that the decision protects lives from the novel coronavirus pandemic. For his part, the Chairman of the World Muslim Communities Council Dr. Ali Rashid Al-Nuaimi noted the importance of performing this ritual in compliance with precautionary procedures, officials' directives and guidelines, as well as requirements for prevention and social distancing to protect people from Coronavirus pandemic. Moreover, the government of the Union of the Comoros said in a statement today that this wise decision is fully consistent with all precautionary and preventive measures taken by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's government from the beginning of this pandemic's outbreak. For its part, the Australian National Imams Council (ANIC) affirmed the importance of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's decision at the present time, in order to preserve the interest and health of Muslims and control Coronavirus pandemic to prevent its spread at local and global levels. Moreover, the Supreme Council of Muslims in Madagascar said in a statement that this decision as wise and proper, as it was issued with the aim of preserving global health security, especially with the increasing rates of coronavirus infections in the world. For his part, the Head of the Islamic Call Center for Latin America and the Caribbean States Ahmed bin Ali Al-Saifi indicated that holding this ritual in compliance with the precautionary procedures, as well as the requirements for prevention and social distancing comes to protect human lives from COVID-19 pandemic that has affected more than 180 countries around the world. For his part, the Minister of Religious Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Sheikh Noor-ul-Haq Qadri said in a statement that the Kingdom's decision is wise. He added that although it is a difficult decision, it aims to ensure the safety of human beings and protect them from the pandemic. Moreover, Chairman of the Standing Committee on Hajj Affairs in the Pakistani Senate, Senator Dr. Hafiz Abdul Kareem Bakhsh said in a statement to Saudi Press Agency (SPA) that the decision confirms the Kingdom's keenness on the health and safety of pilgrims in light of the unnatural conditions that the entire world is facing as a result of COVID-19. For his part, Head of Pakistan's Ahl Al-Hadith Central Society and member of the Pakistani Senate Dr. Sajid Mir said that the Society supports the decision of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to take precautionary measures to prevent the spread of diseases, and that the Kingdom's decision to limit the number of pilgrims is a wise decision. For its part, the Ministry of Religious Affairs of the Republic of Sudan issued a statement that the Kingdom's decision takes into account the safety of pilgrims from COVID-19, and that Sudan supports and understands the reasons for the decision issued by the Kingdom in order to save lives in light of the spread of COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, Head of Sudan Scholars Association, Mohamed Osman Saleh said that this decision confirms the leadership's keenness to serve the pilgrims in the most difficult circumstances, taking into account the preservation of human lives. For his part, Chairman of the Arab Human Rights Committee at the Arab League, Advisor Mohammed Al-Dhahi said in a statement to Saudi Press Agency (SPA) that the Kingdom's decision is in line with international human rights law, which affirmed the protection of the human right to life as supreme. Moreover, Chairman of the Supreme Council of Imams and Islamic Affairs in Brazil Dr. Abdulhameed Metwali expressed the full support of the Council for this decision, which is consistent with the purposes of Islamic law, to preserve human lives on the one hand, and not to completely disrupt the rites on the other hand. For his part, the Spokesman of the Jordanian Ministry of Endowments Hossam Al-Hyari said that the decision comes within the framework of the Kingdom's keenness to enable the visitors of the Grand Mosque to perform the rituals of Hajj. Moreover, the General Director of the Hajj and Umrah Department at the Jordanian Ministry of Endowments, Eng. Majdi Al-Btoush stressed the importance of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's decision and its keenness not to spread COVID-19, which could infect thousands of pilgrims in in case Saudi authorities open the Hajj to the countries of the world. For their part, former Jordanian ministers described the Kingdom's decision as the wise decision, stressing that its goal is to preserve the human health, and is consistent with the purposes of Islamic law, especially in light of the spread and COVID-19 worldwide. In statements to Saudi Press Agency (SPA), they affirmed that the decision comes in the interest of holding the ritual in a safe and healthy manner, in a manner that meets the requirements of prevention and social distancing necessary to ensure the safety and protection of the human being from the threats of this pandemic.
