Saudi Arabia's decision to organise a scaled-down Haj this year due to the coronavirus situation has been welcomed by Indian Muslims, who constitute one of the largest segments of pilgrims.
The annual pilgrimage to Islam's holiest city Makkah will be held involving a limited number of pilgrims from various nationalities already living in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
About 213,000 Indians had applied to perform the Haj this year and they will be refunded following the Saudi decision, said India's Ministry of Minority Affairs.
"The process has been started today to immediately refund the full amount of money deposited by the applicants without any deduction," the ministry said on Tuesday.
About 2.5 million Muslims gather in Makkah each year for Haj, with their numbers decided as per country-specific quotas.
The decision to scale down the Haj was taken to ensure the pilgrimage "is performed in a safe manner from a public health perspective while observing all preventive measures and the necessary social distancing protocols" to protect people from the coronavirus pandemic, the Saudi government said.
Historically, there have been around 40 occasions when the Haj was suspended or the number of pilgrims was extremely low due to extraordinary situations, according to the Riyadh-based King Abdul Aziz Foundation for Research and Archives.
Indian Muslims described the Saudi decision as appropriate in view of the global health emergency and in line with religious teachings.
"It's a correct decision because Islam imposes obligations for saving human lives. Because the whole world is caught up in a health crisis, it is not possible to follow social distancing and other safety measures in a large gathering of people from around the world," Raihan Akhtar, assistant professor of theology at Aligarh Muslim University, told Bernama.
Syed Zafar Mahmood, president of the Zakat Foundation of India, said the Saudi response is apt in the face of current global challenges.
"Those who wanted to travel for Haj this year must accept it as Allah's design and devote the time and resources they would have spent on the pilgrimage in other people's welfare," he said.
Physically and financially able Muslims are required to perform the Haj at least once in their lifetime.
Many pilgrims plan years in advance and save for the expenses during what's considered the experience of a lifetime.
Mudasir Qureshy from Kashmir, who planned to go to Makkah this year, was disappointed.
"This year, I and my wife were selected for the pilgrimage, but Almighty Allah had some other plans. Maybe next year, inshallah, if life permits," he said.
-- BERNAMA
Bernama
Wed Jun 24 2020
About 213,000 Indians had applied to perform the Haj this year and they will be refunded following the Saudi decision. - FILEpic
Etika pacu kemampanan kewartawanan profesional, pemisah 'wartawan jadian'
Etika kewartawanan yang diamalkan wartawan profesional merupakan nadi kepada industri kewartawan yang mempunyai kredibiliti dan dipercayai.
Kerajaan Persekutuan lulus peruntukan beli pam baharu untuk petani, pesawah di Kelantan
Kerajaan Persekutuan meluluskan sejumlah peruntukan untuk membeli pam-pam baharu bagi kegunaan para petani dan pesawah di Kelantan.
Permohonan tajaan MARA dibuka 7 Mei - Asyraf Wajdi
Majlis Amanah Rakyat (MARA) akan membuka permohonan bagi penajaan pengajian peringkat Ijazah Sarjana (Sarjana) dan Ijazah Kedoktoran (PhD) di dalam dan di luar negara pada Selasa ini (7 Mei).
Beri ruang dan masa untuk Speedy Tigers berwajah baharu - Sarjit
Sarjit menyeru rakyat Malaysia untuk memberi masa dan ruang kepada Speedy Tigers berwajah baharu untuk berkembang menjadi pasukan yang kuat menjelang edisi ke-30 Piala Sultan Azlan Shah.
Akhyar cedera dipercayai disamun
Akhyar Rashid cedera di kepala selepas dipukul dan menjadi mangsa samun, malam tadi.
Proton sasar tambah baik kualiti pengeluaran bagi tingkatkan keyakinan pelanggan
Proton akan menambah baik kualiti pengeluaran mereka menerusi pengurangan peratusan markah Audit Produk Pelanggan Global (GCPA).
PAC2024 : Lenggong lokasi pertama, tawar produk pelancongan menarik
Lenggong dipilih menjadi lokasi pertama penganjuran PAC 2024 dalam usaha memperkenalkan produk sedia ada di Lenggong Geopark yang bakal diangkat sebagai UNESCO Global Geopark.
SUKMA: Sarawak mahu guna kelebihan sebagai tuan rumah untuk muncul juara
Sarawak mahu menggunakan kelebihan sebagai tuan rumah Sukan Malaysia (SUKMA) tahun ini untuk muncul sebagai juara temasya sukan dwi-tahunan itu.
Guna mesin layan diri IPR, pendapatan suami isteri lonjak lima kali ganda
Sepasang suami isteri tidak menyangka maklumat yang diperoleh daripada Facebook mengenai IPR membantu mereka meraih pendapatan hampir lima kali ganda.
Mahkamah tolak saman pegawai khas AG terhadap Rewcastle-Brown
Mahkamah Tinggi menolak saman fitnah yang difailkan oleh iaitu Mabel Sheela Mutthiah terhadap Editor Sarawak Report Clare Rewcastle-Brown.
COVID-19: Tiada kes kematian, 100 kes pulih, 38 kes baharu
Malaysia terus mencatatkan perkembangan yang baik apabila tiada kes kematian melibatkan COVID-19 pada hari ini (26 April 2020).
Perintah Kawalan Pergerakan: Ini soalan lazim yang sering ditanya pada MOTAC
Susulan pengumuman Perintah Kawalan Pergerakan pada Isnin, pelbagai persoalan yang timbul ditujukan pada Kementerian Pelancongan, Seni dan Budaya (MOTAC).