• Saudi Arabia has extended Hajj housing deadline.
• Hajj, one of Islam’s five obligatory duties is set to begin in late June.
• Saudi Arabia has reduced the number of Muslims permitted to perform the Hajj rites.

According to the Saudi news agency SPA, a Saudi committee in charge of housing Hajj pilgrims in Mecca has extended the deadline for issuing permits for houses to accommodate the faithful until next week.

The panel has advised landlords who are interested in renting out their homes for this purpose to consult with accredited engineering firms.

The committee, which has extended the deadline until the end of the Islamic month of Shaaban later this week, stated that it continues to receive such applications from engineering offices accredited by Mecca’s municipality and civil defence, which will examine the buildings to ensure they meet the required conditions, according to SPA.

As part of the process, the committee has asked landlords who want to rent out their homes to pilgrims to comply with all safety requirements and apply for permits as soon as possible.

Hajj, one of Islam’s five obligatory duties, is set to begin in late June this year in Saudi holy sites.

According to Saudi Arabia, the minimum age for performing this year’s Hajj pilgrimage is 12 years old, as the number of pilgrims will return to pre-pandemic levels.

The Saudi Ministry of Hajj has also stated that Muslims who have not previously performed the pilgrimage will be given priority in registering for this year’s pilgrimage.

The kingdom has stated that there will be no restrictions on the number of pilgrims from around the world for the upcoming Hajj season, reversing previous restrictions imposed in the previous two years as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Saudi Arabia has reduced the number of Muslims permitted to perform the Hajj rites in the last two years in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19. In the pre-pandemic era, approximately 2.5 million Muslims would perform Hajj each year.

Muslims who are physically and financially capable of performing Hajj must do so at least once in their lifetime.

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