Via The Star Kenya
The Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims has urged vaccinated faithful to travel for umrah pilgrimage in Mecca and Medina after Saudi Arabia opened borders for visitors after a ban lasting almost two years.
The travel ban was precipitated by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Supkem Northeastern regional coordinator Sheikh Adan Yunis Ibrahim told the Star that the first batch of Muslims from Kenya departed on Wednesday and other groups would fly out in the subsequent weeks and months.
Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Hajj and Umrah on August 8 announced the start of receiving Umrah performers of citizens and residents, in addition to gradually accepting requests from various countries starting August 9.
However, Sheikh Yunis said most Kenyan Muslims are not aware of the lifting of the restrictions and urged all the able faithful to make arrangements for travel.
“Since the Covid-19 outbreak, Muslims have not travelled to Mecca for prayers. It is now open for the fully vaccinated persons, who should have the vaccine certificate,” he told the Star in Nairobi on Wednesday.
He called on Muslims to get vaccinated in the ongoing drive that seeks to inoculate at least 10 million Kenyans by December.
“Supkem thanks the governments of Kenya and Saudi Arabia, particularly President Uhuru Kenyatta and his counterpart, King Salman Bin Abdul-Aziz , his deputy Mohammed bin Salman, and Ambassador to Kenya Khalid al Salman for giving all Muslims an opportunity to go to and perform this important religious exercise in Saudi Arabia,” Sheikh Yunis.
Supkem Northeastern regional coordinator Sheikh Adan Yunis sees off a faithful headed for umrah pilgrimage in Mecca and Medina at JKIA
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia restricted the number of faithful travelling to the country for pilgrimage 18 months ago after the pandemic outbreak.
In June this year, the Saudi Arabia government limited hajj and umrah pilgrimage to only 60,000 vaccinated people from within the Kingdom aged between 18 and 65 years.
The hajj and umrah draw Muslims from around the world and would normally draw as many as two million people.
All able-bodied Muslims are required to perform umrah any time of the year.
