As Muslims celebrate Ramadan around the world, many visit Saudi Arabia during the holy month to perform Umrah and make the most of the blessed period.
Unlike Hajj, pilgrims can perform Umrah as many times as they want in a single trip according to their stay.
However, the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has now restricted Muslims from repeating the pilgrimage during the month of Ramadan, meaning that worshipers present in Mecca will only be able to perform Umrah once, according to Gulf News.
Ramadan usually marks the peak season of Umrah at the Grand Mosque in Mecca, which is the holiest site in Islam.
An official responsible for news related to Haramain, the Grand Mosque of Makkah and the Prophet's Mosque (PBUH), shared the statement from the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah.
According to the statement, the repetition of Umrah during Ramadan has been prohibited to alleviate overcrowding and congestion.
Furthermore, the move will also provide more people with the opportunity to perform Umrah.
The ministry said no permit has been issued to perform two or more Umrah in Ramadan, urging worshipers to perform only one minor pilgrimage in the holy month.
In addition to this, the Saudi Arabian authorities have adopted several other measures to help pilgrims perform the rituals smoothly and comfortably, keeping in mind the expected influx during Ramadan.
These measures include designating the mosque's circumambulation courtyard around the Holy Kaaba and the ground floor for Umrah pilgrims during Ramadan. Meanwhile, certain doors of large mosques have been allocated for the entry and exit of pilgrims to control the crowd.
