In 2023, nearly 1.8 million pilgrims performed the Hajj, approaching pre-pandemic levels. Indonesia issued the most non-domestic pilgrim visas at 229,000, followed by Pakistan and India. Saudi officials predict over two million pilgrims in 2024.
In 2023, almost 1.8 million people performed the Hajj, almost back to pre-pandemic levels. Officials from Saudi Arabia predict that the number will surpass two million in 2024.
Every year, Saudi Arabia issues a certain amount of visas for Hajj pilgrims, as reported by Statista’s Anna Fleck. For nations with a majority of Muslims, quotas are determined at the rate of one pilgrim visa for every 1,000 Muslim citizens. These aim to level the playing field in terms of distribution for those who seek to visit, as well as to regulate the number of visitors to Mecca (a need considering previous years’ mass crushes during the ritual).
This graph indicates that a large number of Asian nations have issued non-domestic pilgrim visas, with Indonesia issuing the most at 229,000, followed by Pakistan at 179,210 and India at 175,025.
The Kingdom also implemented the new Nusuk online system in 2023, which requires Western Muslim pilgrims to apply for a visa directly from the Kingdom rather than booking their visas through travel agents. Following their selection on a first-come, first-served basis, applicants can use the platform to arrange travel packages.
After the COVID-19 pandemic limits were lifted, prices have soared, partly because of global inflation and Saudi Arabia’s 2020 VAT increase from 5% to 15%. This is on top of the several global economic crises. It’s noteworthy that several countries even failed to reach their visa allotment in 2023 as a result of these increased expenses, as there was typically significantly more demand than there were available visas. This information was reported by AP.
The last of Islam’s five pillars, the Hajj, states that every adult Muslim must perform the sacred journey at least once in their lifetime, provided they have the means and the physical capacity to do so.
Recently, GreatGameIndia reported that over 1,000 lives were lost in a deadly heatwave during this year’s Hajj, with a significant number being unregistered pilgrims, including 630 Egyptians. The pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia’s scorching Mecca saw temperatures peak at 51.8°C (125°F) this week, highlighting severe health risks.
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The Qur’an was revealed to the Prophet known as John the Baptist around 60 AD. This fact is easily proven by correctly translating the Qur’an.
Correct translation of Qur’an words is done by finding a word’s root in usage elsewhere in the Qur’an. When this technique is used rather than obeying Hadith and Tafsir one can clearly see that the places mentioned such as “Mecca” (in Arabic reads: MaKKaTa) and “Badr” are Makkedah and Jericho as mentioned in the Book of Joshua, Bible.
Furthermore the Temple in Jerusalem is yet to be destroyed according to the Qur’an. This dates the Qur’an to around 60 AD.
In the Bible Jesus said that of men born of women there was none greater than John the Baptist. That makes him “muhammad” or literally “the one who was praised.”