For the first time since March: Muslims surround the Kaaba in Saudi Arabia Israel today

About 50 pilgrims surrounded the holiest structure for Islam • The government allowed the entry of up to 6,000 people a day, the number will increase to 40,000 people in two weeks

About seven months after Saudi Arabia banned Muslims from making a pilgrimage to Mecca to encircle the Kaaba, the holiest building for the Islamic religion in the city inside which the Black Stone is of close importance among believers, a small group of about 50 people surrounded the building today (Sunday). Social distance, as part of easing restrictions imposed in the country due to the corona crisis.

For the first time since March: Muslims surround the Kaaba in Saudi Arabia // Photo: Reuters

The Saudi government has approved bringing in up to 6,000 people to the compound each day so that they can carry out the "Omra," the pilgrimage to Mecca that Muslims make at any time of the year.

According to the first phase of lifting the restrictions in the country, the Saudis restricted entry to the al-Masjid al-Haram mosque, the most important restaurant for Islam that is disinfected and cleaned several times a day, for citizens and residents of the country only.

Before visitors can enter the mosque to pray or perform the "Omra", they must pre-book their entry through a dedicated site to prevent crowds in the area.

In the times before the Corona plague, thousands simultaneously surrounded the Kaaba at all hours of the day and night at high density.

The second phase of the removal of restrictions on the mosque is expected to take effect on October 18, and as part of it, up to 15,000 pilgrims and 40,000 worshipers will be allowed to enter.

Muslims outside Saudi Arabia, which has so far registered about 336,000 patients and more than 4,850 dead of the corona virus, who want to come to Mecca to carry out the "Omra", will be able to do so from the first of November.