@kabeeryousef –
First time in the last two and half years, pilgrims from the Sultanate of Oman were able to travel to the holy Arafah ground for performing Haj rituals along with other pilgrims from across the world.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, the number of people who could perform the rituals was limited to those who resided inside the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and with minimal customary rituals being performed at the holy land owing to restrictions.
The day of Arafah falls on the 9th day of the month of Dhul Hijjah, and people gather at the Mount Arafah and it is the day that Haj pilgrims move to Mina as part of the rituals.
“There are 4,700 pilgrims comprising 200 expatriates and other Omanis selected from a total of 13,541 applicants. They have moved to the holy land of Arafah to perform the Haj rituals,” Abdul Aziz al Ghafri, Head of the Haj Mission, representative from Ministry of Awqaf and Religious Affairs, who is accompanying the Omani group of pilgrims to the holy land, told the Observer.
Arafah Day is a highly auspicious day for all Muslims across the world and is followed by the Eid al Adha which falls on the next day. The rituals which started on Thursday, July 7 will conclude on Tuesday, July 12.
Out of the 4,700 pilgrims, 2,455 are from Dakhiliyah followed by North Al Batinah (2,054), Musandam (106), Buraimi (226), North Al Batinah (2,054), South Al Batinah (1,299), Muscat (2,032), North Al Sharqiyah (1,320), South Al Sharqiyah (1,016), Al Dhahirah (647), Al Wusta (127), and Dhofar (1,174).
Al Ghafri added that all citizens and residents in Oman who wished to perform Haj were given opportunity to register their interest on www.hajj.om and a random selection was carried out, giving priorities to senior citizens, cancer patients and the like.
