The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has declared that during the current Ramadan fast in 2024, Nigerians and other foreign nationals will not be permitted to perform Umrah, also referred to as the lesser hajj, more than once.
According to a report by the Saudi Gazette, this was announced by the country’s Ministry of Hajj and Umrah on Sunday, March 17, 2024.
In their statement, the Saudi authorities said the reason for the regulation was to ease the challenges of overcrowding during the spiritual rites in the month of Ramadan, adding that the period was the peak of the Umrah season of the year.
“Permits to perform two or more Umrah pilgrimages will not be issued during the holy month. This move is to ease congestion and provide the opportunity for all other pilgrims to perform Umrah with ease and comfort during the holy month.”
The report further explained that under the Nusuk application system, a platform where pilgrims plan their Hajj and Umrah trips, anyone who has been issued a permit for Umrah during Ramadan would not be issued a permit for the second time.
It stated that if such a person tried to apply for the second time, it would say, “Issuance of the permit failed.”
The ministry then noted that there are many benefits to performing Umrah during the fasting of Ramadan.
Ramadan is the most sacred month of the year for Muslims. During the entire month, Muslims fast every day from dawn to sunset. It is meant to be a time of spiritual discipline—deep contemplation of one’s relationship with God, extra prayer, increased charity and generosity, and intense study of the Quran.
This 2024 Ramadan begins on March 11, and Eid al-Fitr 2024 is anticipated to fall on or near April 9.
Meanwhile, the Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development, Abdullahi Tijjani Muhammad Gwarzo, has urged Islamic scholars to use their Ramadan preaching’s to push for national unity.
The minister also appealed for fervent prayers from Nigerians for the nation to overcome its challenges.
In a statement signed by Adamu Abdullahi, his Special Assistant on Media, Gwarzo made the call.
“The month of Ramadan is one of the sacred periods in Islam when Muslim ummahs all over the world devote themselves to the worship of Almighty God, and as such, Muslims and Islamic scholars should do more prayers for the nation,” he said.
He appealed to all Nigerian Muslims to use the opportunity to offer prayers for peace, development, and progress in the country.
Gwarzo, while expressing concerns over the current security situation and economic hardship in the country, urged Nigerians to support the federal government led by President Bola Tinubu.
He also implored all Muslims to use the Ramadan fasting period to seek Allah’s intervention in the country’s current challenges.
