The Russian Muftis Council (RMC) supports the decision of the Saudi authorities to cancel the Hajj in 2020 due to the COVID-19 epidemic and calls on Muslims to wait for the Hajj next year, a message published on the RMC website on Tuesday reads.
Earlier, the authorities of Saudi Arabia canceled the Hajj for pilgrims from abroad because of the coronavirus: this year, only pilgrims who are already in the Kingdom are allowed to participate in it. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 epidemic, the Kingdom's authorities have also banned Umrah-a small pilgrimage to Holy places, which, unlike the Hajj, is possible at any time of the year.
"The Religious Board of Muslims of the Russian Federation, the Russian Muftis Council, headed by Mufti Sheikh Ravil Gainutdin, fully support the wise decision of the Saudi authorities to limit the number of pilgrims this year," Rushan Abbyasov, the first Deputy Chairman of the RMC said, whose words are quoted in the message.
Abbyasov called on Muslims to "take full responsibility for the current situation", not to succumb to provocations, "show patience and wait for the Hajj season next year", and "humbly appeal to the Almighty Allah with a prayer for the speedy completion of this trial."
"All pilgrims of the official Hajj operator "Muslim Tour" are guaranteed to make a pilgrimage in the next 2021, " Abbyasov said.
He noted that the Muslim Ummah has historically faced similar measures to suspend the Hajj, "which have sometimes been delayed for several years." Muslims, he said, although they are hard to bear restrictions in their spiritual life due to the epidemic, "regardless of the country of residence, they have rallied and humbly adopted restrictive measures in the fight for people's lives."
The publication notes that the main principle of Islamic law "is the preservation of human life". "It is the true service of the Holy Places to the faithful, to all mankind, and, most importantly, to God that allowed the Saudi authorities to make a balanced and wise decision," Abbyasov summed up.
Hajj is an annual pilgrimage to the Holy places of Islam in Mecca and Medina (Saudi Arabia). Islam prescribes that Muslims perform the Hajj at least once in their lives. Saudi Arabia ranks first among Arab countries in the number of cases of the coronavirus with more than 161 thousand infected.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: Adli wahid / pixabay
Based on materials from RIA Novosti