Saudi Arabia
Saudi: Scaled-down Hajj begins under strict COVID-19 guidelines
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Pilgrims have performed the first circumambulation of the Holy Kaabah, as a significantly scaled-down Hajj began in Makkah, Saudi Arabia.
The ‘Tawaf Al Qudum’ is the first circumambulation of the Holy Kaabah carried out on entering Makkah’s Grand Mosque (Masjid Al-Haram).
The pilgrims began their Hajj journey after completing four days of isolation in Makkah and a week-long quarantine at home as a precautionary measure against the spread of COVID-19.
The pilgrims were seen using umbrellas to shield themselves from the summer sun as they performed a socially-distanced Tawaf.