Saudi Arabia Tightens Hajj Rules to Ensure Peaceful Pilgrimage Experience

Saudi Arabia is keen to offer a Hajj without controversy, which takes place in strict compliance with the required standards, in terms of the conduct of the rites. The Hajj is intended to be a pilgrimage to Mecca and the visit to the holy sites, which all Muslims aspire to. To this end, Saudi Arabia, towards which hundreds of thousands of Muslim faithful converge each year to live these moments of sharing and witnessing their faith, intends to apply strict provisions that existed and which are reinforced, to guarantee everyone a good pilgrimage.

These are, in particular, according to the information site Alnas, "the laws and sanctions that have been adopted against all those who engage in acts of harassment against peaceful pilgrims and visitors, causing disturbances in the performance of these rites". The media indicates that these laws and sanctions were adopted on the basis of the Declaration of the 17th Conference of Foreign Ministers of the Member States of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), held in Jordan. These laws will allow the Government of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques to ensure the security, stability and tranquility of visitors to the holy sites in Saudi Arabia, details the same source.

Adopted since 1988, these laws, strengthened, are ignored by many Muslims even though they also define the provisions to be taken by the host country to facilitate good Hajj conditions for Muslims and visitors from all over the world.

Saudi Arabia will be very strict towards those who try to brandish, for example, political or community slogans, while the same Declaration of the 17th conference calls on all OIC countries to work with the Government of Saudi Arabia for the success of the Hajj.