Ramadan 2022: Itikaf to resume at Saudi Arabia's Holy Mosques after two years

Web Desk

March 23, 2022

Muslim pilgrims, keeping social distance and wearing face masks, perform Tawaf during the annual Haj pilgrimage, in the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia July 20, 2021. — Reuters

Itikaf was suspended at two holy mosques due to COVID.
The ban remained in place for two years — 2020 and 2021.
Permissions will be issued soon on official website.

MAKKAH: Itikaf will resume at the two holy mosques — Grand Mosque in Makkah and the Prophet’s Mosque in Madina — during this year's Ramadan after a gap of two years, the Saudi Gazette reported Wednesday.

Head of the General Presidency for the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques, Dr Abdul Rahman Al-Sudais, making the announcement in a statement, said the presidency would start issuing permits through its official website soon.

But he noted that specific conditions and criteria would be set.

The religious ritual of itikaf is observed in Ramadan during which Muslims stay in mosques for the purpose of worship.

Itikaf was suspended in 2020 after the outbreak of coronavirus and it continued in 2021 as a precautionary measure for curbing the spread of the pandemic, according to the publication.

During the last 10 days of the holy month, as many as 100,000 worshippers used to perform the religious ritual at the two holy mosques in Makkah and Madina.