Arafat: Sheikh Bandar Bin Abdulaziz Balila in the Hajj sermon urged Muslims to establish equality, eliminate enmity and hatred amongst each other.

He asked people to follow Prophet’s (PBUH) teachings regarding coronavirus pandemic and said that the Prophet (PBUH) had asked people to not to visit the area where there’s a plague.

“The Holy Prophet (PBUH) said that people should not go out of the area where the plague has spread and people from other areas should not go there,” said Sheikh Bandar as the pilgrims performed Hajj under coronavirus restrictions.

The imam of the Grand Mosque asked everyone to forgive one another for the sake of Allah.

“Hajj is the fifth pillar of Islam and urged those who can take the holy sojourn to complete it,” he added.

Hajj re-enacts the actions of Prophet Muhammad’s ‘farewell pilgrimage’ in 632 AD. It also hearkens back to the time of Prophet Abraham, who Muslims believe built the Kaaba, along with his son Ismail.

With pilgrims coming from across the world all dressed in simple cloth, the Hajj strengthens the bonds of brotherhood among Muslims and removes markers of class, wealth and materialism.

This year, due to coronavirus pandemic, no foreign pilgrims have been allowed to perform the Hajj once again.

The Kingdom has restricted the number of pilgrims to maximum of 60,000 vaccinated citizens and residents between the ages of 18 and 65.