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For the first time Saudi Arabia allows women to perform Umrah without male guardians

The decision is part of social reforms rolled out by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who is trying to open up the Kingdom’s oil-reliant economy. Since he became the crown prince, women have been allowed to drive and travel abroad without a male guardian.

Saudi Arabia said it is allowing women aged 18 to 65 to perform the Umrah pilgrimage without a male guardian with the condition that they must be part of a group.

The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah announced that women applying for Umrah or Hajj pilgrimage must be partially vaccinated (one dose) and they must also be free of any diseases. Residents from inside the Kingdom and Saudi citizens, who had not performed Hajj during the last 5 years, can also register for this year’s Hajj.

In 2021, the Hajj ministry officially allowed women of all ages to make the pilgrimage without “mahram,” on the condition that they must be part of a group.

The decision is part of social reforms rolled out by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who is trying to open up the Kingdom’s oil-reliant economy. Since he became the crown prince, women have been allowed to drive and travel abroad without a male guardian.

Umrah is sometimes known as the lesser pilgrimage or the minor pilgrimage, in comparison to the annual Hajj pilgrimage of Islam. It is a visit Muslims take to the Grand Mosque in Mecca, outside of the designated Hajj pilgrimage dates. The word “umrah” in Arabic means to visit an important place.

Hajj, one of the five pillars of Islam, is a mandatory religious duty for Muslims and a must for able-bodied people with the means to do so at least once in their lifetime. It is an annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca, which is considered as holiest city for Muslims.

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I am an experienced writer, analyst, and author. My exposure in English journalism spans more than 28 years. In the past, I have been working with daily The Muslim (Lahore Bureau), daily Business Recorder (Lahore/Islamabad Bureaus), Daily Times, Islamabad, daily The Nation (Lahore and Karachi). With daily The Nation, I have served as Resident Editor, Karachi. Since 2009, I have been working as a Freelance Writer/Editor for American organizations.

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