RIYADH — Arab and Islamic organizations have hailed and supported the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s decision to hold Hajj this year (1441H) with a very limited number from different nationalities inside the Kingdom. The United Arab Emirates Council for Fatwa and Shariah has praised the decision, stressing that everyone should abide by the instructions issued by the government of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King based on its sovereign and legal responsibility to care for the pilgrims, Umrah performers and visitors and help it to maintain the health and safety of all. For its part, the Omani Ministry of Endowments and Religious Affairs asserted that this decision puts the safety of all pilgrims as a top priority in light of increasing number of COVID19-infected cases around the world. Dr. Amjad Shamouat, chairman of the Arab Bridge Center for Human Rights, said in a statement to Saudi Press Agency (SPA) that this decision is wise and preserves the health and safety of pilgrims in light of COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, the Head of the Tourism and Civil Aviation Committee in Parliament, Amr Sidqi, said in a statement Wednesday that Saudi Arabia is taking good measures in facing COVID-19 pandemic, indicating that limiting Hajj to citizens and residents inside the Kingdom makes controlling and conducting medical examinations on pilgrims easier than receiving pilgrims from abroad. The President of Peru Islamic Association Zuhair Mustafa Ismail praised the sincere efforts made by Saudi Arabia being led by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman and Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman in serving the Two Holy Mosques and the pilgrims. Senegal Minister of Foreign Affairs Amadou Ba too praised the Kingdom"s decision to hold Hajj this year with limited numbers for various nationalities who are inside Saudi Arabia, describing it as the correct decision. Bahrain’s Ambassador Sheikh Hamoud Bin Abdullah Al Khalifa too described the decision as wise, and reflects the keenness of the Saudi government to uphold the health and safety of pilgrims and protect them from COIVD-19 pandemic. Afghanistan’s Ministry of Hajj and Religious Affairs supported Kingdom"s decision and thanked the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman and the Crown Prince for serving Muslims around the world. Moreover, Yemeni scholars described the Kingdom’s decision as wise, adding that the decision protects lives from the novel coronavirus pandemic. The Chairman of the World Muslim Communities Council Dr. Ali Rashid Al-Nuaimi noted the importance of performing this ritual in compliance with precautionary procedures, officials’ directives and guidelines, as well as requirements for prevention and social distancing to protect people from coronavirus pandemic. Meanwhile, the Minister of Islamic Affairs of Maldives Ahmed Zahir Ali praised the decision of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to hold this year"s Hajj 1441H with a very limited number of pilgrims from various nationalities who already reside in the Kingdom. He hailed the Saudi efforts and stances in serving pilgrims, and its keenness in providing all means of comfort, and facilitating all difficulties facing them, while striving to preserve their safety. Moreover, the government of the Union of the Comoros said in a statement Wednesday that this wise decision is fully consistent with all precautionary and preventive measures taken by Saudi government from the beginning of this pandemic"s outbreak. The Australian National Imams Council (ANIC) too affirmed the importance of the Kingdom’s decision at the present time, in order to preserve the interest and health of Muslims and control coronavirus pandemic to prevent its spread at local and global levels. The ANIC’s feeling was echoed by the Supreme Council of Muslims in Madagascar, which said in a statement that this decision is wise and proper, as it was issued with the aim of preserving global health security, especially with the increasing rates of coronavirus infections in the world. The head of the Islamic Call Center for Latin America and the Caribbean States Ahmed Bin Ali Al-Saifi indicated that holding this ritual in compliance with the precautionary procedures, as well as the requirements for prevention and social distancing is to protect human lives from COVID-19 pandemic that has affected more than 180 countries around the world. Sudan’s Ministry of Religious Affairs issued a statement that the Kingdom’s decision takes into account the safety of pilgrims from COVID-19, and that Sudan supports and understands the reasons for the decision issued by the Kingdom in order to save lives in light of the spread of COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, the Head of Sudan Scholars Association Mohamed Osman Saleh said that this decision confirms the leadership’s keenness to serve the pilgrims in the most difficult circumstances, taking into account the preservation of human lives. And the Chairman of the Arab Human Rights Committee at the Arab League Advisor Mohammed Al-Dhahi said the Kingdom’s decision is in line with international human rights law, which affirmed the protection of the human right to life as supreme. Backing the Kingdom’s move, the Chairman of the Supreme Council of Imams and Islamic Affairs in Brazil Dr. Abdulhameed Metwali expressed the full support of the Council for this decision, which is consistent with the purposes of Islamic law, to preserve human lives on the one hand, and not to completely disrupt the rites on the other hand. And the Jordanian Ministry of Endowments spokesperson Hossam Al-Hyari said that the decision comes within the framework of the Kingdom"s keenness to enable the visitors of the Grand Mosque to perform the rituals of Hajj. Moreover, the General Director of the Hajj and Umrah Department at the Jordanian Ministry of Endowments Eng. Majdi Al-Btoush stressed the importance of Saudi Arabia’s decision and its keenness not to spread COVID-19, which could infect thousands of pilgrims in in case Saudi authorities open the Hajj to the countries of the world. For their part, former Jordanian ministers described the Kingdom"s decision as the wise decision, stressing that its goal is to preserve the human health, and is consistent with the purposes of Islamic law, especially in light of the spread and COVID-19 worldwide. They affirmed that the decision comes in the interest of holding the ritual in a safe and healthy manner, in a manner that meets the requirements of prevention and social distancing necessary to ensure the safety and protection of the human being from the threats of this pandemic. The Grand Mufti of Mauritania Sheikh Ahmed Oulf Mrabit affirmed that the decision of the Saudi government emanates from keenness of preserving the safety and health of pilgrims. He said, that such decision aims to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Burundian Islamic Society too has supported a decision taken by the Kingdom to hold this Hajj season 1441H with limited numbers of pilgrims from various nationalities inside the Kingdom. The Grand Mufti Sheikh Seddeq Kajindi affirmed that the Kingdom’s decision is wise and preserves the global health security. — SPA