The first Eid prayers held at full capacity since the pandemic’s onset held in Saudi Arabia’s Grand Mosque in Mecca, as well as across all mosques across the Kingdom.
The Mosques started operating at full capacity again in mid-October last year when the Kingdom eased its COVID-19 measures as cases began to drop and most of the Saudi population had already been vaccinated with at least two shots.
The Eid prayers come after the announcement of the Eid al-Fitr holiday which was determined by the sighting of the Shawwal moon.
Every year, Muslims all over the world celebrate Eid al-Fitr after a month of fasting, prayer, and reflection during Ramadan which falls on the ninth month of the Islamic Hijri calendar, which consists of 12 months of 345 to 355 days a year.
After Eid prayers, families and friends gather to celebrate and give gifts which include money, toys, and new clothes, often provided to children.
Earlier in the year, the Saudi Ministry Hajj and Umrah announced that 1 million pilgrims from within and outside the Kingdom will be allowed to perform Hajj in 2022.
The Ministry says the pilgrims must be for those under 65 years and fully vaccinated with a negative Covid PCR test taken within 72 hours of departure for the Kingdom.
Last year, Saudi Arabia limited the annual Hajj, to 60,000 participants resident in Saudi Arabia, and 1,000 in 2020 compared with the 2.5 million pilgrims before the outbreak of the coronavirus.
Nigeria secured 43,000 allocation in the quota for the 2022 Hajj exercise, far below 95,000 allocation granted in 2018 and 2019 hajj.