Riyadh: Saudi Arabia has banned women to visit the burial site of Prophet Muhammed (SAW).
The Saudi government has stopped giving permits to women for visiting the site. Only men can visit the site that too only once in 30 days.
According to the Saudi Ministry of Pilgrimages, the Prophet’s tomb will be restricted to men. Women may request special permission to visit “Al Rawda”, the courtyard of the Prophet’s Mosque located between the pulpit and the tomb where Muhammad (SAW) met with his relatives.
Ministry of Pilgrimages did not cite the reasons for this ban. It only indicated that the mobile application with which pilgrimages to the holy places of Mecca and Medina are managed will no longer allow women to book a visit to the site, according to the newspaper `Specimen’.
With the `Eatmarna’ app, people can reserve tickets to the Great Mosque of Mecca and the Mosque of the Prophet.
The ministry said no timings are set for performing the obligatory prayers at the Prophet’s Mosque.
However, for praying in Al Rawdah Al Sharifa and visiting the Prophet tomb, advance reservations are required via the “Eatmarna” app, the report added.
The ministry also stressed that it is mandatory for applicants who are applying for the permits to be fully vaccinated and show a status of ‘immunization’ on the health app “Tawkkalna.”
This decision comes after the increase in cases of COVID-19 during the past few days after it reached its lowest level during the month of November, where 36 cases were recorded.
On Sunday, January 9, Saudi Arabia reported 3,460 more COVID-19 cases, raising the total to 578,753. It also reported one more related death, bringing the total fatalities to 8,893.