By Annisa Essack
21:06:21

Saudi Arabia has downsized the list of male guardians of Muslim women wishing to perform Haj this year.

The Ministry of Haj and Umrah has excluded the paternal and maternal uncles from the guardianship of women who want to have a male dependent during Hajj. The downsized list now includes the father, the brother, the husband, or the son of the woman pilgrim. Guardians must be registered separately to perform the pilgrimage.

Last week, the ministry said that Muslim women wishing to perform this year’s Hajj would be allowed to register without a male guardian. It was also announced that women signing up for the Hajj will be allowed to perform it along with other groups of women.

The Ministry of Haj announced that more than 500,000 Muslims have so far registered to undertake this year’s pilgrimage rituals. However, Saudi Arabia has, due to the continuing COVID-19 pandemic, confined the Hajj to 60,000 pilgrims chosen from Saudis and foreign Muslim residents in the kingdom.

Eligible pilgrims must be vaccinated with at least one dose against COVID-19, free of chronic diseases and aged between 18 and 65.