Islamabad, Sep 12: Saudi Ministry Photography Masjid al-Haram as the Grand Mosque in Mecca welcomes an increasing number of Muslims for Umrah, pilgrims are reminded of the regulations around photography at the holy site by the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah.
Although a lot of pilgrims want to take pictures to remember their trip, officials advise believers to be considerate of other people and not cause trouble. The ministry has stressed that travelers should snap pictures fast and not take pictures of people praying or without their consent.
Additionally, it cautioned against waiting too long to snap photos in order to preserve the flow of worshipers surrounding the Holy Kaaba. The Umrah season of this year started in late June, after the yearly Hajj trip that gathered 1.8 million Muslims from all over the world.
Saudi Arabia hopes to see 15 million pilgrims undertake the Umrah next year, up from 13.5 million last year. Saudi Arabia has implemented a number of initiatives to encourage pilgrimage, such as extending the 30-day Umrah visa to a 90-day period and permitting admission through numerous lands, air, or seaports.
