Saudi Arabia has taken measures to address overcrowding during Ramadan by prohibiting repeat Umrah pilgrimages in Mecca. Ramadan, which began last week, typically witnesses a significant increase in Umrah pilgrimages to the Grand Mosque, revered as Islam’s holiest site.

The Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has announced that no permits will be issued for performing two or more Umrahs during Ramadan. Instead, it encourages the faithful to undertake a single lesser pilgrimage during this sacred month.

The ministry clarified that the restriction aims to alleviate congestion, offer others the opportunity to perform Umrah, and facilitate crowd management. According to Nusuk, a Saudi government platform for electronically managing Umrah procedures, attempts to obtain a permit for a second Umrah by the same individual will be met with a message stating: “The permit issuance fails. To give everyone the chance to perform Umrah, the lesser pilgrimage can’t be repeated in Ramadan.”