Jakarta (Indonesia Window) - A total of 3,500 officers have been deployed by the General Presidency for the Affairs of the Grand Mosque and the Nabawi Mosque to intensify sterilization in the two holy places of worship to welcome hajj pilgrims who have been arriving.

Sterilization at the Grand Mosque, including the yard and all its facilities, is carried out 10 times a day, according to a report by the Saudi Arabian News Agency (SPA) as quoted here on Monday.

This year the government of Saudi Arabia welcomes 10,000 pilgrims, all of whom are the kingdom residents, comprising 70 percent of foreigners and 30 percent of locals under the age of 65.

The implementation of the 1441 Hijri/2020 Hajj pilgrimage is carried out by applying very strict health protocols to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

All pilgrims and officials must wear health masks and dispose them in a special place that has been prepared.

They must also maintain a distance of at least 1.5 meters from each other, including when performing rituals by going around the Kaaba seven times or tawaf, and running seven times between Shafa and Marwah (sa'i).

During the worship at the Grand Mosque, the worshipers are forbidden to touch the Kaaba and the black stone (hajar aswad).

In order to increase the awareness of the pilgrims, health protocol boards are placed in all locations of the worship in multi languages.

Wuquf (silence while praying) at Arafat is the peak of the hajj rituals which is held on the 9th Dhulhijjah, to coincide with July 30, 2020.

Meanwhile, Eid al-Adha 1441 Hijri will be celebrated by all Muslims on the 10th of Dhulhijjah which falls on July 31, 2020.

Reporting by Indonesia Window