Hajj is one of the important pillar of Islam. During Hajj season, so many people gather at the holy cities (Makkah and Medina) to perform Hajj. Because of the crowd from all over the world, there is extremely high risk of spreading viruses and illness which can be harmful for all the Muslims.
It is essential to get the proper vaccination before going for Hajj because, due to the mob, all the pilgrims stand/sit close to each other to perform the rituals of Hajj, so there are the chances of spreading diseases among them, and though, it is necessary to be aware of Hajj vaccination details. Saudi Arabia has strict policies of vaccination to prevent this danger. These policies are for the benefit of all the Muslims because if Health Ministry of Saudi Arabia is inactive in this regard then there will be thousands of avoidable fatalities of precious and innocent lives and Islam does not allow killing of innocent people.
According to the policy of Saudi Arabia’s Health Ministry, pilgrims can receive two types of vaccination, which are given as follows;
If anyone fails to produce the certificates of mandatory vaccinations then the ministry of Saudi Arabia will not allow them to enter the holy cities of Saudi Arabia without getting vaccinated, which can create a panic situation for you and your family members.
According to the Ministry of Saudi Arabia, some of the mandatory vaccinations are given below;
Meningococcal Meningitis
All the pilgrims around the world should get this vaccination. This vaccination has two kinds for Hajj. The first one is efficacious for three years and the second one is efficacious for five years. You need to be get vaccinated again, if you had a vaccination of first type which is more than three years ago. Similarly for the second type, you need to have this vaccination again, if you got this vaccination five years before.
Yellow Fever
It is mandatory to get vaccination of yellow fever before going for Hajj. But, if you are already vaccinated for this disease then there is no need to get vaccination again. You will just have to show your certificate.
However, if you have lost the certificate, then you will have to follow the Hajj rules and will have to get the vaccination of this disease.
Poliomyelitis
Health institutes worked hard for the removal of Polio from all over the world but there are still some countries which are not yet safe from this disease.
Countries which are Polio free are still at the risk of developing Poliomyelitis again if proper steps are not assured.
The health Ministry of Saudi Arabia recommends to get all the necessary vaccines, so that, pilgrims can easily perform all the rituals of Hajj. It is, somehow, for their own benefit.
This year, Health ministry recommended two vaccines for Hajj;
Seasonal Influenza:
It is the most common virus and it can easily be spread among people. During Hajj, people from different countries gather at one place, so, there is a high chance that they can be a victim of this virus. Hence, it is recommended to get vaccination for this virus before going for Hajj.
Dengue Virus
It spread by a mosquito bite. Though, these kind of mosquitoes does not exist in Makkah and Madina but it is possible that they might exist in surrounding cities. So it is recommended to take preventive measures during Hajj. If you are coming from a dengue-affected country then it is recommended to follow the WHO methods.
Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Typhoid, Pneumonia and Tetanus are some other recommended vaccinations for Hajj.
Some countries generate false certificates for Hajj vaccinations. They think that these certificates are unnecessary and bothersome for the pilgrims.
Mostly, the Hajj operators play this lying game to maximize their profit. Being a Muslim, we all know that lying is a sin and the consequences of lying for the sacred worship of Hajj will be devastating. How can someone even think of spending money, energy and time for Hajj based on a lie?
Thus, make sure about the proper steps of Hajj vaccination from your Hajj operator and ensure that you receive the vaccination which has best health standards.
Hajj vaccination costs are not expensive. All the pilgrims can afford the cost of these vaccinations easily. Pilgrims can also avail the Hajj offers and discounts by various governments of their country.
Conclusively, it is very important for pilgrims to take due measures for their own health and for the health of so many fellow Muslims as well, who come from different countries of the world to worship one true God, ALLAH.
We pray for all the pilgrims who are performing Hajj this year. May they all are blessed with the best of both the worlds, Ameen.
