However, some people were quoted by local media as saying that it is permitted to do Umrah on behalf of the sick and old and also for those who are away and can’t afford it. The number of visits of a person cannot be curtailed if he is doing it with this purpose, they have asserted.

According to sources in government agencies, the Haram’s squares, Al-Tanim Mosque and the roads leading to Haram are wearing out due to the large influx of pilgrims using these facilities. The agencies responsible for Umrah services are also stressed too much, they said.

A source said vehicular traffic is another problem. “Huge traffic is seen at Umrah pilgrim transport stations.

Hundreds of vehicles, estimated at more than 400, clutter around Al-Tanim Mosque north of Makkah on the Makkah-Madinah expressway. Around 4,000 traffic police work in organizing traffic in Makkah throughout the Umrah nights in Ramadan.”

The official agencies say that 15,000 employees are deployed for Haj and around 8,000 for Umrah. Another problem, they cite, is the risk of health problems. Diseases such as flu and bacterial pneumonia increase due to the decreased immunity among people.

From the pilgrims’ point of view, the current liberty of performing Umrah is indeed helpful, especially for those who do it on behalf of others.

Egyptian pilgrim Jamal Aleemi said that some people who can’t make the Umrah trip find people to do it on their behalf. He explained that they pay people between SR500 and SR700 to perform Umrah in their name or on behalf of old parents who are unable to travel or for parents who are no more.

He referred to a large number of fatwas stating that this type of Umrah is correct and that some perform Umrah a dozen times for that reason.

Tunisian pilgrim Mohammed Munad said that this sort of Umrah is usually carried out by foreigners working in Makkah, Jeddah and Taif, which are close to the Haram. “It only takes a phone call to ask somebody to do the job and he will get paid,” he said.

Mujim Khan, an expat working in Makkah, is involved in such Umrahs. He said that he charges a nominal amount as transportation fee. “I help the poor, disabled, old and the relatives of the dead by performing Umrah on their behalf.”