Saudi Arabia in May 2026: the most important developments in society
In May 2026, the Hajj pilgrimage shaped public life in Saudi Arabia. The Tawakkalna app issued Hajj permits electronically, and thousands of pilgrims arrived in Medina, with 888 moving on to Mecca on 9 May. Pakistan's religion minister travelled to Saudi Arabia on 16 May to inspect Hajj arrangements. Saudi Arabia called on Muslims to look for the Dhul Hijjah crescent moon on 17 May and that day announced the start of Dhul Hijjah and the dates of Eid al-Adha. By 26 May, millions of pilgrims had gathered at Mina ahead of the Hajj peak.
Other items included a health authority statement that the risk of hantavirus spreading in Saudi Arabia was very low, the King Salman Relief Center's rebuilding of schools in Syria, and a new limit on filing complaints over foreign workers' jobs.
by WorldBrief & Maksim Micheliov | AI-generated summary
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