I'm one of the video producers for Lonely Planet.

Hi, everyone.

My name is Tara Hussain.

I'm one of the authors that lonely planet and I'm most recently wrote the Hajj guide in the Lonely planet to Saudi Arabia.

This week's question is something that nearly the two billion Muslims around the world are probably asking.

Will there be hodge in 2021 Terek also start off by explaining what is Hodge and why is that important to Muslims in the world?

The Hodges of Pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia on it falls on certain dates in what is the 12th month off the Islamic calendar known as dull Haija, which means the month of pilgrimage.

And it lasts for about five days on during the hajj.

It's all about following rites and rituals set out by the Prophet Mohammed, but these rites and rituals could be linked all the way back to the Prophet Abraham.

So how did Kobe 19 effect hodge in 2020?

It's actually being canceled for pandemics in the past, but what we mean by canceled is that Saudi Arabia refused to allow anybody from outside of the country come into the country to perform the hajj.

The house did actually go ahead, but it went ahead for only 1000 very privileged individuals who already were within the borders.

July will be the harsh.

People are probably starting to plan now what they start doing to plan for the hajj this year.

The most important thing I think for anybody that wants to go is to register their interest early on with had agents, they will deal with all the logistics off the various accommodations.

And the reason that the registration early is important is because the hajj agents that I've spoken to have made it very, very clear.

They're not expecting anywhere near the number of visas normally allocated to each country.

Because, of course, some degree of social distancing, even if by some miracle the whole world is vaccinated.

By that time, Saudi Arabia will still insist on some degree of social distancing, which, as you've seen from pictures and videos, was non existent in the past in the hajj.

So let's talk about Mecca.

I notice you pronounce it differently, MCA like, which is the preferred way Mecca or Macca s O Muslims acknowledge it is Makkah Mecca.

Is the Anglicized way off saying the name?

So you did the Hajj diaries for us in 2019 about going to hajj for the first time.

For you tell us, what was it like going to Hajj?

And how did it feel being in Makkah?

And who did you travel with?

For me, the hajj was very, very special for a number of reasons.

We believe God has to invite you.

So the only other time you're gonna go is because you've received an invitation.

But the most significant thing about my hedge was the fact that I have been invited with my mother.

My mother really, really wanted to go on the hajj for her second time.

Because she was She wanted to perform the hajj in lieu for her father, who had passed on without being in a position to perform the hajj.

And so it meant a lot for her having already done her own Hodge to be able to go on this journey and to be able to do something for someone who was no longer here, we did have to occasionally put her in a wheelchair.

Just thio, move her about because the demands were too great.

It felt like a very, very major honor.

Is there any last thing you want to tell the Lonely Planet audience about Haj or Saudi Arabia for this coming year?

Obviously, with all these new strains coming out, Matt, we don't know what the future holds.

But what I would say is, for anyone thinking about going to the hajj this year, you're probably going to a country which has one of the most rigorous and robust protocols in place.