Makkah News and Updates

 

Monday 20 June 2016

JEDDAH: Visitors to Makkah have been advised to leave the mataf area exclusively for Umrah pilgrims for the five-time mandatory prayers, especially during Taraweeh, for the remaining days of Ramadan.

A directive in this regard was issued by Makkah Gov. Khaled Al-Faisal on his Twitter account.

The mataf area is witnessing overcrowding during the prayer time and making it very difficult for Umrah pilgrims to perform tawaf (circumambulation) of the Holy Kaaba, he said. “Hence, visitors should allow pilgrims to perform tawaf smoothly.”

The governor said that there is a lot of space for prayers in the internal corridors and northern expansion and the upper floors of the Grand Mosque. “Only those performing Umrah can offer mandatory prayers in the courtyard,” he said, adding that the carts would be moved to the demarcated areas.

The directive follows reports of suspension of tawaf in the courtyard during the mandatory prayers, particularly Taraweeh.

All the Muslims coming to the Grand Mosque have been urged to abide by the directive and cooperate with the security personnel.

http://www.arabnews.com/node/942296/saudi-arabia

60% of 94,000 mosques offer iftar 
 

Tuesday 21 June 2016

RIYADH: Since the beginning of Ramadan, thousands have thronged local mosques where free iftar is offered. The meals are often in tents attached to the mosques and the practice of free meals will continue until the month ends.

This genuine Islamic tradition of offering free iftar is thought to be practiced in at least 60 percent of the 94,000 mosques in the Kingdom, according to an estimate by Deputy Islamic Affairs Minister Abdullah Al-Huwaimil.

In a visit by Arab News to some mosques in Riyadh, a typical meal at sunset normally contains fast-breaking foods such as dates and water in accordance with the traditions of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).

After the fast has been broken, a full meal consisting of soup, rice, bread, barbecued or cooked chicken or meat mixed with vegetable, and sweets or fruits is available to worshippers.

At some locations there may be kabsa (traditional boiled rice with chicken, lamb, camel or pigeon) which is served just after the prayer.
The majority of people who come to the tents for iftar are Muslim expatriates; there are many from Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Egypt and Ethiopia. The Saudi presence is small at these iftar meals.

Saiful Islam, a Bangladeshi who enjoys the free iftar meals, made excuses for Saudis not attending. “This might be because of their commitments to their families and children unlike most of us whose families are far away,” he said.

Turki Mohammed, a Saudi supervising free iftar in the Al-Athl Mosque, agreed with Saiful Islam. “I suggest forming Saudi volunteer groups in each neighborhood mosque which will join these expatriates at their iftar meals to make them feel a sense of Islamic brotherhood and closeness to Saudi society during this sacred month,” he said.

There is no official figure on the number of free Ramadan iftar meals served in the tents or of their cost which is totally borne by charities and well-known philanthropists.

 

Dr. Abdul Aziz Turkistani, who is a former adviser to the Islamic affairs minister, gave Arab News an estimate on the number of meals and their cost. “Apart from the about 4.2 million free iftar meals offered at the Two Holy Mosques (about 4 million in the Grand Mosque in Makkah and about 200,000 meals at the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah), I estimate the number of meals offered in other mosques Kingdom-wide at 3 million daily,” he said.

“I base my estimate on an average of 50 persons attending one iftar meal in almost 60,000 mosques Kingdom-wide everyday. The figure is approximately 60 percent of the Kingdom’s estimated 94,000 mosques since it is unlikely that every mosque offers a free iftar,” he said. “As for the total cost of these meals in Ramadan, let us suppose that a meal costs at least SR6. Then, we can come up with a total daily cost of SR18 million for 3 million meals. And, if we multiply this daily cost by 30 days, we get SR540 million for the whole month,” he said.

To avoid misuse or exploitation of money given for this particular good deed, the tents are closely watched by the Saudi authorities, especially the Islamic Affairs Ministry.

The ministry has limited the organizing of free iftar meals to licensed charitable organizations and asking them to provide the ministry with a full official report of income and expenditure within a month after the end of Ramadan. The ministry has also banned imams or muezzins from receiving money for organizing such acts of charity and if there are violations, the imams and muezzins will be held responsible.

Further, the ministry has mandated that food should be prepared by licensed kitchens or restaurants with guarantees of food safety.

Many Muslim expatriates experience sharp hunger pangs as a result of a long fasting day. The fact that many receive a low salary is the major reason for their attending the free iftar meals.

Mohammed Ahmad, an Egyptian, said he came for the free iftar because the free iftar helps him to save money which he can send to his family.

Abdo, an Ethiopian, said that when he finishes a long working day he has no time to cook so it is easier for him to come to the nearby mosque tent for a free iftar meal.

Mohiddin, a Bangladeshi, said that he usually came to the tent not only to break his fast but also to get a sense of companionship with others and to pray with the congregation in the mosque before going home.

http://www.arabnews.com/node/942731/saudi-arabia

Iftar in Masjid al Haram

Jun 22, 2016

JEDDAH — There are 3.2 million Indonesians on the Haj wait list, said Joko Asmoro, chairman of the Indonesian Muslim Association for Haj and Umrah Travels.

Being the largest Muslim country with some 220 million Muslims, Indonesia faces a huge demand from its citizens eager to perform Haj.

The process, he said, requires people to register their names for Haj in advance to be included on the government Haj list.

“The average waiting time for Haj is 37 years,” said Asmoro.
“This has increased the demand for Umrah as it is less expensive and requires less waiting,” he added.

According to him, there are 3,500 travel agencies in Indonesia. However, only 668 of them are authorized for Umrah. Around 200 are authorized by the Saudi Ministry of Haj and Umrah to organize Haj. There are four airlines to carry Haj and Umrah pilgrims.

He said that there is a VVIP Haj package where pilgrims stay in five star hotels. But this category constitutes only 7% of Indonesian pilgrims. Only 17,000 pilgrims opt for this category as it costs US$8000.

Asmoro was speaking to journalists in an iftar gathering organized Sunday by the Indonesian consulate in Jeddah.

Accompanied by Juman Nazar, vice consul for economic affairs, officials briefed reporters about the cooperation between Saudi Arabia and Indonesia in various fields.

Asked about the delay Haj pilgrims face at the airport, Nazar said: “We are trying to arrange the schedules in advance and make all documents ready to avoid delay and abide by Saudi regulations. We have 3,000 officials who work in shifts to make the process efficient and smooth.”

Speaking about runaway pilgrims, he said it is not a new issue. “We are having strict procedures and we make sure that everyone is registered.”

Answering a Saudi Gazette question about Saudi tourists visiting Indonesia, he said that they have increased by 50% compared to last year.

“We receive 54,000 Saudi tourists who stay from one week to three weeks. We are expecting more visitors. Saudis do not follow travel agency schedules. They prefer to have their special arrangements,” Nazar said.

According to him, besides tickets, a one-week to 10-day stay in Indonesian may cost $1,000.

http://saudigazette.com.sa/saudi-ara...s-perform-haj/

 

Saturday 25 June 2016

MAKKAH: Air support for the holy city of Makkah has been beefed up in accordance with security plans for the ongoing Ramadan season, the commander of police security aviation said on Saturday.

Major General Mohammad bin Eid Al-Harbi said more planes, human resources and technical support had been added in view of the increase in number of pilgrims visiting the holy city.

“The level of readiness increases as we come closer to the last ten days of Ramadan,” Al-Harbi said in a statement. 

He said the seasonal security aviation base for the holy sites has also been made operational and all the planes are ready to take off at any moment if necessary.

The command performs not just security measures but also perform humanitarian tasks and provide logistic support to all the government agencies. “For the purpose well-equipped planes are available for surveillance, follow up, monitoring and analysis of security and traffic conditions, in addition to participation in implementation of plans for dealing with any emergencies,” the statement said.

http://www.arabnews.com/node/944781/saudi-arabia

 

 

Jun 27, 2016

MAKKAH — The Ministry of Haj and Umrah plans to keep the Umrah season open throughout the year from next year, according to a senior official of the ministry.

“Umrah visas will be granted throughout the year except during the Haj season which begins mid-Shawwal (the 10th month of the Islamic calendar) and ends on mid-Muharram (first month on the calendar),” Abdullah Qadi, deputy chairman of the National Committee for the Haj and Umrah in Makkah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, was quoted as saying by Makkah Arabic daily on Sunday.

He said the ministry has stopped issuing new Umrah visas starting Ramadan 15 (June 20). However, Saudi diplomatic missions abroad will continue to grant Umrah visas to those who have already being supplied with visa reference numbers, he said.

According to reports, Umrah visas have increased by seven percent over their number last year to reach 6.4 million.

“This is still below the ministry’s ambitious plan of receiving about eight million Umrah pilgrims this year,” said Qadi.

He attributed the drop in the number of Umrah pilgrims to global economic downturn and the fluctuating exchange rates.

The ministry, in cooperation and coordination with the concerned agencies, has made elaborate arrangements to cope with the unprecedented rush of pilgrims and to enable them to perform their rituals in ease and comfort, the Information Center at the Ministry of Haj and Umrah said in a press statement.

The revenues to be generated by the Umrah season are expected to soar over SR200 billion by the year 2020, according to Saad Bin Jameel Al-Qurashi, former member of the National Haj and Umrah Committee of the Makkah Chamber of Commerce and Industry. 

http://saudigazette.com.sa/saudi-ara...pen-year-long/

 

600 new lockers at King Abdullah expansion

Jun 30, 2016

Some 25,000 rugs, each with a length of 3 to 4 meters, adorn the floors of the Grand Mosque and its surrounding plazas. Of the total, 21,000 rugs are actually laid down and 4,000 kept in reserve. If spread out in a straight line, the total length of the rugs could reach as many as 90 kilometers. 

http://saudigazette.com.sa/saudi-ara...-grand-mosque/

 

 

Thursday 30 June 2016

JEDDAH: Pilgrims will be required to use electronic identification bracelets starting this coming Haj as part of a safety measure, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) said, quoting the Ministry of Haj and Umrah.

Launched last week, the electronic bracelet stores the personal information of each pilgrim including where the person entered the Kingdom, visa number, passport number and address.

During last week’s launch of the device, Eisa Mohammad Rawas, undersecretary for Umrah affairs at the ministry, said the new device would allow better service provision by government and private sector bodies including for those who are lost, elderly and do not speak Arabic.

It is water-resistant, connected to GPS, and contains personal and medical information, helping authorities provide care and identify people.

SPA said the devices will also instruct worshippers on timings of prayers and a multi-lingual help desk to guide especially non-Arabic speaking pilgrims around the various rituals of the annual Islamic event.

Saudi Arabia oversees the annual pilgrimage to Makkah by more than two million Muslims from around the world.

Nearly a thousand new surveillance cameras were installed this month at Makkah’s Grand Mosque and linked to control rooms staffed by special forces monitoring pilgrim movements for the event scheduled for August, Haj officials have said.

Undersecretary Rawas said the ministry consulted with travel agents and Haj and Umrah companies here and abroad before designing the bracelets. The information can be accessed using a smartphone by employees of the ministry, and security and services bodies.

http://www.arabnews.com/node/947221/saudi-arabia

Haj safety: Hi-tech bracelets 
for all pilgrims introduced
 

Jul 1, 2016

THE Kingdom will introduce electronic identification bracelets for all pilgrims to Makkah starting this year, Saudi media said on Thursday, as part of a safety drive a year after the annual Islamic rite suffered its deadliest disaster in a generation.

Scores of people died in a crush when thousands of pilgrims were in Mina for stoning the devil ritual last September.

Containing personal and medical information, the bracelets will help authorities provide care and identify people, the official Saudi Press Agency SPA said.

Water-resistant and connected to GPS, the devices will also instruct worshipers on timings of prayers and a multi-lingual help desk to guide especially non-Arabic speaking pilgrims around the various rituals of the annual Islamic event.

Saudi Arabia oversees the annual pilgrimage to Makkah by more than two million Muslims from around the world.

Nearly a thousand new surveillance cameras were installed this month at the Grand Mosque and linked to control rooms staffed by special forces monitoring pilgrim movements for the Ramadan rush and the Haj event scheduled for September. 

http://saudigazette.com.sa/saudi-ara...ms-introduced/

 

Jul 2, 2016

MAKKAH – Nearly 3 million worshippers, including foreign Umrah pilgrims and local visitors, performed Isha and Taraweeh prayers in the Grand Mosque in Makkah and the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah Friday night in a tranquil atmosphere, thanks to the extensive services provided by the government of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman

Various government agencies mobilized their full material and human potential to ensure the faithful preform their pilgrimage rites and other acts of worship in peace and comfort.

The worshippers from around the world, including different parts of the Kingdom, converged on Makkah to seek Allah’s forgiveness and mercy with the hope that this night, the 27th of Ramadan, is the Night of Power (Lailat Al-Qadr).

According to scholarly opinion, the Night of Power, which commemorates the first revelation of the Holy Qur’an to the Prophet Muhammad (peace upon him) in Makkah, falls on one of the odd nights in the last 10 days of Ramadan, most probably the 27th night.

The authorities provided all services to the worshippers, Umrah pilgrims and visitors with follow-up by Prince Khaled Al-Faisal, emir of Makkah Province and adviser to Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, who stressed that serving the worshippers and visitors to the Grand Mosque is a great honor for the Saudi people and government.

He further said everyone was working hard to provide the maximum comfort and facilities to the guests of God. He praised the noble services being provided to Umrah pilgrims, and said the pilgrims could benefit from the completion of the latest expansion of the Grand Mosque this Ramadan.

He said all departments carried out their tasks for the holy month, especially the last ten days, according to plan.

Nearly 2 million worshippers visited the Grand Mosque in Makkah on Friday night, while 750,000 people joined the special prayers at the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

The General Presidency for the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques mobilized its efforts in opening the gates, carrying out maintenance works, cleaning and operation. It also made available copies of the Holy Qur’an everywhere in the mosque complex.

The Directorate of Health Affairs in Makkah Province operated two health centers in the Grand Mosque, in addition to Ajyad Emergency Hospital, which is only a few meters away from the mosque.

Over 12,000 cleaners were deployed in the Grand Mosque and its courtyards. Sixty points were allocated for collecting garbage.

Police intensified security patrols on the streets of Makkah to ensure a smooth flow of traffic and avoid any untoward incidents.

Saudi Public Transport Company (SAPTCO) made sure that there were enough buses to carry the Umrah pilgrims and worshippers to and from the Grand Mosque.

http://saudigazette.com.sa/saudi-ara...-holy-mosques/