Makkah News and Updates

Tuesday, 09 October 2012

SPEAKER of the House of Representatives, Honourable Aminu Tambuwal, on Monday, said the Saudi Arabian authorities were ready to allow deported female Muslim pilgrims to perform this year’s pilgrimage.

Tambuwal, who led the presidential committee to Saudi Arabia, to resolve the deportation crisis, made the disclosure at the presidential wing of the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja.

He also gave some hope that the Saudi authorities were also considering Nigeria’s request to extend the deadline for the airlifting of pilgrims, so as to accommodate the deported pilgrims.

The speaker said the issue of male companion for female pilgrim was also settled, as the Nigerian delegation made it known that the issue of the companion (Muharam) was open to different interpretations from the four jurispidences in Islam.

“Our interface with the Saudi authorities has been very successful, because we had serious and deep engagement. The first good news is that all of those pilgrims who have secured valid visa are being taken back.

“The understanding so far with them is that, they will be allowed entry into Saudi Arabia. I believe also that if need be, we have requested for them to extend the time of airlift and also the time of issuance of visa to our pilgrims,” he said.

Members of the presidential delegation included the Emir of Zuru, Alhaji Sani Sami; Alhaji Aminu Dantata; Professor Shehu Galadanchi; chairman of Nigerian Hajj Commission (NAHCON), Alhaji Mohammed Bello and the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs II, Dr Nurudeen Mohammed.

http://tribune.com.ng/index.php/fron...grims-tambuwal

Thursday 11 October 2012

Makkah - 540,000 tickets are now on sale for the Holy Sites Train, and will continue to be available for pilgrims until the third day of Dul Hijjah (Oct. 19), according to Fareed bin Mohammed Al-Ghamdi, head of the ticket collection committee. Tickets are being sold at the Central Administration for Development Projects offices, located on Makkah Ring Road in front of Al-Nour Hospital.

Tickets cost SR 250 for pilgrims and SR 50 for operators, non-pilgrim government sector employees and Haj group officials.

“The tickets are differentiated by color, to distinguish the three holy sites’ nine stations. Blue tickets are for Station 1; yellow for Station 2 and green for Station 3. All stations are at Mina, Muzdalifa and Arafat,” said Al-Ghamdi.

“At each station there will be a checking point to avoid congestion and ensure that only pilgrims with tickets get on board. For further security measures, an electronic gate is situated right after the checkpoint, allowing pilgrims access to the stations. The stations are also equipped with escalators to allow access for the disabled and elderly, he added.

Al-Ghamdi said the project officials met with domestic pilgrim companies and Tawafa companies (responsible for external pilgrims) to introduce and orient them about the train stations.

http://www.arabnews.com/libya-reserv...atives-martyrs

Tuesday 09/10/2012

GAZA CITY (Ma'an) -- The first group of pilgrims will leave Gaza on Tuesday to perform Hajj in Saudi Arabia, a ministry official said.

Adel al-Sawalha, director of the pilgrimage department at Gaza's Ministry of Religious Affairs, told Ma'an that around 660 people would leave Gaza on Tuesday.

They will travel through the Rafah crossing to Egypt, and fly from El-Arish airport on four planes specially commissioned for Hajj pilgrims, al-Sawalha said.

Around 2,800 Gaza residents will perform Hajj this year, traveling in five groups, according to al-Sawalha.

Several committees have been formed to meet pilgrims at El-Arish and Jeddah airport, and doctors will be on hand if needed, he added.

http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=527424 IBRAHIM NAFFEE

Thursday 11 October 2012

JEDDAH: A quarter of the 7,000 places for Libyan pilgrims to Makkah this year have been reserved for the martyrs’ families of Libyan revolutionaries.
A diplomat at the Libyan Embassy in Riyadh, who requested anonymity, confirmed that “the Libyan government will cover expenses of pilgrims from the martyrs’ families.”

Saudi Arabia allocates a number of Haj places to each country based on its population. In the case of Libya, this year’s Haj quota is on the generous side.

“The families are to be chosen by lottery. The authorities also set aside a percentage of Haj places for martyrs’ families and covered their full costs. The practice will continue every year for the foreseeable future,” he said.

Haj is expected to fall this year between Oct. 24-29. Pilgrims usually spend around two weeks in Saudi Arabia for the pilgrimage, arriving several days in advance. Many also travel to Madinah to pray at the Prophet’s Mosque.

The consul general of Libya in Jeddah, Mohammad Al-Hamroni, confirmed a first group of 130 Libyan pilgrims had already arrived in Jeddah on way to Makkah for Haj. The consulate has been making constant and concerted efforts to improve the services provided to Libyan pilgrims.

http://www.arabnews.com/libya-reserv...atives-martyrs

11 October 2012 - 25 Thul-Qedah 1433 H

MAKKAH – For the first time the Public Security Administration has decided to deploy female officers and dispatch them to places where male officers cannot enter during the Haj season.

Maj. Gen. Jamaan Al-Ghamdi, assistant commander of Haj security forces, told Okaz/Saudi Gazette that these female officers will help prevent crimes, especially thefts.

All security officers are ready and prepared to deal with possible problems and crises during this Haj season, he added. “Crime rate in ritual sites has gone down over the past few years.”

There are over 35 detention centers at the holy sites where suspects in security and safety violations will be detained, Maj. Gen. Al-Ghamdi pointed out. He said these centers are not prisons but simply centers for temporary detention.

Additionally, 21 patrol teams, 8 teams for detecting and removing explosives as well as teams who keep a close watch on pickpockets at crowded places have been set up.

“We also use surveillance cameras installed all over Mina and Arafat to provide pilgrims with safety and security and allow them to perform their rituals with ease and comfort,” said Maj. Gen. Al-Ghamdi.

http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index...20121011139225

Presidency of Grand Mosque and Prophet's Mosque:

Open ground floor of the

 

Grand Mosque Expansion

for more than 300,000 worshipers

October 11, 2012

Manama: A Yemeni young man has claimed to have found the oldest surviving manuscript of the Holy Quran.

The book venerated by Muslims was found inside a leather cover in a cave in the mountains south of the city of Dhale in the southern part of the country, Yemeni Arabic news site Aden Gulf News reported on Wednesday.

The words “This manuscript was handwritten in 200 AH” (815 AD) were inscribed on the first page, and preliminary tests have indicated that the copy was genuine, making it the oldest in existence. According to the site, the Arabic letters did not have the dots that were introduced at a later stage in the Arabic alphabet to distinguish similar looking letters.

The young man, who was not identified, has reportedly been offered large sums of money for the manuscript, including a YR 12 million (Dh205,682) offer, but he has refused to give it away, preferring instead to keep it, relatives said. He said that he was able to reach the mountain cave by climbing down using a rope, insisting that it was the only way to reach it.

The news site said that the young man also found next to the Quran manuscript a sword believed to have belonged to Ali Bin Abi Talib, the fourth Caliph and son-in-law of the Prophet Mohammad (PBUH). Some history accounts say that the sword — Dhu Al Faqqar — was offered by Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) to Ali.

Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) lived between AD570 and 632 and the Holy Quran was revealed between 610 and 632.

http://gulfnews.com/news/gulf/yemen/...aims-1.1087998

ARAB NEWS

Friday 12 October 2012

JEDDAH: Abdul Wahid is head of the Foundation of African pilgrims from non-Arab countries. He spoke to Arab News about the preparations for the upcoming Haj period.

How do you evaluate the current condition of Haj institutions, after having been involved in the servicing of pilgrims for many years?
The Foundation of African pilgrims from non-Arab countries was certified in 1983. Since then, we have been keen on improving its performance. We keep on opening channels to create a closer relationship with all Haj missions and organizations that service pilgrims. We work hard on upgrading the cultural and professional aspects of the work we do in field offices. Programs of education and awareness, training courses, and workshops are some of the initiatives we took to improve the quality, mechanisms and service performance of individuals. We also aim to provide an opportunity for the younger generations that would like to contribute to the service of pilgrims. We want them to take on this profession because it is an outstanding field to work in.

The development of the institution now is well in place. We are taking advantage of past experiences to reinforce the positives and address the negatives to get rid of any errors. We are cooperating fully with the relevant authorities, particularly the Ministry of Haj and other government agencies.

How you evaluate the elections of the boards of the Haj institutions?
An election is a certified and proper way to choose the boards of the Haj institutions. The procedures of these elections are not new, as they first started in 1885. They have remained unchanged, although for a certain period of time they were frozen for particular reasons. They are a means to organize and select a board servicing the pilgrims.

There is a call for the formation of advisory boards for institutions servicing pilgrims. What are your views on this matter?
More than once the minister of Haj has announced that a draft proposal to restructure these institutions would be soon submitted to the Council of Ministers for approval. The new regulations would provide a major shift in the mechanisms of organizing responsibilities and duties of these institutions. We look forward to the adoption of these regulations and plan take advantage of them soon.

Is there a section for female muttawifin (pilgrim guides)?
Women have a post with us in the pilgrim service sector as they follow up some of the services at the Holy sites. They work to preserve the dignity of female pilgrims and work in accordance with Islamic teachings and traditions in ways that are suitable to their energy and ability.

The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques has ordered considerable works, including the development of the Holy Sites, a train service, and expansion of the Mina area in Makkah. How do you see the work of the government sector?
There is no doubt that great development in Makkah, Madinah and the Holy Sites has occurred. We have seen giant steps in that direction. These significant and tangible achievements have also reflected on the services we provide to pilgrims. But there are always big ambitions in addressing and facilitating more projects. As we know, there are still projects that can increase the capacity of Mina and increase service facilities in the Holy Sites, Makkah, and Madinahh.

Are there more organizations similar to yours?
The nature of the regulations on the pilgrim service sector is such that each institution is responsible for pilgrims from a specific geographical area. The Africa Foundation is responsible for pilgrims from the non-Arab African countries. They are now 47 countries, including the State of South Sudan. There are other institutions for Iran, Arab states, South Asia, Southeast Asia, Turkey, Europe, America, and Australia. There is also a regular and ongoing cooperation between officials at the Ministry of Haj and other Haj mission officials to assure integration of various services.

Is there an increase this year in the number of pilgrims?
Yes, we have seen an increase this year, but within the framework of the quota. The increase came from countries that had an unutilized balance from last year and were asked to take advantage of the full balance this year. However, there was no increase in the quotas.

Will the movements of pilgrims be more organized and regulated?
There are regulations supported by the Ministry of Haj to organize a mechanism that eases pilgrim movement from one site to another. This mechanism could also organize the programs and services offered to them in Makkah, Madinahh and the Holy Sites.

There is a coordinating body for pilgrim servicing institutions that oversees coordination between institutions in Makkah, Jeddah, Madinah, and the Ministry of Haj, Public Security, the Ministry of Health, Municipal Affairs and Civil Defense. Thus, there are meetings and constant coordination with all the relevant authorities.

What is the status of monitoring the health of pilgrims?
There are instructions to vaccinate pilgrims before arrival. Vaccination is sometimes given in Jeddah if pilgrims come without a vaccination certificate. This helps with the overall safety of the pilgrims.

What are the instructions regarding the coronavirus?
“As far as I know, the virus has been contained and the Kingdom has taken all the necessary precautions. The situation is under control.”

http://www.arabnews.com/haj-institut...ady-haj-period

Coaches carrying pilgrims to Makkah are parked outside the Meeqat Mosque in Madinah, Thursday. The General Cars Syndicate, the agency responsible for the transportation of Haj pilgrims within the holy cities, has raised the tempo of services with the arrival of large numbers of pilgrims from abroad in the Prophet’s City.

12 October 2012 - 26 Thul-Qedah 1433 H

MAKKAH – The Makkah Traffic Directorate has called on Tawafa guides and others involved in transporting pilgrims to comply with traffic rules and plans that have been designed by the administration for this year’s Haj season.

The administration’s annual meeting held recently in Makkah was attended by senior officers of Makkah Traffic Directorate and top officials from Arab Pilgrims’ Establishment.

Muhammad Majini, deputy director of the establishment and supervisor of the pilgrims’ transport department, said the meeting aimed to facilitate cooperation between his organization and other relevant authorities to facilitate the movement of pilgrims to and from the holy sites.

According to Brig. Saad Al-Jabari, commander of traffic at Arafat, on the day of Arafat all buses should use Street 54 then Road 9 and afterward they should take roads 56 and 62.

There are 16 parking lots for buses in Arafat that can accommodate 5,885 buses, in addition to a big parking lot that can take up to 1,008 buses, Al-Jabari said.

He said drivers should be notified by Tawafa establishments that they can only use these parking lots and not leave their buses in random places in the streets and roads because this would disrupt traffic flow and result in congestions.

Regarding the movement of pilgrims from Arafat to Muzdalifah, Al-Jabari said all buses would be traveling toward the west only.

Brig. Abdullah Al-Shahrani, who is in charge of parking lots for buses, discussed the changes that would be introduced this year regarding the locations of pilgrim camps.

He said the old camps were moved from their location at the south ring road to the new location in south Arafat to make way for the Al-Mashaer train.

Buses can reach the new location of camps by going through the intersection of Taif Road with Street 54 west and then taking Street 91, he explained.

Al-Shahrani stressed cooperation with the Makkah traffic police would make this year’s plan successful. He urged pilgrim buses to strictly abide by traffic rules to prevent obstructions in roads.

Brig. Abdul Rahman Zaher, who is in charge of parking lots for buses used by Haj transportation companies, said it was important buses stick to their departure times on the sixth day of Dhul Haj from the Shumaisy checkpoint to Makkah. Each bus should have a guide on board to give directions to its destination, he added.

Buses should not stop at checkpoints and continue their trip to Makkah without stopping at the Al-Aziziah neighborhood as they did last year, he said.

There are parking lots for buses and guides on board should take their buses there.

Col. Makhlad Al-Maqati, assistant commander of Arafat traffic, said on way back to Mina all buses should travel from west to east and not stop on the side of the road.

Col. Hadi Al-Subaee, commander of Mina traffic, said on the 11th, 12th and 13th of Dhul Haj, buses should use tunnels and bridges.

Some areas in Mina will be for pedestrians only. The Al-Aziziah tunnel leading to the train station and Al-Jamarat complex will be used this year to facilitate the movement of pilgrims.

Col. Muhammad Al-Basami, who is in charge of checkpoints at the entrances to the holy sites, said any vehicle or motorcycle that does not have a license will not be allowed to enter.

The Makkah Traffic Directorate will launch a campaign to confiscate all unlicensed vehicles and motorcycles.

Col. Salih Al-Khashan, assistant director of Makkah Traffic, said the new plan came into force Wednesday.

http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index...20121012139335

12 October 2012 - 26 Thul-Qedah 1433 H

MAKKAH — The Ministry of Haj has employed 3,912 seasonal workers to assist in providing services to pilgrims, according to the ministry’s director of financial and administrative affairs, Khaled Al-Salmi.

He said the temporary employees were chosen based on certain criteria to ensure they were competent and qualified to work for the departments interested in their services during the Haj season.

Al-Salmi said the seasonal employees would be deployed at all of the Kingdom’s air, sea and land inlets that have been prepared to receive pilgrims.

He pointed out that the employees were also deployed in the holy sites and the central area around the Haram to assist permanent ministry employees in providing pilgrims with efficient and excellent services according to the directives of Haj Minister Bandar Al-Hajjar

http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index...20121012139336
October 12, 2012

MAKKAH – Ninety-four Haj accommodation facilities have been fined for violating safety requirements and their power has been cut off until they have resolved their shortcomings, according to Col. Khalaf Al-Matrafi, director of Makkah Civil Defense.

He said: “Some facilities had fire alarms that did not work properly because they had not been maintained while other facilities did not have accommodation licenses.

“Additionally, some of their emergency exits were blocked.”

Inspectors are continuously paying visits to Haj accommodation facilities while safety assurance companies are also required by the Civil Defense to pay visits to these facilities on a monthly basis and ensure their compliance with safety standards.

A detailed safety report is sent every month to the Civil Defense.

“We’re working on a project to link all Haj accommodation facilities with our emergency unit through systems that will help us detect any malfunction in fire alarm systems, smoke detectors, elevators and other measures in these facilities,” Al-Matrafi said.

http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index...20121012139327
Friday, October 12, 2012

MAKKAH — The tourism and hotels committee of the Makkah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI) has described hotel reservation levels for this year’s Haj season as “extremely bad” and said they have dropped by about 50 percent from last year.

It said they were likely to go down further, especially in areas with licensed buildings for pilgrims such as the Albank residential quarter and Al-Naseem plot that were earlier targeted by citizens and foreign residents from Gulf countries.

The committee attributed this drop to the refusal of the Haj Ministry to increase pilgrim quotas for these countries.

It said the ministry adhered very strongly this year to the Haj quotas allocated for each country and refused to increase them as it had done in the past.

Talking to reporters in Makkah Wednesday afternoon, chairman of the committee Waleed Bin Saleh Abu Sabaah said the situation regarding hotel reservations this season was extremely bad and could not be compared to previous years that had experienced crises such as swine flu.

He added: “Despite the obvious influence of these crises on hotel reservation levels, the market never sunk to these current levels.”

Abu Sabaah believed the refusal of the Haj Ministry to increase Haj quotas might be the main cause for the serious drop in reservations in hotels and other buildings licensed for pilgrims.

He indicated the ministry’s actions could prevent about 400,000 people from performing Haj this year.

He added: “If they were allowed to come, these pilgrims might rent between 1,000 and 1,500 buildings licensed for the accommodation of pilgrims.”

http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index...20121012139333

October 12, 2012

LONDON –– The Association of British Hujjaj (ABH) — a UK-based Haj/Umrah organization — launched an awareness campaign related to the health and safety of pilgrims recently at the House of Lords.

Around 25,000 British pilgrims will join an estimated two million pilgrims in Makkah this year. To support this prestigious event, members of the House of Lords, government officials, diplomats and community dignitaries were present.

Lord Ahmed of Rotherham, Patron of ABH, and Dr. Imtiaz Ahmed from MDDA, said that to perform Haj in the safest and best possible manner pilgrims must be aware of all its rituals. They said that all pilgrims should also take care of their health and safety at all times because there is always a high risk of contracting infectious diseases among large crowds.

Ahmed also praised the facilities provided by Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to pilgrims.

Lord Phil Hunt, Deputy Leader of House of Lords, commended the hard work and continuous efforts made over a decade by ABH to ensure the well-being of pilgrims. He assured his full support toward this noble and humanitarian cause for helping and protecting the British Haj pilgrims from hardship and difficulties.

Dr. Syed Raza Hussain from ABH strongly urged the prospective pilgrims to safeguard against infectious diseases such as meningitis. Hence, all pilgrims are required to receive a meningitis vaccination before they leave for Haj.

The officials from Police, Trading Standards Department, and ABTA also spoke and ensured that the government authorities will make every effort to help and protect British pilgrims from exploitation at the hands of unscrupulous and rogue tour and travel operators. At the event, Birmingham City Council’s Trading Standards Department was awarded for their hard work and achievements to ensure the strict implementation of UK laws.

Khalid Pervez, General Secretary of ABH, said that the tragic accidents that took place during the Haj pilgrimage in recent years due to the outbreak of infectious diseases cost the lives of many British pilgrims and left the Britain Muslim community in grief.

Pervez acknowledged the messages of support received from Shaikh Abdur-Rahman Al-Sudais , Prince Charles, and other government officials.

http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index...20121012139338

Riyadh, Dhu-AlQa'dah 26, 1433, Oct 12, 2012, SPA

Up to yesterday, the number of pilgrims arriving from abroad to perform Hajj rituals of this year reached 984,525, the Passports Department said in a statement.

The statement said in its daily statistical report that 591078 pilgrims arrived via King Abdulaziz International airport of Jeddah, 348279 via Prince Mohammed bin Abdulaziz International airport of Al-Madinah Al-Munawarah, 11004 through Jeddah Islamic port, 11655 by land across Halat Ammar inlet, 814 by land through Bat-ha inlet and 21695 through other inlets.

Until yesterday 36602 Saudis and 6097 for expatriates inside the Kingdom were granted Hajj permits, the report said.

http://www.spa.gov.sa/English/print.php?id=1038593

Haj transportation services optimized

13 October 2012 - 27 Thul-Qedah 1433 H

JEDDAH – Saudi Arabian Airlines has chartered 30 airplanes to increase its capacity for transporting pilgrims during the Haj season, said Abdullah Al-Ajhar, assistant executive director of public relations at Saudia.

All chartered airplanes can accommodate large numbers of passengers and will help Saudia implement its Haj plan successfully without disrupting domestic and overseas flight schedules already in place.

Saudia airplanes are transporting pilgrims from over 100 domestic and overseas destinations, he added.

“Everything is going according to plan. We’re planning to provide our services to around 1 million pilgrims.”

This year’s plan focuses, among other things, on mobilizing manpower in all terminals inside and outside the Kingdom and raising the level of coordination in these terminals, Al-Ajhar noted.

The goal here is to provide pilgrims with the best services available, he pointed out.

Saudia will also operate additional flights from the Kingdom’s regions to Jeddah, he announced.

He said: “Saudia has scheduled 912 international flight arrivals and 899 departures, in addition to 240 flights to transport pilgrims within the Kingdom.”

Saudia offers pilgrims a plethora of services that include issuing boarding passes for arrival and departure flights at the same terminal to ensure pilgrims can focus on their rituals and not worry about going to an airline office to confirm flights or get boarding passes.

Saudia flight attendants speak different languages and serve pilgrims with meals that cater to their tastes.

http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index...20121013139433

AL-TIWAL – Over 200 pilgrims at the Al-Tiwal border were refused entry into the Kingdom and were asked to return to their country for failing to comply with Haj visa regulations, said the head of the Al-Tiwal border checkpoint.

Any pilgrim who does not abide by the Haj regulations will not be allowed to enter the Kingdom, Ali Kamli said.

“Based on the orders of Prince Muhammad Bin Nasser, Emir of Jazan, we are working day and night to serve all pilgrims who enter the Kingdom through this border,” he said.

The border point has been provided with all services and facilities that will help facilitate the processing of pilgrims’ papers and allow them to enter the Kingdom, he said.

Pilgrims at the border told Okaz/Saudi Gazette they were satisfied with the services provided to them.

They lauded the efforts exerted by border officers to facilitate the journey of all pilgrims.

Ministry of Haj spokesman Hatim Qadhi had said in a recent statement that pilgrims who do not comply with terms and requirements of the entry visa to Saudi Arabia to perform Haj will not be allowed to enter the Kingdom,
The statement came in response to media reports quoting the president of the Nigerian Haj Mission as saying that a group of Nigerian women pilgrims who arrived in the Kingdom to perform Haj was denied entry at the airport and flew back to Nigeria.

http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index...20121013139434
RIYADH — A 310-strong medical team, comprising general practitioners, cardiologists, general surgeons, urologists, orthopedists, dermatologists, gynecologists, dentists and pharmacists as well as nursing and technical staff, will serve Egyptian pilgrims this Haj season, according to Dr. Hesham Shiha, medical consultant at the Egyptian Embassy in Riyadh.

The Egyptian mission will be staying at Al-Hussein Hotel at Ajyad Street, he added.

Seventeen clinics will be operational in Makkah and two each in Madinah and Jeddah throughout the season to serve the pilgrims, he noted.

Dr. Shiha lauded the cooperation of the Saudi authorities. They cleared all medical cargo for Egyptian pilgrims within 72 hours of its arrival in the Kingdom.

All necessary procedures to fight infections and contagious diseases have been taken and medical pamphlets will be distributed to Egyptian pilgrims to educate them on the importance of personal hygiene and avoiding crowded areas.

He added: “No single contagious case among Egyptian pilgrims has been detected or any death reported so far.

“Currently, six Egyptian patients are receiving medical care at hospitals and they are all in stable condition.”

http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index...20121013139442