Makkah News and Updates

Madinah witnessing

 

huge influx of pilgrims

Wristbands for domestic

 

pilgrims from next Haj

Pak official lauds Haj arrangements

 

1 November 2012 - 16 Thul-Hijjah 1433 H

RIYADH — Sheikh Abdul Aziz Bin Abdullah Aal Al-Sheikh, the Kingdom’s Grand Mufti, has criticized those who have prayed for more natural disasters to hit the United States in the wake of the devastating Hurricane Sandy.

Aal Al-Sheikh said such prayer is “unlawful and invalid”. He added: “Praying against the victims of Hurricane Sandy is wrong and inappropriate. A large number of the victims are Muslims.

“We ought to pray to Allah to grant Muslims strength and that Allah may help them in obeying Him. Muslims should learn lessons from such disasters and they should not pray against all people in such a way.

“Such prayers are not for the good of Muslims and should be avoided.”

Twitter users had sent tweets praying for the destruction of America, although there were others who voiced their concerns for the victims of Sandy and wanted to check on the condition of relatives in parts of the country hit by the storm, Al-Hayat newspaper reported Wednesday.

Salman Al-Owdah rushed to send a tweet in which he criticized Twitter users who prayed that Sandy would be a big disaster for America.

He added: “I would remind them of the saying of the Prophet (peace be upon him) to the idolaters of Makkah, which was: ‘I pray to Allah that among their offspring will be those who worship Allah.’”

A professor at Imam Muhammad Bin Saud University responded to Sheikh Salman Al-Owdah by saying: “But we pray to Allah to destroy them all and leave none.”

He added that there was a difference between a country that wages war and carries out aggressions against Muslims in their countries and the case of the idolaters in Makkah.

http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index...20121101141375

2 November 2012 - 17 Thul-Hijjah 1433 H

JEDDAH – The north and south terminals of King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah have been witnessing severe crowding due to a large number of passenger departures coinciding with the start of the working week after of the Haj and Eid Al-Adha holidays.

Chaos reigned at the arrival and departure halls.

Passengers could not move in the south terminal because of the piles of luggage inside and outside the terminal.

Okaz/Saudi Gazette found passengers sleeping on pavements in the vicinity of the airport.

More and more buses kept arriving with outgoing pilgrims of various nationalities at the south terminal.

A number of passengers criticized the long wait and the slow pace of check-in procedures. They claimed the same sort of chaos occurs every holiday season.

They demanded the situation was studied from all angles and the causes analyzed. A large number of the passengers were domestic pilgrims returning home after Haj.

On Tuesday, many flights departing to other Saudi cities were delayed and the fate of other flights was uncertain, while airport staff declined to give any clarification.

Passengers sat in the lounges waiting anxiously for information about their flights or new timings for pending flights.

Saeed Al-Amri, a passenger on a delayed flight heading to Dammam, said he preferred to remain in his seat because he did not want someone else to take his place if he got up to inquire about the flight.

He said his flight should have taken off two hours ago but he still waited for information.

He complained that there were insufficient seats and the meals being sold at the airport were expensive.

Al-Amri added the flight should have taken off at noon, but it was then scheduled for 3 p.m. He said passengers were totally ignored by Saudi Arabian Airlines and airport officials.

They did not provide the passengers with drinks — not even to the elderly and children, he added.

Some of the officials dealt with the passengers nonchalantly and even arrogantly, he said. There were no suitable places for the families to rest. They remained standing as there were only a few seats available in the lounge, Al-Amri added.

Ahmad Al-Ghamdi and Salim Basurrah said the way they were treated was unacceptable. Nobody apologized or answered their inquiries about the delay of flights, they claimed.

Latifa Al-Shihri said officials who treated passengers in this way should be held accountable. The women either sat on the floor of the terminals or remained standing, carrying their children, she said.

Al-Shihri said: “They did not appreciate the magnitude of the passengers’ suffering due to the delayed flights, especially the children and old people suffering from chronic diseases like hypertension and diabetes.”

Okaz/Saudi Gazette tried to contact Abdullah Al-Ajhar, Assistant Director General for Public Relations at Saudia, but there was no response.

http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index...20121102141461

2 November 2012 - 17 Thul-Hijjah 1433 H

MADINAH – Owners of many buildings that housed pilgrims in Madinah have been sued by the local Haj Ministry branch for not maintaining an adequate standard of facilities and services, according to Muhammad Al-Bejawi, the branch’s director.

Al-Bejawi said about 450,000 pilgrims will travel from Prince Muhammad International Airport in Madinah to their countries on board 1,600 flights.

He said more than 600 branch employees have been tasked with providing services to the pilgrims, adding that if any of the pilgrims’ scheduled flights are delayed for any reason the ministry will immediately arrange housing for them and all other services until they leave.

The significant projects carried out by the branch include a state-of-the-art data center to provide fast and efficient services to pilgrims, Al-Bejawi said.

He said the data center has been equipped with technology that facilitates efficient contact with service providers. This technology enables the ministry’s branch to provide maximum services to pilgrims in a record time, he added.

Asked if the branch plays a regulatory role in pilgrims’ housing, he said the Civil Defense is mainly responsible for the pilgrims’ safety because it is directly involved in inspecting all buildings allocated for pilgrims.

“The ministry cooperates with the Civil Defense in the field as our inspectors make inspection tours of the buildings prepared for the housing of pilgrims,” he added.

“We make sure that all the buildings have been equipped with fire extinguishers.

“If the ministry’s staff discovers any deficiency or shortcomings in these services we report this to the Civil Defense.”

He said the ministry’s branch is directly connected with the centers for lost pilgrims.

He added the branch is responsible for the lost valuables of the pilgrims, whether these are found at the arrival centers or the buildings where they stay.

He said the branch dispatches the lost items to the pilgrims, especially those who report their lost valuables to the ministry on time.

http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index...20121102141464

Friday 2 November 2012

There are no plans to stop Umrah visas next year as a result of development projects at the Grand Mosque in Makkah and the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah, Haj Ministry spokesman Hatim Qadi said yesterday.

“We have not received any instruction by higher authorities to stop issuing Umrah visas,” Qadi said.

He said the ministry’s monitoring officials have caught three false Haj service agents who had allegedly cheated some groups of pilgrims during this Haj season.

“We are continuing our investigation with the three agents and their file will be passed to the governorate and then to the court to take legal action,” Qadi said.

Asked about prospects of licensing more agents to provide domestic Haj services, Qadi said: “We have licensed 250 companies to provide domestic Haj services and there is no plan to issue more licenses at the moment. We would like to see better services from the existing companies.”

He said the ministry would review the overall performance of the different departments during this Haj season to learn lessons from mistakes and improve services.

Qadi said Haj Minister Bandar Hajjar was successful in convincing Nigerian authorities the reason for sending back some women pilgrims this year for violating Haj regulations.

http://www.arabnews.com/no-plans-halt-umrah-visas-2013 Friday 2 November 2012

The Haj Ministry plans to introduce a comprehensive electronic data system to improve service to foreign pilgrims next year.

Haj Minister Bandar Hajjar said: “We hope officials of Haj affairs in other countries will be well prepared to implement and meet system requirements.” The new system would reduce time and ensure transparency, he added.

He said Saudi Arabia would continue to implement mega development projects in Makkah, Madinah and the holy sites to handle the growing number of pilgrims who come for Haj and Umrah.

He said the largest expansion of the Prophet’s Mosque in history will increase its capacity to more than two million worshippers and would begin in two weeks.

“The project will take two years to complete and will be ready before Haj in 2014,” the minister said. The expansion of mataf, or the circumambulation area around the Holy Kaaba, would increase capacity from 40,000 to 118,000 pilgrims per hour.

The minister answered questions on the issue of Syrian pilgrims who came for Haj and whether they would be allowed to stay in the Kingdom until things return to normal at home. Hajjar said: “This matter does not come under the Haj Ministry’s jurisdiction. Our duty is to extend the necessary services to pilgrims from the time of their arrival until their return.”

He said the Kingdom extended help to Syrians who wished to perform Haj this year.

“But the Syrian government applied delaying tactics. Then Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah directed us to issue Haj visas to Syrians living in Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan and other countries.”

The King allowed Haj flights carrying Syrians to land at Jeddah airport even after the deadline for arrival of foreign Haj flights. Hajjar said the ministry provided accommodation to all Syrian pilgrims.

The minister addressed complaints against Haj service companies saying his ministry has a plan to solve these issues by linking the issuance of Haj and Umrah visas to services. “The new electronic data system will let them know what kind of services they can expect in the Kingdom before they arrive.”

He stressed the importance of increasing Haj awareness of foreign pilgrims by encouraging Haj authorities concerned to conduct their own awareness campaigns.

The minister wants the inclusion of social media websites in the Award for Best Haj Report. “I will propose including social media websites for the award and if the panel agrees it will be included next year.” He commended the role of the media in improving Haj services through their objective criticism.

Hajjar distributed media awards for the best Haj coverage in 2011. The recipients were Abdul Aziz Al-Suwaid, Al-Hayat; Lubna Al-Khamis, Al-Jazirah; Al-Riyadh Arabic daily for the best coverage; Tarik Al-Thaqafi, Asharq Al-Awsat; Yasser Baamir, Al-Watan; Naeem Al-Hakeem, Okaz; and Faiz Nuruddin, Okaz for best photo. Khaled Ahmed, Al-Watan; and Ali Al-Ghamdi, Al-Madinah shared the prize for the best cartoon. Saudi Press Agency and Saudi Television were given special awards for their coverage.

http://www.arabnews.com/electronic-d...e-haj-services

Friday 2 November 2012

Haj Minister Bandar Hajjar said Saudi Arabia would continue to implement mega development projects in Makkah, Madinah and the holy sites to handle the growing number of pilgrims who come for Haj and Umrah.

He said the largest expansion of the Prophet’s Mosque in history will increase its capacity to more than two million worshippers and would begin in two weeks.

“The project will take two years to complete and will be ready before Haj in 2014,” the minister said.

http://www.arabnews.com/electronic-d...e-haj-services

Thursday 1 November 2012

Muslim leaders from all over the world who performed Haj this year as guests of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah commended Saudi Arabia’s efforts in the service of pilgrims.

Yaqub Taraure, Mali’s religious affairs minister, said the facilities provided by Saudi authorities helped millions of pilgrims perform their religious rituals with ease and he applauded the tremendous progress made by Saudi Arabia.

Ahmed Baroza Taher of Cameroon thanked Saudi authorities for their hospitality. He commended the Saudi government for implementing mega projects for the development of the two holy mosques and improvement of Haj services.

Ibrahim Omar Ahmed, secretary-general of Banan Charitable Organization in Sudan, was happy to have an opportunity to perform Haj. He said, “It was a well-organized program.” Ahmed praised the Saudi government for its efforts to make pilgrimage an easy task for the millions of Muslim faithful by implementing huge projects such as the Mashair Railway and Jamrat Bridge.
Abdullah Abubacker of Kenyatta University said he learned many lessons from Haj and that the annual pilgrimage emphasized the need to strengthen Muslim unity. “I had seen negative reports about Saudi Arabia in the media,” Abubacker said, adding that the visit changed his perception about the Kingdom and its people.

Abdullah Bam from Senegal, who performed his first Haj in 2003, said he saw a tremendous improvement in Haj services in the past 10 years. “I can see a big difference in services and facilities in Makkah and the holy sites,” he said, adding that many new projects have facilitated the movement of pilgrims.
Overall feedback was positive and many are thankful for a successful Haj season.

http://www.arabnews.com/muslim-leade...d-haj-services Thursday 1 November 2012

Kingdom's residents who performed Haj and visited Jeddah face hurdles trying to return by public transport to their cities of origin.

The SAPTCO bus station in Jeddah’s old town was in chaos for the third consecutive day on Tuesday night. Large numbers of outbound passengers were standing in queues to inquire about departing buses. Some of them were waiting for hours just to know the availability of departing buses.

There was a heavy rush for the Riyadh route, as well as for buses going to Dammam.

No SAPTCO staff was available at the ticket and enquiry counters at night. Some passengers were found knocking the door of the station manager, which was also locked. Several passengers resorted to sleeping and sitting on the floors of the bus station while waiting.

There was traffic jam on the road opposite the SAPTCO bus station on Tuesday night. Police had to intervene and divert traffic to other routes.
Private tour operators were seen urging passengers onto their 40-seat buses parked near the platforms for the Riyadh and Dammam routes.
Many of these out-bound passengers are expatriate Haj pilgrims and holidaymakers who came to visit Jeddah.

There was heavy demand for flights too with Saudi Arabian Airlines fully booked for the next five days. There were no seats available, not even in business class.

http://www.arabnews.com/woes-outboun...ngers-continue
Thursday 1 November 2012

Filipino pilgrims expressed thanks and gratitude to the Saudi government for a successful Haj that won appreciation from nearly 4 million pilgrims around the world.

Ali Panda, a scholar and dean at the Mindanao State University King Faisal Center for Islamic, Arabic and Asian Studies, said Muslim Filipinos received a heartfelt welcome on arrival in Saudi Arabia. He thanked the Kingdom through the Supreme Haj Committee for providing efficient service to all pilgrims and particularly to Filipino pilgrims.

Panda is a prominent researcher and lecturer on Islam and on the Palestine issue in particular. He spoke at the International Conference on Freedom of Al-Quds and Palestine in Indonesia in July.

Panda said: “I was here in 2008 and it is amazing to see the huge developments and state-of-the-art facilities and services that have been implemented since then. They are beyond world expectation.”

Panda was referring to the many projects implemented in the region including the Makkah clock — the tallest in the world — and a symbol of the traditional architecture as well as the advancement of Islam. He praised the new railway system and other major expansions currently under way around the Kaaba. He said they serve as a reminder to the international community of the progress achieved by the Ummah under the leadership of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah.

He said the large presence of Filipino Muslims strengthens the ties of Islamic brotherhood between the Kingdom and the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao in the Philippines.

http://www.arabnews.com/filipino-pil...udi-government
Thursday 1 November 2012

A boy scout has won the praise of Muslims around the world for carrying an Algerian pilgrim to a Makkah pilgrim guidance center for over 2 km.

Ahmed Katib Salem Al-Sarhani, the boy scout at Camp Mina Scout Association of Saudi Arabia, said: “I was walking with my colleagues and came across a woman sitting on the sidewalk. My division commander Saleh Al Shammari suggested we carry her. I volunteered and carried her to the nearest guidance center. There we were able to borrow a wheelchair and then I pushed her another 3 km to her campsite.”

They met pilgrims along the way who praised him for his actions and their photos and video were later shared on social media earning him the praise of many from around the world.

When asked about his act of kindness, Al-Sarhani says he did what any scout would do in that situation.

http://www.arabnews.com/scout-wins-admiration

Thursday 1 November 2012

The government will remove about 1,800 real estate properties worth SR 30 billion in the central region of Makkah, including 400 hotels and furnished apartments for Haram expansion and new Makkah development projects.

“The demolition work in six areas around the Grand Mosque will start by the beginning of next month,” said Abbas Qattan, assistant mayor for projects and supervisor of the mosque’s northern courtyard development project.

He said the government has approved SR 30 billion compensation for properties acquired for the development projects including two railway stations, three public transport stations and northern courtyard expansion.

The newly acquired land covers Shaab Aamir, Jabal Abadi, Jabal Al-Madafie, Jarwal, Jabal Al-Kaaba, Jabal Al-Qala and Jabal Ajyad. Property owners have been asked to approach authorities to get their compensation. Electricity and water connections to the targeted buildings will be removed on Muharram 15, 1434H (Nov. 29) in preparation for their demolition.

Meanwhile, Dr. Abdul Aziz Al-Khodairy, deputy governor of Makkah, revealed plans to introduce a wristband to distinguish legal pilgrims from illegal ones. Such a system is already in place for foreign pilgrims.

“There is another plan to take fingerprints of foreign pilgrims in their countries before they arrive in the Kingdom, as part of a comprehensive e-data system,” he said.

At present fingerprints of pilgrims are taken on arrival at Saudi airports and other entry points.

He stressed the importance of imposing punishment on illegal domestic pilgrims who create problems for other pilgrims and Haj managers.

http://www.arabnews.com/sr-30-bn-com...akkah-projects 1 November 2012 - 16 Thul-Hijjah 1433 H

MAKKAH — The Committee for Developing the Northern Courtyards of the Grand Mosque in Makkah is scheduled to begin next month the demolition of properties in six blocks north of the mosque.

The compensation amounts for these properties are estimated at SR30 billion.

The first zone covers Sha’ab Amer between the second ring road bridge leading to the tunnels and Ree’ Atla’ to the second ring road.

The second zone includes Al-Falq and Mount Abadi and is located between Abdullah Bin Al-Zubair Street to the east and Khaled Bin Al-Waleed Street to the west and the holy mosque’s northern courtyards to the south.

The third zone includes Mount Al-Madafe’ and the area located on the mountain peak and the surrounding areas.

The fourth zone includes the Jarwal area along Jabal Al-Ka’bah Street toward the city’s maternity hospital.

The fifth zone includes Jabal Al-Ka’aba, the area located between the extension of Jabal Al-Ka’aba Street in the west to Harat Al-Sadah neighborhood toward Qubbat Mahmood (Mahmood Dome) and Al-Tayseer Square.

The sixth zone includes Jabal Al-Qal’ah, Jabal Ajyad and the area behind King Abdulaziz Endowment from Ajyad Street in the east to Ibrahim Al-Khaleel Street in the west.

The properties to be demolished are estimated at 1,800, including 400 hotels and residential buildings used for accommodating Haj and Umrah pilgrims. These areas were originally constructed without planning.

The northern courtyards committee has asked property owners within the zones to visit its headquarters and present documents proving their ownership.

The committee has also decided to disconnect the electricity and water supply to these properties from Nov. 29 (Muharram 15).

The committee has coordinated with the ministries of education, Islamic affairs and endowments, and finance to expropriate government facilities, including schools and mosques.

Abbas Kattan, Assistant Makkah Mayor for Projects and Construction and Supervisor of the Project for Developing the Northern Courtyards of the Haram, said demolition of these properties will begin in a phased manner after the Haj season to make way for development projects in the central area.

Kattan said some areas would be cleared to make way for the construction of two train stations.

The first is the area behind King Abdul Aziz Endowment in the southern courtyards of the Grand Mosque and the second is the Al-Sadah neighborhood in front of the old maternity hospital.

This is in addition to the expansion of the northern courtyards and linking of the Al-Malawi Tunnels directly with Al-Masjid Al-Haram Road.

It also includes the construction of three public transport stations.

The first will be behind King Abdul Aziz Waqf, the second in Al-Beeban district and the third in Al-Ghazza.

Kattan said the properties to be expropriated are being surveyed and the compensation will be handed to affected property owners after the paperwork is completed.

He said the committee has informed the real estate owners on the necessity of handing over documents proving their ownership so that they are promptly paid compensation.

Kattan said the demolition of the buildings would start immediately after the Haj season. He said development projects for the central area will contribute to improving traffic flow in the city.

http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index...20121101141373

Saturday 3 November 2012

The number of illegal pilgrims squatting in the plaza of the Prophet’s Mosque is causing problems of nightmare proportions and is beyond control of the ministry.

Muhammad Al-Baijawi, director of the Madinah branch of the Ministry of Haj was touring the area around the mosque in anticipation of a large influx of pilgrims to the mosque after the completion of Haj in Makkah.

Al-Baijawi said, “The huge number of illegal pilgrims is blocking service to foreign pilgrims. They occupy the courtyards of the mosque without any system or order.”

Makkah Gov. Prince Khaled Al-Faisal, chairman of the Central Haj Committee, reported the number of illegal domestic pilgrims reached 1.4 million during Haj this year.

Al- Baijawi said more than 50,000 foreign pilgrims came on individual visas without any arrangements by Haj service companies. Haj regulations stipulate a foreign pilgrim can only come if a licensed Haj service company in the Kingdom provides their accommodations and service arrangements.

More than 32,510 licensed pilgrims arrived in Madinah and 750,000 pilgrims are expected to visit the Prophet’s Mosque over the next two weeks. To date, 1,017 pilgrims have returned to their countries from Madinah.

Egyptian pilgrims numbering 17,174 topped the list of pilgrims currently visiting the city, followed by 2,451 Turks and 2,242 Jordanians.

One attraction for pilgrims, licensed or illegal, who want to visit other religious sites in Madinah is the Uhad mountain illumination. At night the mountain which is closely associated with early Islamic history, appears to be covered in a blanket of snow. The authorities lifted the ban on visiting the mountain at nighttime. The illumination undertaken by the municipality starts from the King Abdullah intersection with Airport Road and continues eight kilometers up to the Prince Naif road. Powerful lamps decorated with colorful lanterns flood the mountain with light.

http://www.arabnews.com/illegal-pilg...%80%99s-mosque
Saturday 3 November 2012

Haj Minister Bandar Hajar dissolved the board of directors of the Tawafa Establishment for Iranian Pilgrims because of the poor performance level of the board chairman on Friday.

“The board of directors did not achieve the desired welfare goal of the Ministry of Haj whereas the ministry expects outstanding service from each Tawafa establishment,” Hajar said in a statement yesterday.

The move is also part of the ministry’s decision to encourage the establishments, which offer excellent service and punish those who fail to offer satisfactory service in line with ministry’s orders for better service, the minister added.

Another reason for the dissolution is the ongoing differences of opinion between the board members, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Friday.

The minister has also reconstituted the board of directors after the dissolution. He hoped that the new board will start implementing the developmental plans under the sponsorship of the ministry which aims to maintain the achievements of the current Haj season for future seasons.

“There should not be any slackness or negligence on the part of Tawafa establishments because efficient and quality performance is a trust on all,” the minister said hinting stringent action against any establishment that fail to serve pilgrim as desired by the government.

The minister added that his ministry will honor establishments that offer excellent service to domestic or foreign pilgrims in a befitting manner.

The minister also stressed the ministry’s determination to continue the positive achievements of the current Haj to the coming years. It will also pay more attention to implement development plans and training programs that aim to improve human interaction with foreign and domestic pilgrims and visitors to the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah.

http://www.arabnews.com/minister-dis...-establishment
Saturday 3 November 2012

Gaza: The Palestinian pilgrims (families of the martyrs), covered by the program of hosting the guests of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud at this year's Haj, have expressed thanks to the Saudi monarch for the hospitality of the Kingdom, which enabled them to perform the Haj easily and comfortably.
The pilgrims of Palestine have arrived in Rafah crossing this afternoon, praising the Egyptian and Palestinian facilities for pilgrims on both sides of the crossing.

http://www.arabnews.com/palestine%E2...o-holy-mosques

3 November 2012 - 18 Thul-Hijjah 1433 H

MAKKAH — A number of prominent Syrian opposition figures and scholars have called on the Muslim Ummah to support their struggle against the brutal regime of Bashar Al-Assad.

More than 30 delegates representing the Syrian opposition performed Haj this year as guests of the Muslim World League (MWL).

For them, Haj was not merely an obligatory ritual but rather an opportunity to muster strength for their heroic fight. They met with other Muslim leaders performing Haj to rally support for their cause.

Anas Al-Suwaidi, a key opposition activist, was among those who performed Haj as an MWL guest.

Speaking to Saudi Gazette, he said the Syrian guests have tried their best to explain the real situation in the country to Muslim leaders from various parts of the world and sought their support to their fight against the Assad regime.

He added: “We have had a close interaction with leaders of Islamic communities around the globe.

“We are happy to brief them on the real situation and the latest developments in Syria, where the regime has imposed a media blackout.”

Al-Suwaidi, who is also imam of a mosque in Homs, one of the opposition strongholds, said a meeting of Syrian scholars hosted by the MWL with Saudi scholars and preachers were held to review the situation.

He added: “The meeting discussed the ways and means to extend support and help to Syrian civilians living in extremely dangerous and miserable conditions.

“The Syrian scholars who attended the meeting included Sheikh Mamdouh Juneih, a great scholar of Homs; and Sheikh Sari Al-Rifai, imam of the famous Sheikh Abdul Karim Al-Rifai mosque in Damascus.”

During Ramadan two worshippers were killed and more than a dozen injured when Assad’s thugs stormed the mosque and attacked the faithful.

Al-Suwaidi said the opposition would further intensify its fight against the brutal regime after Haj. He said: “We have mustered more strength and determination to fight until we oust the killer regime and Haj served as a powerhouse for us.”

He added nearly half of about 35,000 killed in the war were from Homs.

Sheikh Abdul Rahman Muhammad, preacher and teacher of the Shariah Institute based in Damascus, recounted to Saudi Gazette the harrowing experience of Syrian civilians living under the Assad regime.

He sobbed uncontrollably and could not finish his words when he narrated incidents of women and children being slaughtered and burned in their homes by the Assad forces.

He added: “They killed hundreds of my relatives, friends and people in the neighborhood. I have lost at least 15 members of my family.”

Sheikh Abdul Rahman said the Assad regime forces are showing no mercy, even to women and children.

He added: “They slit the throats of civilians, including women and children, in broad daylight, and set fire to their homes.

“We are living an extremely horrific and terrible situation. Nobody knows whether they will be alive the next moment or not.”

He said more than 80 percent of the Syrian people are against the regime.

“The army, dominated by the Alawite minority, is on a killing spree, and some of them openly declare that killing Sunnis is an obligatory duty for them.”

The official Syrian flag was mostly absent from this year’s Haj.

The pilgrims prayed for the victory of the opposition while they were performing Haj rituals in Arafat, Muzdalifah and Mina. They also prayed for the souls of the Syrian martyrs.

In Arafat, an old Syrian pilgrim was seen in tears while engaged in supplication.

The pilgrim, who refused to disclose his identity, said he was performing Haj on behalf of his 18-year-old son who was killed in the ongoing war.

He added: “I performed Haj earlier. Now, I came to perform Haj for my son who was the victim of the ferocious battle in our country.

The vast plains of Arafat were soaked with the tears of Syrian pilgrims, who were very few in number due the deadly civil war raging in the country that has claimed so far the lives of nearly 35,000 people, mostly women and children.

Saudi Arabia has repeatedly denied accusations from Damascus that Riyadh barred Syrians from performing Haj.

At the same time, the Kingdom had issued some 10,000 Haj visas to Syrian refugees in Lebanon, Turkey and Jordan.

King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, had issued directives to host 1,200 Syrian refugees.

Under the direction of the King, the government had given preferential treatment for Syrian refugees wishing to perform Haj.

A Saudi Arabian Airlines plane carrying 450 Syrian refugees reached Jeddah from Beirut on Oct. 24, the first day of Haj.

http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index...20121103141557

Saturday 3 November 2012

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah thanked Interior Minister Prince Ahmed, members of the Supreme Haj Committee, security personnel and participants in the service of pilgrims from the state’s civil and military departments and private bodies on the great success of the Haj this year.

“We appreciate your efforts for the distinguished success of all Haj plans for this year. We thank Allah Almighty for enabling our country to perform its duties toward pilgrims in mobilizing great potentials in the service of pilgrims so that they could perform their Haj rituals easily and comfortably. This is in spite of the pilgrims’ number this year reaching 3,161,573, an increase of 8 percent compared to the last year,” the king said in a message to Prince Ahmed, chairman of the Supreme Haj Committee, the Saudi Press Agency reported this week.

Despite the presence of millions of pilgrims, the Haj this year was completed successfully without accidents or any other calamities. The presence of unaccounted pilgrims, whose number is put at close to 1.4 million, also did not mar the arrangement for a safe and peaceful Haj, although it caused unexpected crowding at a station in Arafat on Oct.26.

Coordinated efforts of the ministries such as the Interior Ministry, the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs and the Ministry of Health apart from the Ministry of Water and Electricity, the Ministry of Transportation, the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Endowments, Call and Guidance and the Ministry of Commerce and Industry apart from the Haj Ministry were all striving hard to make the annual religious event a success. Private agencies such as the Tawafa establishments and United Car Syndicate were also contributed largely to the success of Haj.

President of the Two Holy Mosques Affairs Presidency Sheikh Abdul Rahman Al-Sudais also congratulated the king on the successful completion of the pilgrimage of 2012.

The sheikh also congratulated Crown Prince Salman, deputy premier and minister of defense, Prince Ahmed, Makkah Gov. Prince Khaled Al-Faisal, chairman of the Central Haj Committee, Madinah Gov. Prince Abdul Aziz bin Majed, chairman of the Madinah Haj Committee and Assistant Minister of Interior for Security Affairs Prince Muhammad bin Naif.

Al-Jouf Gov. Prince Fahd bin Badr also congratulated king and crown prince for the completion of the successful Haj. He also sent congratulatory messages o to Prince Ahmed and Prnice Khaled Al-Faisal lauding their efforts.

http://www.arabnews.com/king-thanks-...ed-haj-success

 

3 November 2012 - 18 Thul-Hijjah 1433 H

MAKKAH — The Preparatory and Executive Committee for Haj Work chaired by Dr. Abdul Aziz Al-Khudairy, Undersecretary at the Makkah Governorate, is considering the possibility of the launch of a university that will specialize in Haj and Umrah and crowd management.

The idea was suggested by Prince Khaled Al-Faisal, Emir of Makkah, and if implemented it will be the first ever university specialized in health, medical, engineering, social and security sciences.

It will teach all subjects related to Haj and hope to develop highly trained and qualified personnel in the Haj industry.

Under the umbrella of this university, efforts will be made for the creation of forces specialized in Haj security. These forces will replace seasonal forces.

“The committee works in harmony with the Central Haj Committee chaired by the Emir of Makkah and serves as the executive arm to the central committee,” Al-Khudairy told Okaz/Saudi Gazette in an interview.

“It should also be understood that the committee is fully authorized to tackle any deficiencies and shortcomings in the field.”

He said the committee’s challenges are numerous, especially the construction and demolition of compounds and structures He added: “Imagine a complete city is built and razed in Arafat. The forklifts and cranes work round the clock for six days to fix and dismantle these cities in order to make space for the completion of ongoing projects in the holy sites.”

Another problem that the committee has to face throughout the Haj season is illegal pilgrims squatting in the open.

Al-Khudairy added: “It seems that the illegal pilgrims will never ever allow us to carry out our tasks to our satisfaction. This is really a worrisome problem.”

According to studies carried out by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Haj Research Center, the majority of the illegal pilgrims are expatriates who have performed Haj more than once.

“They take advantage of their proximity to Makkah,” Al-Khudairy said.

http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index...20121103141552

4 November 2012 - 19 Thul-Hijjah 1433 H

MAKKAH – Independent reports into a stampede that occurred at the Mashair train station in Arafat during Haj have blamed Tawafa establishments for sending pilgrims without tickets to the station.

None of the four reports, submitted by three professional railway corporations and a German expert on traffic, cited a delay or technical malfunction as the cause.

Squatting pilgrims were cited as another important cause for the stampede.

The reports said a large number of pilgrims who were sleeping on the roads between Arafat Station 1 and Arafat Station 3 flocked to the station and it was difficult for the security officers to stop them.

When this huge number of ticket-less pilgrims flocked into the station, pilgrims who had tickets could not get through the gates of Arafat Station 3. They were asked to use the gates on the other side of the station instead and this took a long time, according to the reports.

Another cause for the stampede, according to the reports, was the pilgrims’ failure to comply with their departure schedule.

Pilgrims failed to enter the station through gates specified in their tickets and all of them chose instead to enter through one gate. This was captured by the cameras inside the train station.

The train was delayed for an hour and a half because it had to transport so many pilgrims, some of whom without tickets.

The reports said the train had to transport between 150,000 to 200,000 pilgrims without tickets.

The reports were prepared by German railway corporation Deutsche Bahn International; Vision SQL, an Australian company which trains Saudi railway staff; Prof. Knut Haase, dean of the Institute of Logistics and Transport, the University of Hamburg; and TüV Sued, a German company that assesses the quality of services.

Five recommendations were made to prevent such accidents from happening again. First, Tawafa establishments that failed to comply with the departure schedule should be replaced with ones that are more observant of the rules.

Second, all the camps located along the railway track should only be used by pilgrims who have tickets.

Third, necessary precautionary measures should be put in place to prevent pilgrims from sleeping in the streets.

Fourth, train stations should have gates that can be remotely controlled when crowds of pilgrims try to enter the station.

Fifth, pilgrims with tickets should be organized into groups so that they do not flock into the train station in a disorderly manner.

Meanwhile, a senior official at the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs said the Mashair railway transported more than 700,000 pilgrims to without hitch.
Habeeb Zainul Abideen, supervisor of development projects at the ministry, told Okaz/Saudi Gazette 160,000 of those passengers did not have tickets.
The service, although new, had successfully transported this large number of pilgrims in a record time, Zainul Abideen said.

He added: “We have been following closely what has been written in the media about the stampede in Arafat.

“We’d like to ask the media not to blow out of proportion what happened at the train station for the sake of generating headlines. The train worked just fine.”

Prince Khaled Al-Faisal, Chairman of the Central Haj Committee and Makkah Emir, gave orders to form a fact-finding committee to investigate the causes of the stampede, he added.

The Interior Ministry, Saudi Red Crescent Authority and the Ministry of Haj among others praised the train’s performance during a press conference aired recently by all Saudi TV channels, he said.

Interior Ministry spokesman Mansour Al-Turki added: “We have set the record straight about what happened at Arafat without any exaggeration.”

http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index...20121104141668

Madinah, Dhu-AlHijjah 16, 1433, Nov 1, 2012, SPA -

Hajj Committee in Madinah Region organized here yesterday the Exhibition of Management Partnership of Hajj Works Program "Bunyan 5" which lasts until November 20.

A large number of private, public, voluntary and charitable bodies are taking part in the Exhibition to highlight the efforts of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in the service of pilgrims and visitors of the Prophet's Holy Mosque.

http://www.spa.gov.sa/English/print.php?id=1044704

Madinah, Dhu-AlHijjah 18, 1433, Nov 3, 2012, SPA -

The Islamic University in Madinah is participating in 5th Bunyan Exhibition of Partnership Management in Hajj Works currently being held in the vicinity of the Prophet's Holy Mosque.

The University's Rector, Dr. Mohammed bin Ali Al-Okla pointed out that the University's pavilion highlights its efforts in the service of pilgrims, noting that the University has implemented 37 training programs for 5,300 workers in Hajj from public, private and charitable sectors

http://www.spa.gov.sa/English/print.php?id=1045123
 

* متى سيبدأ التنفيذ الفعلي لمشروع توسعة المطاف ؟
- هذا المشروع العظيم سينطلق خلال الأيام القادمة على مراحل، ولا تزال الجهود مبذولة واللجان منعقدة، وحاليًا المطاف يستوعب في الساعة الواحدة قرابة خمسين ألفا وسيستوعب بعد التوسعة (150) ألف طائف ولهذا يقول الحجاج والمعتمرون للزحام وداعًا الى الأبد، جزى الله خادم الحرمين الشريفين وسمو ولي عهده الأمين وحكومتهم الرشيدة خير الجزاء وأمدهم بعونه وتوفيقه، كِفاء ما قدموا ويقدمون للحرمين الشريفين.

http://www.al-madina.com/node/411850

Google translation

* When will the actual implementation of the Mataf expansion project?
- This great project will be launched in the coming days on the stages, and continues efforts are under way and committees in session, and is currently up to accommodate per hour nearly fifty thousand and absorb after expansion (150) thousand Careers