Makkah News and Updates

Tuesday 23 July 2013

The Health Ministry announced on Monday that no coronavirus cases or other contagious diseases have been detected among pilgrims during this Umrah season.

“The health condition of pilgrims is very good,” said Khaled Mirghalani, the ministry’s spokesman.

He said the Health Department in the Makkah region has been providing good health care for pilgrims since the beginning of Ramadan, mobilizing its manpower and material resources for the service.

There are eight hospitals in Makkah including King Abdullah Medical City to serve pilgrims, in addition to primary health-care centers inside and outside the Grand Mosque.

During the first 12 days of Ramadan, hospitals in Makkah handled 7,058 emergency cases mostly related to sunstroke and chronic diseases. “About 170 pilgrims were admitted to hospitals and most of them left hospitals,” the spokesman said.

The ministry had earlier issued its health advice to pilgrims, requesting people over 65, patients suffering from chronic diseases, pregnant women and children below 12 to postpone their Umrah.

Dr. Yaseen Mohammed Malawi, CEO of King Abdullah Medical City in Makkah, has disclosed plans to establish its branch outside the Haram border in order to make use of outstanding non-Muslim specialists. “Work on the new building along the Makkah-Jeddah Highway will start soon after Haj,” he said.

http://www.arabnews.com/news/458894
Tuesday, July 23, 2013

RIYADH – No MERS-coronavirus cases have been reported among Umrah pilgrims, the Ministry of Health announced on Monday.

Dr. Khaled Merghalani, spokesman of the ministry, said in a statement that the health condition of Umrah pilgrims was fine and there were no cases of contagious diseases reported among them.

He said that the ministry’s Makkah branch is implementing a full-fledged plan to provide the best possible medical care for the pilgrims.

“Under the direct follow up of the Minister of Health Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah, the branch has mobilized all its resources and facilities, including King Abdullah Medical City, seven hospitals, and several primary clinics to serve the pilgrims round the clock,” he said.

Merghalani said that a total of 7,058 emergency cases involving Umrah pilgrims were referred to various hospitals in Makkah during the first 12 days of Ramadan and these included cases of sunstroke, fatigue and chronic diseases. Among them, 170 patients were hospitalized while others were reported to out-patient clinics.

Earlier this month, the ministry issued health rules and regulations for Haj and Umrah pilgrims for the current year in the wake of an outbreak of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS). These included postponing Haj and Umrah rituals by those above the age of 65 as well as chronic patients, including those suffering from diseases of heart and kidney, and also those having respiratory problems. Pregnant women and children below the age of 12 were also discouraged from performing the rituals at least for the time being.

Meanwhile, the agency under the Presidency for the Affairs of the Prophet’s Mosque started receiving online registration from the prospective worshipers who intend to perform itikaf in the Grand Mosque.

The ritual of itikaf refers to the stay in a mosque for prayer and meditation, especially in the last 10 days of Ramadan.

Abdul Wahid Al-Hetab, spokesman of the agency urged all those who want to perform the ritual to hasten to complete the registration procedures at its website. He alerted worshipers about the rules to be complied while performing this ritual, and that included keeping the mosque clean and tidy, and not to disturb other worshipers.

http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index...20130723174464

Civil Defense officers set examples in dedication

 

Tuesday 23 July 2013

The Presidency of the Two Holy Mosques has urged Muslim faithful intending to perform etikaf (spiritual retreat) inside the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah to register their names through its website.

“The presidency has set out certain conditions for the etikaf as the applicants should preserve the mosque’s cleanliness, should not cause problems to other worshippers and end etikaf soon after Isha prayer on the night of Eid Al-Fitr,” said Abdul Wahid Al-Hattab, its spokesman in Madinah.

Speaking about other conditions, he said the worshippers should carry only a bed sheet and a pillow and should use only the space allocated for them in the mosque’s northern side, should not keep their clothes and other personal belongings on shelves used for keeping the Qur’an and should not sleep inside the mosque during qiyamullail prayers.

Al-Hattab said his organization has made necessary preparations to receive a large number of worshippers and visitors during Ramadan. The mosque has 100 gates including eight new gates, two of them are named after Bukhari and Muslim.

“All these doors are kept open during Ramadan and 400 employees have been appointed to guard them,” he said, adding that the guards would not allow anybody to take anything that would affect the mosque’s cleanliness and sacredness.

http://www.arabnews.com/news/458887

 

 

Wednesday 24 July 2013

A youth was arrested in the Prophet’s Mosque recently for stealing a mobile phone. He was taken to the Central Police Station and the mobile returned to its owner.

The young man was part of a group of three youngsters between the ages of 15 and 17 who was stopped by detectives in the Prophet’s Mosque for misconduct.

Detectives also caught a 15-year-old trying to snatch a mobile from a person sleeping inside the mosque.

Detectives also arrested a 35-year-old Egyptian national after suspecting him of theft. The man in question was walking among sleeping people. After searching him, they found five mobile phones, four without SIM cards, and a collection of foreign currencies.

The police are using surveillance cameras and modern communication methods to monitor the movement of people at the Prophet’s Mosque. The police called on worshippers, citizens and visitors to keep their property in a safe place.

There would be harsh punishment for anyone found exploiting worshippers and stealing their belongings, said spokesman of the Madinah Police Department, Colonel Fahad Al-Ghannam.

http://www.arabnews.com/news/458997
23 July 2013 - 14 Ramadan 1434 H

MADINAH — The police have nabbed 11 men and two women who were caught stealing inside the Prophet’s Mosque, according to spokesman Col. Fahad Al-Ghanam. Those arrested are of various nationalities and would rob pilgrims while they were resting inside the mosque.

The pickpockets include four Saudis, two Pakistanis, a Bangladeshi, two Afghanis and two Yemenis. The two women involved are from Egypt. Police seized cell phones, currency, ID cards and other stuff found in their possession. Col. Al-Ghanam thanked the Prophet’s Mosque security officers for their vigilance.

http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index...20130723174455

Thursday 25 July 2013

The Haj Ministry has introduced high-tech monitoring systems to track down and punish violators, said Haj Minister Bandar Hajjar. “We have installed advanced systems at pilgrim locations to monitor services in order to make them feel they are taken care of properly,” the minister said.

Speaking to reporters after inspecting Umrah services in Makkah, he said special committees have been set up to supervise housing facilities for pilgrims in Makkah and Madinah as well as to monitor services being extended by Umrah service companies.

“Our officials have guided nearly 25,000 stranded pilgrims in Makkah and Madinah and handed them over to Umrah service companies,” he said.

Hajjar said the ministry’s monitoring systems were instrumental in improving services being extended to pilgrims. “As a result, the number of defaulters decreased during this Umrah season compared to previous years,” he added.
He said the ministry’s plan for this Umrah season was going forward successfully with the support of other government departments. More than 4.8 million pilgrims have already performed Umrah this year.

Hajjar commended the role of security forces in maintaining law and order in the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah and ensuring the safety of pilgrims.
“The Saudi government has been mobilizing its human and material resources to improve its services to the guests of God,” he said.

The minister inspected the various service centers in Makkah, especially for stranded pilgrims, attending complaints of pilgrims and solving their problems.

http://www.arabnews.com/news/458999

Uzbekistan, Tashkent, July 22, 2013

The first group of the Uzbek pilgrims which comprises of 255 people, left for Saudi Arabia on an Uzbekistan Airlines charter flight. The group is making the Ramadan "Umrah" pilgrimage, the press service of the Committee for Religious Affairs under the Cabinet of Ministers of Uzbekistan reported.

According to data provided by the Committee, in total, 1.183,000 pilgrims from Uzbekistan will visit Muslim shrines during this season. The pilgrims will stay in Medina, in the "Safwa-l-Mavadda" hotel, which is situated in 20 meters from the shrine, for 4 days and 3 nights. They will visit the Mosque of the Prophet Muhammad, his tomb and other historical sights. Then they will move to Mekka, where they will commit the basic pilgrimage, the Umrah.

A working group comprising of doctors and cooks was sent to render services to the Uzbek pilgrims.

Rhe Ramadan"Umrah" will continue until August 12.

To date, over 2.2,000 religious organizations of 16 confessions were registered in the republic. Over 90 percent of the total number were Muslim organizations and about 88 percent of the population of the republic consider themselves followers of Islam.

http://en.trend.az/regions/casia/uzb...n/2173112.html

 

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