Makkah News and Updates

7 Oct 2013

MAKKAH — The Makkah Municipality’s Administrative Development Department organized a training course on how to deal with pilgrims.

The course was held at the municipality’s training center in the Ree Dhakher District, Makkah.

Dr. Salah Abdullah Al-Orabi, assistant mayor of Makkah for administrative and financial affairs, said the course was held to upgrade the capabilities of workers during the Haj season in line with directives by city Mayor Osama Al-Bar.

The aim was to train Makkah Municipality personnel so that they provide excellent services.

Abdulrahman Al-Mabady, director of the Administrative Development Department, said the training course targeted heads of services centers in the holy sites, their aides and service supervisors.

The course covered many important aspects such as an explanation of the latest methods for providing services to pilgrims and the necessary work ethics for helping them.

The course was attended by many personnel who interacted with municipality officials.

The lectures were given by a prominent specialist in this field.

http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index...20131007182880
7 Oct 2013

MAKKAH — A number of Saudi female translators said that Tawafa establishments are in need of women translators.

They said that there is a great need to train and qualify women to fulfill Tawafa establishments’ requirements. Sabah, a translator, said that she has learned the Urdu language from experience, when she worked with her father who is a mutawwif.

She said that learning the pilgrims’ languages is important to provide them with the proper services. It is especially important when she visits pilgrims who are hospitalized.

Shadyah Ghazali, a mutawwif, can speak five languages: English, Indonesian Basha, Malay, Thai, and Tagalog. She said that during her long experience in the business, she felt the great need of pilgrims to interact with the public.

She said that this can only be attained by the presence of translators. She said that there is a need to conduct training courses in different languages.

Aamnah Zuwawi, a mutawwif, said that she can fluently speak many Asian languages, which has allowed her to easily communicate with the pilgrims. This makes pilgrims feel satisfied and content and highlights the need to train women as translators.

http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index...20131007182871 7 Oct 2013

DAMMAM — A massive awareness campaign to encourage members of the public not to preform Haj vbv without a permit is under way in the Eastern Province.

Features of the “No Haj Without Permit” campaign include billboards displaying the campaign message, brochures in various languages, special volunteer teams visiting companies, an SMS campaign and campaign posters being put up in hospitals, bus stations, railway stations and airports.

A website (hajjcampaign.com) was launched and printed and electronic material were distributed as part of this awareness campaign, carried out under the directives of Makkah Emir Prince Khaled Al-Faisal.

It follows the success achieved by the previous four campaigns, which has helped reduce the number of overstayers and residents, who go for pilgrimage without permits.

The campaign warns expatriates who are found trying to perform Haj without a permit that they will be deported immediately and banned from entering the Kingdom for 10 years.

The campaign also aims to encourage the public to respect the rules and support the government to help improve the Haj experience year after year.


The Haj campaign is a national awareness campaign with a clear vision, targets and strategies to raise the awareness of visitors and pilgrims about Haj, said the campaign website.

The campaign volunteer team includes expatriates who can communicate with their respective communities.

Volunteers wearing special campaign t-shirts and caps visited companies of the Eastern Province to spread the campaign message while warning the public of the huge penalties they face if they violate the Haj permit rules.

All government and private campaign operators are fully engaged in this year’s Haj campaign in order to increase public awareness of the consequences of trying to enter the Haj areas illegally.

http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index...20131007182879
7 Oct 2013

MADINAH — 60 bus drivers have been banned from driving buses this Haj season after testing positive for drugs, said director of General Syndicate of Cars’ branch in Madinah, Muhammad Obaid. The drivers underwent drug tests at the Madinah Health Affairs’ laboratories and results showed drugs in their systems. Obaid noted that all bus drivers get tested every year for drugs and stimulants.

http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index...20131007182875
7 Oct 2013


JEDDAH — The Ministry of Haj has warned all Haj missions against transporting any female pilgrims under the age of 45 years old without a mahram (male guardian), said MOH’s spokesman Hatim Qadi. No mission has violated these regulations so far this season. Last year, the ministry prohibited 1,000 Nigerian women to perform Haj because they were not accompanied by mahrams. They were all sent back to their home country.

http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index...20131007182876

7 Oct 2013

The number of foreign pilgrims has increased more than 75 times over the past 70 years, according to Abdulhamid Abal Arry, general director of King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah.

He said the number of pilgrims increased from 23,863 in 1941 to 1.8 million in 2010.

He said that 1.67 million pilgrims had arrived by air this season. Around 8.3 million pilgrims came through King Abdulaziz International Airport for Haj and Umrah in 2012 alone.

“The number of Muslims wishing to perform Haj around the world has been on the rise since 1927. Since then, the Kingdom has witnessed huge developments,” he said.

“The government has ordered entities to conduct studies on establishing comprehensive services for pilgrims in order to accommodate the burgeoning numbers,” he added.

He said that King Abdulaziz International Airport is the main entry point for the Two Holy Mosques. “The airport, which is also the western gateway for Saudi Arabia, plays a distinctive role in serving the guests of God, with at least 60 percent of pilgrims using the terminal, making it one of the busiest in the Kingdom.”

King Abdulaziz International Airport has witnessed an increasing number of passengers since it was opened in 1982. In 2012, the airport served 27.2 million passengers compared to 7.79 million in 1983, a year after its inauguration.

King Abdulaziz International Airport receives more than 41 percent of the total number of the Kingdom's incoming passengers.

Abal Arry added that current air traffic is double the airport's capacity and that it was no longer capable of keeping up with the continual increase. The airport hasn’t undergone radical development since vital facilities and technical systems became outdated.

The first half of this year saw an increase of 6.5 percent in the number of passengers from 2012. There were 3.9 million domestic passengers, 6.7 million passengers on international flights and 3,894,779 Umrah passengers who traveled to King Abdulaziz International Airport.

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah issued a royal decree to renovate King Abdulaziz International Airport in light of such figures.

“A royal decree has been issued to implement developmental projects for numerous facilities, especially for the south and north halls,” said Abal Arry.
According to the official, the royal order included an independent budget for these urgent projects. He said the project for public buildings and airports, which was awarded to the Saudi Bin Laden Company, has been completed. Paris International Airport was given consultative tasks and 18 subcontractors were hired for the project.

Besides the expansion of the south and north halls, a fully equipped new terminal measuring 16,128 square meters will be constructed to the north of the south hall.

The north hall has been expanded by 5,100 square meters, with nine gates for departures and four for arrivals. The south hall also has six departure gates for international flights and six for domestic flights.

Passenger waiting areas have been doubled and equipped with 1,300 new seats in the south hall and 500 seats in the north hall. Prayer areas have also been expanded in both halls.

http://www.arabnews.com/news/466977
7 Oct 2013

An official from the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA) has rejected claims that Makkah hotels are losing money this year because of the reduction in the number of local and foreign pilgrims.

Abdullah Alsawwat, executive director of the SCTA in Makkah, said: “Indicators are refuting information being passed around by workers in hotels about the huge financial losses in the sector.”

Alsawwat said the Umrah season was good this year. More than 5.3 million Umrah visas were issued, which meant a reduction of only 100,000 visas compared to last year.

He said the government was considering demands from hotel owners to reduce the value of their contracts or cancel them completely.

He said Makkah remains a promising city for the tourism sector and investors have operational and marketing plans to offset any financial crisis. “The SCTA is always working to develop tourism investment. It has opened 15 investment centers across the Kingdom,” Alsawwat said.

Officials at these centers guide investors to major tourism opportunities and discuss ways to make them successful. They also provide logistical and financial support.

“The SCTA encouraged a number of investors after the last market crisis involving (swine flu) to move gradually from leasing to owning property, or sign new deals to share ownership,” he said.

Alsawwat said there are 649 hotels with more than 135,000 rooms in Makkah. However, there are no accurate statistics about the location of many of these hotels.

He said plans to develop the sector in Makkah are based on the directives of Prince Sultan bin Salman, president of the SCTA. These steps include encouraging international companies to invest and employ Saudis.

A hotel owner said earlier that Makkah hotels were forced to accept the 20 percent reduction in contracts this year.

According to sources in the hotel sector in Makkah, around 90 percent of the hotels are leased. Many investors have not been able to keep up payments to hotel owners and are seeking a mediated solution, especially those with long-term leases.

http://www.arabnews.com/news/466979
7 Oct 2013

The Ministry of Haj said that it has intensified employee training to facilitate this year’s Haj procedures and improve
services.

Sources said the ministry conducted workshops and organized lectures that enhance employees’ knowledge of do’s and don’ts during Haj.

In addition, health seminars were conducted on preventive treatment of the most common heat-related issues during Haj, including dehydration.

The ministry stressed the importance of completing rituals during Haj and promised that it will help pilgrims by ensuring their well-being throughout.

A series of courses and lectures regarding internal auditing and public relations were conducted to help employees in assisting pilgrims and to enable sound planning of media campaigns.

The ministry also conducted computer courses and other technical studies at Umm Al-Qura University to boost staff efficiency in information technology.
Meanwhile, the government has prepared for potential risks during this year’s pilgrimage by working hand-in-hand with the Civil Defense, which recently conducted exercises and readiness trainings.

Maj. Gen. Mohammed bin Abdullah Al-Qarni said in a statement that “measures to meet potential risks in this year's pilgrimage includes quick response trainings to enable fast execution of operations in case of emergency.”

Maj. Gen. Jamil bin Mohammed, director of the Civil Defense in Makkah, announced that it conducted surveys of facilities to be used by pilgrims, including the Grand Mosque, roads and tunnels.

Jamil added that the Civil Defense’s base of operations is now equipped with high-end gadgets that will help keep peace and order during Haj, as well as transport sick and elderly pilgrims during the event.

Safety protocols were devised in line with the Ministry of Haj’s mission to ensure the safety and comfort of pilgrims.

http://www.arabnews.com/news/466975
7 Oct 2013

A total of 102,546 Pakistani Haj pilgrims have arrived in the Kingdom, Syed Abu Akif, director general of the Pakistan Haj Mission in Jeddah, told Arab News on Sunday.

He said that Haj pilgrims from across the country are leaving through exit points located in Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Peshawar, Quetta, Multan, Faisalabad, Sukkur and Sialkot.

He said that 72,697 pilgrims arrived through the Pakistan government’s Haj scheme, while 29,849 arrived through private operators.

Abu Akif said that around 42,062 pilgrims have traveled to Madinah from Makkah, while 27,226 pilgrims have gone from Madinah to Makkah.

He said the Pakistan Haj mission has deployed 1,788 personnel to serve pilgrims, which includes 696 local Haj volunteers, known as "khaddam ul hujjaj." Around 1,271 personnel are stationed in Makkah, while 198 are deployed in Madinah.

http://www.arabnews.com/news/466976

7 Oct 2013

Mohammed Al-Suwaiket, president of the Saudi Railway Organization (SRO), said that 50 percent of the Haramain Railway Project has been already completed, with no change in the train’s course so far, he said.

“The contracting company employed for the second phase of the project has received parts of the project, which involves the area spanning King Abdullah Economic City to Madinah. They have already begun the process of installing cables and columns,” said Al-Suwaiket.

He said that tracks would be laid out shortly.

Al-Suwaiket was speaking at a press conference held recently in Jeddah during the inauguration of the first training course of the Haramain Train Navigators, which was attended by officials and Spanish companies, which will implement the second phase of the project.

“There will be a trial run at the end of the next year, where 35 passenger trains will reach the Kingdom for operation. The first train will be directed to the Madinah workshop, which will be the assembling hub for trains,” said Al-Suwaiket.

He said that the SRO set out a timetable for trains to reach their destinations once the infrastructure of the area, which extends from King Abdullah Economic City to Madinah, is completed.

“The positive impact of the project is not limited to providing a speedy means of transportation between Makkah and Madinah. Other advantages include the provision of job opportunities to Saudi graduates in the field of operating and maintenance of express trains,” he said.

According to initial estimates, the project will need a huge number of workers in the engineering and administration fields. “About 70 percent of these jobs will be occupied by Saudi graduates,” said Al-Suwaiket.

“The SRO aims for the Saudization (nationalization) of the transport industry in this industry in particular, which is a promising field of employment in the Kingdom.”

Other employment opportunities to be generated by this project include maintenance, operation of trains, equipment and other facilities in the railway project. “We will meet demand for such jobs by offering specialized training courses at centers that will be established by the SRO.”

The second phase of the Haramain Train project will involve a coalition to establish a training center in the Kingdom, which will be responsible for setting out training programs and rehabilitating staff to operate and drive the trains.

Al-Suwaiket said that jobs available for Saudis will include driving trains and supervising stations and control divisions.

The president of RENFE, the company which will operate the freight trains, said the company has tested 25 Saudis, who will form the first group of navigators.

“The test were carried out according to the evaluation standards followed by our company,” said RENFE president.

RENFE operates 300 express trains in Spain, with more than half a century of expertise in the field.

The company’s president said the training texts and syllables have been translated to both Arabic and English and that the first group of trainees will graduate at the end of October 2014.

Training plans include a theoretical course, which will take place in Saudi Arabia, followed by an operational and practical training period at training centers in Spain.

http://www.arabnews.com/news/466970

8 Oct 2013

JEDDAH – With only five days remaining for the pilgrims to set out for the tent city of Mina at the start of the annual pilgrimage of Haj, the Council of Ministers on Monday reviewed the final preparations made by various ministries as well as the concerned government and private agencies and departments.

The Cabinet, chaired by Crown Prince Salman Bin Abdul Aziz, Deputy Premier and Minister of Defense, discussed a report presented to it in this regard.

Addressing the session, the Crown Prince emphasized the significance of implementing the directives of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah to mobilize all potential to enable pilgrims to perform their rituals with ease and comfort.

Minister of Culture and Information Dr. Abdul Aziz Khoja said in a statement to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) following the session that the Cabinet renewed its call to the international community and all its bodies to shoulder their moral and legal responsibilities in addressing quickly all aspects of the Syrian crisis.

“The world community should hold accountable all those who are perpetrating horrific crimes of which the Syrian people are the victims. It should also ensure access of humanitarian aid to the Syrian people who are exposed to murder, genocide and displacement,” the Cabinet said.

While describing the suffering of Syrian people as the worst humanitarian crisis, the Cabinet called for concerted international efforts to beef up delivery of humanitarian aid to the millions of displaced Syrian people as well as to the refugees. The Cabinet also stressed the need for providing necessary guarantees for the access of humanitarian aid to these people.

While welcoming the visit of Egyptian President Adly Mansour to the Kingdom, the Cabinet emphasized that the visit would further strengthen bilateral relations between the Kingdom and Egypt.

It approved the appointment of Nasser Al-Qahtani, Deputy Governor of the Electricity and Cogeneration Regulatory Authority, as member of the Governing Council of the National Water Company.

http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index...20131008183048
8 Oct 2013

MAKKAH – Civil Defense commanders, who are in charge of ensuring a safe and comfortable Haj, said here on Monday that there will be shelters at the holy sites to evacuate more than 50,000 pilgrims in the event of any emergency.

They said that a total of 1,200 Civil Defense personnel will be deployed at the holy sites to tackle emergency situations. In addition, there will be over 1,500 personnel to ensure smooth flow of pilgrims in Mina.

The number of pilgrims who will be allowed to use the Mashair train facility has been reduced from its actual capacity of 500,000 to 377,000 as part of measures to ensure safety of pilgrims.

Twelve teams of Haj security forces will be deployed at the holy sites, whose missions include close surveillance and defusing of explosives.

The Grand Mosque security forces have put in place a detailed contingency plan to respond to any emergency inside the Grand Mosque or its courtyards, according to Maj. Gen. Yahya Al-Zahrani, commander of security forces.

Addressing a press conference at the headquarters of the Grand Mosque security forces command, Al-Zahrani stressed that all possible emergency scenarios have been taken into consideration and procedures have been put in place to handle them accordingly.

Brig. Ahmad Al-Shegaithri, director of safety department at the Ministry of Haj, said his department has intensified inspection visits to ensure that pilgrims’ accommodation facilities and camps at the ritual sites meet safety criteria.

Inspectors will also check safety requirements for tunnels, mosques, hospitals, slaughterhouses etc. at the ritual sites.

They will make sure that the facilities have proper emergency exits, safe electric wiring networks, and extinguishers.

Col. Ali Al-Shahrani, director of crisis management department at the Ministry of Haj, said his teams have analyzed all potential risks and categorized them on the basis of danger.

All government agencies working during Haj, especially the Civil Defense, have been alerted about the risks and have been provided with detailed plans to handle them.

The department has mobilized all its equipment and personnel in locations near the ritual sites and put them on alert for emergency cases. They are ready to step in and help other agencies’ personnel to manage any crisis.

Col. Al-Shahrani said there are teams which are monitoring the weather around the clock. These teams have put in place intervention plans and precautionary measures in case of heavy rains or strong winds during Haj.

Maj. Gen. Saad Al-Jibari, assistant director of operations for the Public Security Department, said all vehicles, which do not have proper Haj permits and which carry less than 25 passengers, won’t be allowed to enter the ritual sites.

On the 8th of Dhul Hijja, no busses will be allowed to park at Mina as the ritual site will be opened only to pedestrians.

http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index...20131008183045 8 Oct 2013

Tawafa Foundation for non-Arab African countries has documented 1,176 housing buildings for pilgrims who will perform Haj this year so far, said Adnan Mukhtar, chief of the housing committee at the foundation.

“Contracts were previously authenticated. They deal with pilgrims coming from non-Arab African countries who come through Haj organization companies. The role of the committee is to authenticate the contracts between the landlords of the buildings and company heads who organize pilgrims’ travel,” he said.

“We usually make sure that requirements are in place,” he said.
“Contracts must be accompanied by official permits from the government agency for the leased facility to be used as pilgrim accommodation, in addition to other services that are mutually agreed upon.”

Mukhtar said, “The foundation is keen on protecting the rights of the contracting parties. The foundation also follows up on other services in the facilities, such as ensuring availability of safety equipment and daily housekeeping.”

“It is of high importance for us to accomodate pilgrims in a comfortable setting in order for them to perform their religious rituals effectively,” he said.

http://www.arabnews.com/news/467078 8 Oct 2013

JEDDAH — Minister of Islamic Affairs Saleh Aal Al-Shaikh has announced the start of the Haj media educational campaign, Saudi Press Agency reported.

Al-Shaikh pointed out that the ministry's plan this year is based on the cooperation of various government sectors and pilgrims services providers.

This campaign will seek to spread and explain the correct way of performing Haj. He said that pilgrims can obtain information and guidance through toll free phone (800-2451000) or through the ministry's website.

http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index...20131008182976 8 Oct 2013

MADINAH — Muhammad Al-Bijawi, head of the Ministry of Haj branch in Madinah, said field inspections on buildings accommodating pilgrims revealed that 70 of them are not fit for purpose. He said these buildings account for 7 percent of the total in the city. He said some building owners would be fined SR5000 to SR40,000. Al-Bijawi said last year violating buildings were fined a total of SR5 million.

http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index...20131008182986

8 Oct 2013

Fifty Sri Lankans, the first of the 2,400 foreign pilgrims who are to perform Haj this year as guests of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah, arrived in the Kingdom on Monday.

Abdullah Al-Mudlaj, CEO of the guest pilgrims' program, said Muslim leaders from different parts of the world have been invited to perform Haj this year as King Abdullah’s guests.

He said among the 2,400 guest pilgrims, 1,400 will come from 80 countries, while the remaining 1,000 will come from Palestine.

Meanwhile, the Makkah-based Muslim World League said it would host 500 pilgrims, including directors of Islamic centers, as well as those who have contributed to the establishment of mosques, orphanages, Islamic schools and health facilities in different parts of the Muslim world.

“The presence of Muslim leaders from different countries will enable MWL officials to understand the condition of Muslims in those countries,” said MWL Secretary-General Abdullah Al-Turki.

Jeddah Islamic Port

Makkah Gov. Prince Khaled Al-Faisal visited the Jeddah Islamic Port on Monday. He was accompanied by Jeddah Gov. Prince Mishaal bin Majed, Haj Minister Bandar Hajjar and Transport Minister Jabara Al-Seraisry.

Prince Khaled hosted a group of foreign pilgrims who arrived at the port to perform Haj this year. The governor toured the various departments at the port to learn more about their activities.

Speaking at a ceremony at the port, Al-Seraisry said the Saudi Ports Authority is currently implementing projects worth SR1 billion and will soon sign project contracts worth SR254 million.

Haram cameras

A total of 1,167 cameras have been installed in various parts of the Grand Mosque in Makkah. The cameras will be linked to the operation room, said Maj. Gen. Yahya Al-Zahrani, commander of the special forces for the Grand Mosque’s security.

“These cameras are installed to monitor the movement of pilgrims inside the mosque to ensure their security and safety,” he said. There is continuous change in the forces' operational plan as a result of ongoing expansion work, he added.

Al-Zahrani said a series of options have been made available for pilgrims to circumambulate around the Holy Kaaba, adding that it would reduce overcrowding in the area around the Kaaba.

“Pilgrims can perform circumambulation either in the area around the Kaaba or on the first floor, ground floor or underground floor. They can also perform the ritual on the newly built suspended mataf,” he said.

http://www.arabnews.com/news/467085
8 Oct 2013

Saudi police have adopted a zero-tolerance approach toward illegal infiltration into Makkah and have warned that pilgrims caught entering into the city without a permit would be severely penalized.

The stern warning comes in the wake of a drastic reduction in the quota of domestic pilgrims permitted to perform the pilgrimage this year.

Police personnel have been deployed across the Kingdom to carry out special drives to combat unauthorized pilgrimage, with special attention paid to Jeddah, a known port of entry for infiltrators into the holy city.

“Jeddah police have intensified surveillance activity and will curb attempts to enter the city illegally,” 1st Lt. Nawaf Bouq of Jeddah police told Arab News on Monday.

He said: “Brig. Abdullah Qahtani, director general of the Jeddah police, has formed several undercover police teams to keep a watch on Haj campaigns in the city. Any attempt to enter illegally or transport pilgrims without a permit will be dealt with severely.”

Police are also monitoring the activity of Haj pilgrims in the city's outskirts, he said.

Roads connecting the holy city of Makkah with other cities are under surveillance. Jeddah and Taif are two major transit points for Makkah and elaborate security arrangements have been made for these cities using state-of-the-art technology.

Trucks are being closely monitored by authorities to ensure that illegals do not enter under the guise of transporting goods. Only vehicles with bar code-enabled stickers are allowed entry into the holy city.

Residents with iqamah (residency permit) are allowed entry into Makkah only with a "tasreeh" (permit) issued by the Passport Department.

Three more checkpoints are being set up, in addition to the checkpoints already in place at Sail and Hada near Taif, to monitor incoming traffic from the entire Gulf region and the Eastern and Central Provinces.

Fifteen temporary checkpoints are also also being set up by police to check the documents of incoming pilgrims.

Mountains in surrounding areas are monitored by police through cameras and helicopters.

Dozens of vehicles equipped with a 3G data transmission system, which enables data transfer to the National Information Center, have been put in place. Four mobile units are stationed around Makkah to record the biometrics of expatriates who have been caught trying to enter Makkah without a Haj permit.

Police checks have also been intensified at entry points in the towns of Rabigh, Leeth, Bahra, Khulais and Qunfuda, which connect Makkah to various provinces.

Meanwhile, police in the border town of Arar in the north have arrested 13 Pakistani pilgrims who were traveling to Makkah to perform Haj. Authorities also shut down 31 offices offering Haj services, besides arresting 38 individuals, mostly Saudis, for running Haj offices without licenses from the Haj Ministry.

http://www.arabnews.com/news/467083 8 Oct 2013

Makkah Passport Department officials caught 216 people trying to smuggle pilgrims to the holy sites and imposed a fine of SR10,000 on citizens who transported 12 illegal pilgrims.

Maj. Gen. Ayed Alqamani, Passport Department director, said that the authorities are joining forces to curb the phenomenon of unauthorized Haj. Many violators and residents try to perform Haj without authorization in spite of rigorous regulations that have been implemented.

Alqamani said that the campaign, entitled “Haj worship and civilized conduct,” will not be abandoned. The campaign was launched by Makkah Gov. Prince Khaled Al-Faisal.

Foreigners found violating rules will be deported and prevented from entering the Kingdom for 10 years. Business or vehicle owners will be held in custody pending investigation and subject to penal measures.

People organizing unauthorized Haj campaigns will be referred to the Bureau of Investigation and Public Prosecution for prosecution.

http://www.arabnews.com/news/467081 8 Oct 2013

Saudi authorities said they have busted more than 10 fake Haj companies in recent days, which claim to provide pilgrims with the services needed to complete their Haj journey.

Abdul Aziz Al-Khodairy, deputy governor of Makkah and head of executive committee for Haj operations, said these fake Haj service agents would be soon made public, adding that those behind them would be severely punished.

He also pointed out that the fake agents were found inside the Kingdom, adding that they posed a major challenge for Saudi Haj managers.

“The pilgrims coming from outside the Kingdom are very well organized, adding that no fake Haj agents have been discovered outside Saudi Arabia,” the deputy governor said.

Security agents detected two fake Haj agents run by a Saudi and an expat on Sunday. They had collected about SR27,000 from a number of pilgrims.
Some of the fake Haj companies were discovered in Kandara and Sharafiya and were found collecting money from pilgrims at the rate of SR4,000 to SR4,500 from each Haji.

Saudi security agencies have deployed a large number of police officers with fingerprinting machines at checkpoints to stop illegals from entering into Makkah.

http://www.arabnews.com/news/467088

4 October 2013

When Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) completed the structure of the Kaaba, Allah commanded him to call the people to Haj. Ibrahim (peace be upon him) pleaded, “O Allah! How shall my voice reach all of those people?” Allah told him that his duty was only to give the call and it was up to Allah to make it reach the people.

Ibrahim (peace be upon him) then climbed Mount Arafat and called out in his loudest voice, “O People! Verily Allah has prescribed upon you Haj, so perform Haj.”

Allah revealed in the Qur’an: And proclaim the Haj among mankind. They will come to thee on foot and (mounted) on every camel, lean on account of journeys through deep and distant mountain highways. (Qur’an, 22:27)
To this very day millions upon millions of Muslims continue to answer the call of Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him). Perhaps this year you shall be amongst those who answer the call.

Amr ibn Al-’Aas narrates, “When Islam entered my heart, I went to the Messenger of Allah and said, ‘Give me your hand so that I may pledge allegiance to you.’ The Prophet spread his hand, but I withdrew mine. He said, ‘What is wrong ‘Amr?’ I said, ‘I want to make a condition.’ ‘And what is that?’ he said. I said, ‘That Allah will forgive me.’ Then the Messenger of Allah said, ‘Did you not know that Islam wipes out what came before it, and that Hijrah wipes out what came before it and that Haj wipes out what came before it!” (Sahih Muslim).

Haj is the fifth pillar upon which Islam stands. Allah made it compulsory upon every able Muslim male and female to perform it, at least once in a lifetime. Allah revealed: Haj thereto is a duty mankind owes to Allah, those who can afford the journey, but if any deny faith, Allah stands not in need of any of His creatures. (Qur’an, 3:97)

Performance of the Haj washes away all sins. Abu Hurayrah narrates: I heard the Prophet say, “Whoever performs Haj and does not commit any Rafath (obscenity) or Fusuq (transgression), he returns (free from sin) as the day his mother bore him” (Sahih Bukhari).

Haj is one of the greatest deeds one can accomplish in his or her lifetime. Abu Hurayrah narrates: The Prophet was asked, “What deed is the best?” He said, “Iman in Allah and His Messenger.” “Then what?” “Jihad in the sake of Allah.” “Then what?” “Haj Mabrur, a Haj accepted by Allah.”

Abu Sha’tha’ said, “I contemplated the good deeds that a person does. I found thatSalah as well as fasting are a jihad of the body. And that Sadaqah is a jihad of someone’s wealth. But Haj is a jihad of both body and wealth.”

Haj is the greatest jihad. Ayshah asked the Prophet (peace be upon him), “We find that jihad is the best deed, shouldn’t we (women) do jihad?” The Prophet replied, “Rather the best jihad is a Haj Mabrur!” Ayesha later said, “I’ll never cease performing Haj after I heard that from the prophet of Allah” (Agreed Upon).

The Du’a of the one in Haj shall be accepted. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “The soldier in the path of Allah and the one who performs Haj and the one who performs Umrah, all are the delegation of Allah! He called them and they answered. And they asked Him, and He shall grant them (what they ask for)!” (Authentic, narrated by Ibn Majah and Ibn Hibban).

There is not a single day that the sun has come up on more beloved to Allah than the Day of Arafat. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “There is no day on which Allah frees more of His slaves from Fire than the Day of Arafat, and He verily draws near, then boasts of them before the angles, saying: ‘What do they seek?’” (Sahih Muslim). And in another Hadith: “Verily Allah boasts of the people of Arafat before the people of Heaven (angels) saying: ‘Look to my servants who have come to Me disheveled and dusty.’”

Abdullah ibn Al-Mubarak narrates: I went to Sufyan ibn al-Uyaynah as the day of Arafat was setting. He sat on his knees, his hands raised to the Heavens, and tears moistened his cheeks and beard. He turned and looked at me, so I asked him, “Amongst the people who have gathered here for Haj, who is in the worst state?” Sufyan ibn al-Uyaynah said, “He who thinks that Allah will not forgive him.”

Ayshah would see the Prophet (peace be upon him) standing in prayer at night so much so that his feet would crack. She would ask him, “Why do you do this when Allah has forgiven all your sins, the past and anything you may do in the future?” And he would reply, “Shouldn’t I be a thankful slave?”

With this example of the Prophet (peace be upon him), what should our attitude be when we hear of Paradise and forgiveness of sin for those who perform Haj? Does it mean that after Haj we fall back into all the disobedience that we went to Haj with? Does it mean that we are promised Jannah no matter what sin we do after Haj? Many people think this to be the case and it is a very dangerous presumption.

You will find in many of the Hadith regarding the virtue of Haj the term Haj Mabrur. It means an accepted Haj. A Mabrur Haj is one in which Allah is not disobeyed during or after. Others have said that a Haj Mabrur is one that is accepted, and the sign of its acceptance is that a person will go back in a better state then when he came, and that he will discontinue the sins that were between him and Allah.

When Ibn Umar was on his deathbed and his son reminded him of all the good deeds that he did with the Prophet (peace be upon him) and the companions, he told him, “Quiet! Don’t you know whom Allah accepts from? Verily Allah only accepts from the God-Fearing (Al-Muttaqun).”

When Ali ibn Al-Husayn wore his Ihram towels and sat upright on his camel in preparation for the journey to Makkah, his face changed color, his skin shivered and he cried, unable to say the Talbiyah, Labbayk Allahumma Labbayk. Someone asked him, “What’s wrong?” And he replied, “I’m afraid that when I say it, it shall be replied, ‘La Labbayka wa La Sa’dayk’ (May you never have come and may you not have happiness).”

With that spirit, let us march forward in the search of the Mercy of Allah and His forgiveness, to the first house of Allah on earth, to Haj.
Indeed, the Prophet said, “And there is no reward for an accepted Haj…except Jannah!”

http://www.arabnews.com/news/466640

8 Oct 2013

The Technical and Vocational Training Council and Institute (TVTC) in Makkah has launched a free 24-hour emergency car maintenance service to facilitate the movement of pilgrims during Haj.

Ahmed Bin Abdul Wahab, director of the TVTC program, said that a team of auto-mechanic specialist units at the General Organization for Technical and Vocational Training will provide free technical maintenance to vehicles 24 hours a day.

He also said that the institute provides a range of volunteering training programs and that the free car maintenance project is a national and religious obligation.

“The service will help young trainees to become more professional in dealing with automobile accidents and will train them to be more cooperative and aware of their identity as Muslims,” he said.

TVTC volunteers will have access to the latest equipment to facilitate car maintenance on site. They will also supervise the roads leading to the Grand Mosque and the holy sites.

Volunteers will conduct tours from Shumaisy to the Grand Mosque and other highways.

http://www.arabnews.com/news/467077 8 Oct 2013

The Pakistan International Airlines Boy Scout Association (PIA-BSA) will send 55 PIA scouts to the Kingdom on Wednesday to serve pilgrims at Haj camps in Makkah, Madinah and Jeddah.

The scouts, known as "Khaddam ul Hujjaj," will assist pilgrims from Pakistan and will also help ensure the timely departure of PIA post-Haj flights from Jeddah,” said a statement issued by the association on Monday.

Scouts will also assist and guide Hajis at boarding and immigration and at departure lounges.

PIA-BSA is a fast-growing, independent organization which engages its members in character-building activities. It aims to train and develop its members through training and youth programs in line with the social values and corporate requirements of PIA.

PIA-BSA provides assistance to the management team at PIA and other aviation-related organizations involved in Haj operations at domestic stations, as well as in Saudi Arabia.

About 142,000 pilgrims from Pakistan will be performing Haj this year. Almost 50 percent of these pilgrims have already arrived in the Kingdom. While 85,696 pilgrims will be performing Haj under the government scheme, another 57,347 will perform Haj with private operators.

Pakistani Embassy officials said that 125 residential buildings will house the 86,000 pilgrims. The Pakistan Haj Medical Mission has set up a 40-bed hospital in Makkah and another hospital in Madinah, as well as setting up field dispensaries.

Syed Abu Akif, director general of the Pakistan Haj Mission, recently said that the mission had deployed 1,788 personnel, including 696 local Haj volunteers, to serve pilgrims.

Around 1,271 personnel are stationed in Makkah, while 198 have been deployed in Madinah.

http://www.arabnews.com/news/467080 8 Oct 2013

Saudi workers embroider Islamic calligraphy, using either pure silver threads or silver threads covered with gold, on the final stages in the preparation of a drape, or Kiswa, that covers the Kaaba, at the Kiswa factory in Makkah, Saudi Arabia. The Kiswa is changed every year marking annual Haj which will fall this year on Oct.14.

http://www.arabnews.com/news/467092

9 Oct 2013

MAKKAH – The Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs has worked out a new mechanism to ensure smooth, hassle-free and timely operation of the Mashair train facility.

More than 1,600 personnel will be deployed for grouping pilgrims at all the nine stations in Mina, Muzdalifah and Arafat, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported on Tuesday quoting ministry sources.

The new mechanism will be implemented under the supervision of the Central Department for the Developed Projects at the ministry. Pilgrims with valid tickets will be grouped at the stations, fencing out those without tickets.

Thermal cameras to count the number of pilgrims coming in or going out of the electronic gate of the stations will be used for the first time this Haj. “The new mechanism will be based on grouping the pilgrims in batches so that they don’t exceed the capacity of trains and stations. The timing of the train’s arrival and departure will also be considered while allowing entry for pilgrims to the stations so as to avoid congestion at the stations,” the sources said.

Grouping operations at peak times will be controlled through strict ticket checks. Grouping of pilgrims from their tents to the stations will be on the basis of the timing of the scheduled trips.

The mechanism also includes measures to ward off illegal pilgrims from camping along railway tracks.

The Muzdalifah No. 1 station’s capacity has been expanded to accommodate more pilgrims this year.

The ministry expects that the new facilities and arrangements, as well as the decision to cut the number of pilgrims using the train facility will help prevent problems that arose last year.

This year, the number of pilgrims who will be allowed to use the Mashair train facility has been reduced from its actual capacity of 500,000 to 377,000 as part of measures to ensure safety of pilgrims.

Last Haj, a number of pilgrims sustained minor injuries in a mild stampede at a crowded railway station in Arafat. A committee of experts, who probed the incident, blamed some Tawafa establishments for helping pilgrims without tickets to board trains and causing delays.

It also pointed out that the failure to distribute ticket-carrying pilgrims evenly at the three stations in Arafat was a major reason for confusion at stations.

The data recorded on cameras at the stations showed that the stampede of pilgrims was outside the fenced railway station.

FOR A SAFE PILGRIMAGE

- Pilgrims’ number on Mashair trains reduced from 500,000 to 377,000
- More than 1,600 personnel to help group pilgrims at stations
- Thermal cameras to count the number of pilgrims coming in or going out of the electronic gates
- Pilgrims to be grouped in batches so that they don’t exceed the capacity of trains and stations
- Grouping operations at peak times to be controlled through strict ticket checks
- Grouping of pilgrims from their tents to stations to be on the basis of the timing of the scheduled trips
- Measures to prevent illegal pilgrims from squatting along railway tracks.

http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index...20131009183150 9 Oct 2013

The Mashaer Railway network linking Makkah to Mina, Arafat and Muzdalifah — the holy sites visited by the guests of God to perform Haj — helps immensely in reducing traffic bottlenecks during the peak season.

The pilgrimage, which is the largest annual gathering of people in the world, witnesses pilgrims coming for Haj and safety of the huge number is of utmost importance.

The railway transports pilgrims between the holy sites to reduce congestion caused by buses and cars during the Haj.

It also carries pilgrims performing Umrah throughout the year. (?)

Local authorities estimate that the railway has replaced around 50,000 buses, promising a safer and more comfortable pilgrimage.

Commenting on the preparation, the Haj affairs transport department maintains that the administration is committed to use the best urban planning and smartest technology to ensure that the pilgrimage is safe and comfortable apart from being incident free.

A department official said: “There are 20 trains, each 300-meter long and with a capacity of 3,500 pilgrims per trip.

The trains will be transporting about 72,000 pilgrims in an hour, and over six hours 500,000 pilgrims from Makkah to Mina and then from Mina to Arafat.
The railway also hires young citizens for seasonal jobs during Haj.

The official said that there are about 4,000 job opportunities for them to work as security guards and administrators to provide support to pilgrims during the peak season.

Moreover, Saudi authorities have contracted a specialized security company to organize the boarding of pilgrims onto Mashaer Railway trains during the Haj season.

The company is specialized in crowd management and it would train Saudis in Haj security services, the official added.

According to him, the company has also recruited Saudi nationals who speak languages other than Arabic for Haj duty and provided them with an intensive training.

The newly trained Saudi nationals will be deployed at Mashaer Railway stations at the holy sites beginning this week, when the railway begins operating its regular service.

An official said the move was aimed at ensuring the safety and security of pilgrims who travel on the trains and preventing pilgrims who are not authorized to use them from boarding the carriages.

Fahd Muhammad Abu Tarboush, director-general of the railway project in the region, said the train is characterized by its fast speed and height above the ground.

He said the ascent from Mina to Arafat and the return of pilgrims to Muzdalifah would take place according to a tight schedule that would ensure the easy and safe arrival of pilgrims to the holy sites.

Sharing more details on the railway services during Haj, he said pilgrims living in camps 500 meters away from the main station would be brought by buses.
The Haj ministry has organized a workshop for departments to discuss the problems of rail transport during Haj seasons.

It also called on departments to strive for a successful grouping strategy for train travel.

In a solution to keep railway stations safe from the influx of crowds, they will fence off the station area so that undocumented or ticketless pilgrims cannot enter the station premises, thus avoiding overcrowding at the station unnecessarily, thereby checking stampede chances.

Furthermore, in order to ensure unimpeded transportation and timely movement, there will be a 25 percent reduction in the number of pilgrims traveling by trains at the holy sites during the Haj season this year as against the number of pilgrims allowed on the trains last year, a Haj ministry official said recently.

“The ministry plans to reduce the capacity of trains to 377,000 pilgrims this year as part of its measures to avoid repeating travel delays and other issues that arose last year,” said Abdul Rahman Endijani, director general of transport at the Ministry of Haj.

The train service will only be open for domestic and Gulf pilgrims this year, he said, adding that the ministry began considering the proposal for reducing the number of pilgrims earlier this year after it organized a workshop for departments to discuss the problems of rail transport during Haj seasons.

It also called on departments to strive for a successful grouping strategy for train travel.

He said another solution being implemented to keep railway stations safe from the influx of crowds is to fence off the station area so that undocumented or ticketless pilgrims cannot enter the station premises.

In order to ensure a glitch-free system during the Haj season, trains have been operating since the last month, said Endijani. He said the beginning of the trial run was aimed at ensuring safe and unobstructed transportation.

The current contract of the Chinese company with the Mashaer Railway will end this year, after which a tender will be issued for the next Haj and Umrah season as the railway services will be available next year during Ramadan as well, he added.

Mashaer Railway trains running between Arafat and Jamarat Bridge were flagged off with the aim of reducing the endless traffic bottlenecks at the holy sites during the Haj seasons in a record time and it is stated to be the world’s fastest ‘design, build to operate’ metro in the world within 22 months as it was opened on Nov. 13, 2010 in time for the Haj 1431 season.

It was initially operated at 35 percent capacity with automatic train protection to assist manual driving. A member of staff was due to be retained on board once driverless operations were introduced in 2011, when the service was flagged off for all pilgrims and by the time of the 2011 Haj (Haj 1432) it was able to operate at 100 percent capacity and is estimated to have carried more that 3.95 million passengers making it, for that period, the most intensively used metro line in the world and among the busiest systems in the world.

In peak periods, the line operates with a special ‘group shuttle’ schedule with three departure stations and three arrival stations.


Makkah Mass Rail Transit Project

Apart from Mashaer railway there is the Makkah railway network, officially known as the Makkah Mass Rail Transit Project (MMRTP), which is a metro system under construction in the holy city. Moreover, the government approved $16.5 billion to build the remaining four lines (182 km, 88 stations) of the system in August 2012.

The new SR62 billion Makkah public transport system will bring about a dramatic improvement in transport of pilgrims and citizens in the city, said Makkah Mayor Osama Al-Bar.

He said the first phase of the project, costing around SR25.5 billion ($6.8 billion), would begin by the middle of next year. It will be completed in three years.

There will be underground lines in areas surrounding the Grand Mosque until the third ring road, while the lines beyond that region will be built on suspended bridges, he said.

The first phase includes construction of a 30-km line from Um Al-Qura University in Abidiya to Sayeda Aisha Mosque.

The bus service will be integrated with the metro system, Al-Bar said, adding that the speedy bus service would link various parts of the city, covering 60 km with 60 stations.

There will be a local bus service to areas not covered by the metro and speed bus network.

The local buses will cover 65 km between the Grand Mosque and surrounding residential districts.

In addition, there will be feeder bus services for the metro system.
He said the public transport scheme is to be completed in 10 years in three phases. Moreover, as a part of a ten-year modernization plan for the holy city, the railway network will be joined by modern communication technology, green initiatives, and other urban-planning improvements.


Al-Harammain High Speed Rail

Earlier, Saudi Railways Organization (SRO) began planning expansion of the national rail network in 2007 with major rail projects that will directly impact on the way people move within the Kingdom. They include the Al-Harammain High Speed Rail (AHSR).

Jeddah’s role as the gateway to Makkah and Madinah is the primary historic influence that has shaped the main plan.

The AHSR will provide a link between Makkah and Madinah.

This high-speed passenger service connects Jeddah with Makkah and Madinah as well as Raghib and the King Abdullah Economic City.

With two stations planned in Jeddah, one at the King Abdulaziz International Airport (KAIA) and the other in the Al-Sulaimaniya district.

The patterns of population movement in Jeddah and within the wider region will change with the arrival of new railway service.

http://www.arabnews.com/news/467170