Makkah News and Updates

12 October 2013

MINA — Minister of Municipal and Rural Affairs Prince Dr. Mansour Bin Miteb announced the readiness of all of the ministry’s sectors to carry out its plan to serve pilgrims in Makkah, Madinah and the holy sites.

In a statement on the prepardness of the ministry, he said a detailed plan is being carried out by Makkah Municipality with support from all the sectors of the ministry. He said 23,000 workers in the ministry’s projects will be getting rid of garbage as soon as it collects.

Over 170 electrical compressor dumpsters for garbage have been distributed in the Central Area of Makkah. Several places have been allocated for collecting garbage. They have reached 131 stores each with a capacity of 35 tons, apart from 1,025 compressor dumpsters each with a capacity of 10 tons.

A big number of field teams has been distributed so as to monitor the prices in the markets throughout the Haj season. Over 15,000 additional rest rooms have been set up before the Haj season in Mina, Muzdalifah and Arafat within a project to construct 36,000 new rest rooms. They will be completed before the 2014 Haj season.

In collaboration with municipalities of Makkah and Madinah, the ministry has intensified its efforts to carry out the environmental protection program and combat public health diseases during Haj by using environment-friendly means to preserve the health and safety of the guests of Allah during their presence in Makkah and Madinah.

Since the beginning of the month of Dhul Hijja, the ministry deployed as many as 73 health teams to combat insects, mosquitoes, flies and harmful pests that help spread diseases among humans. Their breeding grounds were located and sprayed with pesticides. Stagnant pools were filled with soil or the water was pumped out. Other likely breeding grounds during Haj were also dealt with. An integrated program to prevent the piling up of garbage was carried out. The ministry has used pesticides and insecticides with the least harm to pilgrims in combating public health diseases. The ministry focused on alternative methods such as using baits that attract flies, adhesive strips and other traps.

The ministry’s plan relies on the constant presence of combat teams at the sites where flies and mosquitoes are likely to multiply such as vegetable and livestock markets, slaughterhouses and places for collecting garbage. In the same connection, the ministry provided support to Makkah Municipality to carry out a plan for combating public health diseases during the Haj season and intensify field tours in all of Makkah’s districts and the holy sites.

http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index...20131012183476 12 October 2013

MAKKAH & JEDDAH — Circumventing Haj regulations and performing Haj without permits is impermissible because such act is against the order of the King, said Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdul Aziz Al-Sheikh, Al-Madinah reported.

“The King has not regulated Haj and requested everyone to have a permit in vain. Such decision has been taken after reports showed that the ritual sites get overcrowded with people,” Grand Mufti said.

Those who have already performed Haj should not repeat it this year and should comply with the King’s orders. It is not permissible in Islam to circumvent regulations, he added.

Sheikh Abdullah Manee, member of the Board of Senior Ulema, concurred with the Grand Mufti. He said anyone who performs Haj without a permit is a sinner, noting performing Haj this way, meaning without a permit, is permissible but the performer is considered a sinner. “Only Allah will determine whether to punish or forgive this person.”

Sheikh Manee has called for abiding by the King’s orders and applying for Haj permit, stressing the government has not issued such regulations if they have not been for the general benefit of the public.

Sheikh Salih Al-Fawzan, member of the Senior Board of Ulema, called upon Muslims not to violate Haj regulations, adding that such an act might lead a pilgrim, who is trying to circumvent laws, to break one of the Haj ritual rules, which are important to observe.

Sheikh Abdul Karim Abdullah Al-Khudair, also member of the board, said Haj regulations should be respected because they have been made for the benefit of the public.

If someone wishes to perform Haj based on the Prophet’s sayings which recommend Haj performance repetition, this person may do that provided he should not lie, give a bribe, circumvent laws, or engage in any impermissible acts.

http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index...20131012183479 12 October 2013

MAKKAH — The Public Security Department will conduct over 100 flights a day as it monitors pilgrims’ movements to ensure an incident free Haj.

The head of the flights’ command station, Col. Shuail Al-Shuail said the flights are conducted by Public Security and Royal Saudi Air Force planes.

The flights are meant to help monitor pilgrims’ movements and also help detect illegal pilgrims who try to enter Makkah dirt roads.

Col. Al-Shuail said an inclusive plan had been prepared to monitor pilgrims in different locations including Makkah's central area, Mashair areas and the Jamarat bridges.

Makkah entry points at Baheetah, Taneem, Shumaisi, Al-Hada and Al-Kur will also be monitored. Pilgrims’ movements from Makkah to Mina during the first day of Haj will be tracked. After that, pilgrims ascending to Arafat will be tracked, as well as their movement from Arafat to Muzdalifah. Monitoring will continue during Eid Al-Adha in Mina and Makkah and plans will be evaluated against the actual monitoring of events.

Col. Ahmad Al-Janoobi, assistant commander at the command center, said different means will be used to document events. Flights are equipped with advanced day and night photography technology to relay live pictures to the control and command center of the Public Security Department. In addition, other communication means are also available to pass information to the concerned bodies and the command and control center.

Pilgrims’ accommodations closed down in Qarn Al-Manazel

The Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA) has closed down four pilgrims’ accommodations in Qarn Al-Manazel, near Taif, Al-Hayat newspaper reported. The executive manager of SCTA in Taif governorate, Tarek Khan, said that electricity was disconnected from the accommodations after they were found to be in violation of regulations.

Khan said the accommodations were not suitable for housing pilgrims and lacked basic safety measures. He added that the accommodations had been previously penalized by the SCTA and fined a combined SR70,000 for violating SCTA regulations.

“These accommodations were given a grace period to correct the violations but their owners failed to take any action in a timely manner. Their closure was to protect pilgrims,” Khan said while adding that a further eight accommodations will be closed during the coming two days.

The closures come at the recommendation of a committee that was formed to monitor such temporary accommodations. The committee consists of representatives from the police, SCTA, and the municipality.

http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index...20131012183478

 

Kingdom keen to ease hardship of pilgrims

All systems go as Haj set to begin with unity message


Muslim pilgrims circle the Kaaba, the cubic building situated in the central part
of the Grand Mosque in the Muslim holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, on Friday.

1.3 million pilgrims transported to holy sites

25 pickpockets arrested in Makkah

Mina, Dhu-AlHijjah 6, 1434, Oct 11, 2013, SPA

Late King Abdulaziz (May Allah bestow mercy upon his soul) had accustomed annually to lead Hajj seasons and supervise by himself the service of pilgrims over 30 years of his life until death.

During that period, the late King did not apologize for Hajj seasons except for six years. He deputed in two Hajj seasons his deputy in Hejaz Prince Faisal bin Abdulaziz and in four Hajj seasons his Crown Prince Saud bin Abdulaziz (May Allah bestow mercy upon their souls).

During his apology, the Late King directed to distributed his Hajj expense to the needy in the country wishing to perform Hajj rituals, but they did not have financial capabilities to perform this ritual. This was shown in one of historical documents.

These humanitarian attitudes from the late King Abdulaziz for his people were not confined only to his apology for leading Hajj seasons, but even when he led Hajj seasons, he was supervising the service of pilgrims and directing to meetthe needs of pilgrims' services to enable them to perform their Hajj rituals easily and comfortably.

The Late King Abdulaziz had been keen on following up the health conditions of pilgrims and inspecting their headquarters. He ordered in 1344AH to allocate one doctor for every headquarters of Hajj Mission and the establishment of School for Pilgrims Guides in 1347AH.

http://www.spa.gov.sa/English/print.php?id=1156474 Mina, Dhu-AlHijjah 6, 1434, Oct 11, 2013, SPA

The wise leadership of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has paid continuing attention to Zamzam Well since 1377AH.

When the government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was implementing the first expansion of the circumambulation track, it developed a unique design to the well of Zamzam by placing it under the ground. The well has a concrete wall covered with marble.

Inside the Grand Holy Mosque, there are 733 faucets in addition to more than 8000 water filings provided by Zamzam water from a plant.

The first appearance of Zamzam water was for watering Prophet Ismail bin Ibrahim (peace be upon them) which was flown by the Holy Spirit before 4,000 Hijri years.

http://www.spa.gov.sa/English/print.php?id=1156411

Madinah, Dhu-AlHijjah 6, 1434, Oct 11, 2013, SPA

Pilgrims flocked today to perform Friday prayers at the Prophet's Holy Mosque in Madinah.

The pilgrims enjoyed an integrated system of services provided by State's agencies concerned with serving the pilgrims in an atmosphere of spirituality dominated by security, safety, comfort and stability.

Saudi leaders are keen to provide all means of comfort to worshippers to enable them to perform their worship easily and safely.

http://www.spa.gov.sa/English/print.php?id=1156513

Kingdom's Grand Mufti Praises Presidency of Two Holy Mosques

Makkah, Dhu-AlHijjah 4, 1434, Oct 9, 2013, SPA

The Grand Mufti of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and President of Council of Senior Scholars and General Presidency of Scholarly Research and Ifta, Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Abdullah bin Mohammed Al Al-Sheikh, has praised the significant roles played by the General Presidency for the Affairs of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet's Mosque in the service of pilgrims and visitors to the Prophet's Mosque.

In a statement to Hajj Magazine after attending the opening ceremony of Hajj Grand Symposium, the Grand Mufti appreciated the Presidency's efforts in scholarly and guidance fields as well as religious courses.

http://www.spa.gov.sa/English/print.php?id=1155616

Hajj Grand Symposium Thanks Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques

Makkah, Dhu-AlHijjah 6, 1434, Oct 11, 2013, SPA -- Hajj Grand Symposium organized by the Ministry of Hajj concluded its works here today.

In its final statement, the Symposium expressed its thanks to and appreciation of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and his wise government for their care of pilgrims, Umrah performers and visitors to the city of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).

The Symposium praised the efforts of the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in the expansion of the Two Holy Mosques and the gigantic successive and continuous achievements in the holy sites.

It called on all Muslims in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and abroad to respond positively and commit to the reduction numbers of pilgrims set by the Kingdom.

http://www.spa.gov.sa/English/print.php?id=1156384

12 October 2013

All Saudi authorities involved in organizing this year’s hajj have completed preparatory measures to begin transferring more than 1.3 million pilgrims from Makkah to Mina for the day of al-Tarwiyah.

The transfer of the pilgrims to the holy sites is set to begin on Saturday evening. At Mina, air-conditioned tents provide temporary accommodation to the visiting pilgrims.

A plan ensuring the safety of pilgrims has been arranged by a committee consisting of members of the hajj ministry, in collaboration with the executive committee responsible for monitoring the transfer of pilgrims and the General Cars Syndicate, along with other companies, explained Marwan Rashad Zubaidi, secretary general and spokesman of the Syndicate.

The transfer processes ensures the smooth and safe arrival of the pilgrims to the sites of Mina and Arafat, as authorities provided the transportation buses with guides that are familiar with the roads and the sites, and can efficiently assist the pilgrims, added Zubaidi.

Shuttle busses will serve 563,000 pilgrims from Turkey, Europe, Southeast Asia, Africa, and Iran, while regular transportation will be serving the pilgrims from South Asia and the Arab states, said the official.

He added that 500 buses would be centralized at Mount Arafat to assist delayed shuttles, all to be done under the supervision of the relevant official committees and authorities.

The sectors involved in the organization of this year’s hajj are working round-the-clock to ensure the completion of all the preparations in the holy sites, and provide the best conditions for pilgrims to devote themselves to the performance of hajj.

The security authorities, including civil defense, are inspecting the tents set up in Mina to ensure their suitability and safety. All security forces are also all prepared to ensure the security and safety of the pilgrims. The main and provisional hospitals are also well equipped and ready to receive the pilgrims.

Mina has received large amounts of furniture, food, water and all the required daily needs, which are enough to meet the needs of the 2 million pilgrims and workers during the hajj season.

Hajj officially begins on the 8th of Dhul Hijjah (Oct. 13) and lasts for five days.

The pilgrimage is obligatory for all Muslims once in their lifetime. On the 8th of Dhul Hijjah, soon after the dawn Fajr prayers which are performed in Makkah, pilgrims travel to Mina, which is roughly eight kilometers away.

Pilgrims spend the day and night in Mina praying and reciting praise of their Lord.

On the 9th of Dhul Hijjah, the dawn prayer is performed in Mina. After this, pilgrims make their way to Arafat, which is roughly 14 kilometers away.

http://english.alarabiya.net/en/spec...-to-Mina-.html 11 October 2013

Mohammed Shuaib wears a mask as he walks amid a flood of Muslims arriving for the hajj, but his wariness about the deadly MERS virus that has struck Saudi Arabia doesn’t seem to be widely shared.

“Prevention is better than cure,” said the 67-year-old Algerian pensioner as he removed his mask to speak to AFP after performing noon prayers at the Grand Mosque in Makkah.

But the overwhelming majority of those around him have no masks, and some said they never even heard of the MERS coronavirus, which has claimed 60 lives worldwide, 51 of them in Saudi Arabia.

The latest two Saudi victims were announced on Thursday.

“We heard that the coronavirus is deadly and people in this case should protect themselves,” said Shuaib, accompanied by his nephew, who also wore a mask.

“I obtained the mask from Algerian authorities, who also briefed pilgrims about the disease,” he said.

The hajj, the largest annual gathering in the world, starts on Sunday and ends on October 18, with about two million pilgrims expected from Saudi Arabia and around the world.

The fact the kingdom accounts for the overwhelming majority of cases has raised concerns about the hajj to Makkah, Islam’s holiest site. Some fear pilgrims could be infected and return to their homelands carrying the virus.

Optimistic

But the authorities have said they are optimistic the hajj will pass without incident, given Muslims also go on lesser pilgrimages at other times of the year and there has been no problem.

This year’s minor pilgrimage season, or Umrah, during the fasting month of Ramadan in July-August passed off without any MERS outbreak even though millions of Muslims took part.

And on Thursday, Saudi Health Minister Abdullah al-Rabia was quoted as saying no cases of the virus had been recorded at this year’s event.

“So far, no case for any epidemic has been recorded among the pilgrims, especially the coronavirus,” media quoted him as saying.

But to be on the safe side, the minister said precautions against the outbreak of any disease, especially MERS, have been beefed up this year with strict measures.

Health employees have been strictly instructed to isolate any suspected case and carry out the necessary laboratory tests to ensure the safety of pilgrims.

The minister said up to 600 public health employees wearing face masks were deployed at Jeddah international airport to screen arriving pilgrims and ensure they had the necessary vaccinations, mainly shots against influenza and meningitis.

Immigration officers at the airport, the main entry point for pilgrims from abroad, and other staff also wore masks as did most of the soldiers manning road blocks to prevent illegal pilgrims.

Riyadh has also urged the elderly and chronically ill, who are particularly susceptible to MERS, to avoid the hajj and have advised pilgrims to wear face masks.

‘We depend on God’

Even so, most of the pilgrims interviewed seemed unmoved over the disease and were not wearing masks.

“We depend on God,” said middle-aged Ahmad Mahmoud from Egypt as he walked without a mask in a sea of people near the Grand Mosque, Islam’s holiest shrine.

Mahmoud said he was given a mask at the airport and another when he arrived at the hotel and will wear it later.

Harris Zawawi from Malaysia was wearing a mask, but said it was not specifically against the coronavirus, “which I did not hear about.”

“It is to protect me from contagious diseases in general as I was advised by Malaysian hajj authorities,” said Zawawi, who is performing the hajj for the second time.

It appears that the large number of pilgrims not wearing the masks were either unaware of MERS or just being careless.

Experts are struggling to understand MERS, for which there is still no vaccine.

It is considered a deadlier but less-transmissible cousin of the SARS virus that erupted in Asia in 2003 and infected 8,273 people, nine percent of whom died, and sowed economic chaos.

Like SARS, its is believed to have jumped from animals to humans. It shares the former’s flu-like symptoms, but differs by also causing kidney failure.

http://english.alarabiya.net/en/spec...ERS-virus.html

12 October 2013

MAKKAH: More than 200 men have been laboring in a factory for eight months to produce the gold-embroidered, black-dyed Kiswa, a silk cover for the Kaaba.

The ornate protective covering produced at the Makkah factory will be draped over the Kaaba on the 9th of Dul Hijjah, which this year corresponds to Oct. 14.

The stitching of Islamic calligraphy in gold threads onto the silk is a skill that has been passed on from generation to generation, said Hussanian Al-Sharif, head of the embroidery department who has worked at the factory for 37 years.

"No one outside this factory knows how to do the embroidery that we do, so that's why our old workers have to train the newcomers for a three-month period before they start," he said.

The old Kiswa will be cut into pieces to be distributed to dignitaries and religious organizations. Recipients regard the fragments as heirlooms.
Nearly all of the 210 workers come from the city of Makkah and most of them have worked there all their lives.

Before the factory was opened in 1927, the 47 pieces of cloth cover were manufactured in Egypt and materials were bought from Sudan, India, Egypt and Iraq.

Today the 658-square-meter covering is made of 670 kg (1,500 lb) of high-quality silk imported from Italy and Switzerland, said Mohammed bin Abdullah Bajuda, the factory's general manager.

"The silk is dyed black here and we spin it ourselves to make the material, then it is hand-embroidered with 120 kg of pure gold and silver," he told Reuters in an interview. Machines to help automate the process were introduced 25 years ago, said Salman Al-Loukmani, head of the materials department.

"Before we used to have a lot more workers and it was a very long process to make the material by hand. Now we have a number of Swiss spinning machines that help us," he said.

Poorer pilgrims sometimes tear parts of the cover during the Haj to take home, but the factory is ready for that too.

"One of the main challenges for the Kiswa factory is the pilgrims who tear pieces of the cover with their hands or other sharp objects, so every hour we have a maintenance team to repair the damage," Bajouda said.

http://www.arabnews.com/news/467540

13 October 2013

Hundreds of thousands of Haj pilgrims began streaming into tent city at Mina by foot, on buses and in four-wheel drives late Saturday amid extreme heat and humidity.

On their way, pilgrims were met by many checkpoints manned by security men, health officials and traffic police, who asked pilgrims to display their Haj permits.

The much feared mobile fingerprint machines were nowhere to be seen.
Although skies were overcast, high temperatures ensued while pilgrims flooding into Makkah suffered traffic jams that turned a regular 40-minute drive from Jeddah into a grueling 3-and-a-half-hour marathon.

Helicopters hovered overhead, directing security officials on the ground.
Despite strict measures taken by security officials, an Arab News reporter witnessed numerous illegal pilgrims dodging checkpoints and taking detours through mountainous routes.

Indonesian pilgrims were the first to arrive inside Mina. Pilgrims were awestruck by the white landscape inside tent city.

Among the first Saudi officials to arrive in Mina was Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah, minister of health. He visited the Emergency Center Health Complex in Mina and spoke to journalists.

He told Arab News: “There is no reason to panic because we have not detected a single case of MERS among pilgrims thus far. There is no epidemic whatsoever.” He said health care precautions have been taken in line with international regulations to screen pilgrims coming into the holy sites from 16 entry points.

“Every single pilgrim has been vaccinated and full care has been taken in Mina to quell health threats,” the minister said.

Al-Rabeeah said that pilgrims should wear masks as a precaution.

“We are not aware of how this virus is transmitted, so we have advised pilgrims to wear masks in crowded areas as a precautionary measure.”
There are hundreds of health care workers manning dozens of hospitals and dispensaries.

Traffic flowed smoothly into Mina. However, inside Makkah, the situation was different. The Grand Mosque was packed with pilgrims as they embarked on their journey to the holy sites.

The first phase will see pilgrims move to Mina by Sunday afternoon, where they will spend the night reciting the Holy Qur’an or catching up on sleep.
Pakistani Ambassador Muhammad Naim Khan said everything is going smoothly.

Indian Consul General Faiz Ahmad Kidwai told Arab News that Indian pilgrims were moving into the tent city in groups. “Everything is going according to the plans charted by our mission in close coordination with the Saudi Haj authorities,” he said.

An Indian pilgrim, Ibrahim Mohammad Noor, said: “I am so happy to be here.” His wife, Romana Talib, said: “We have been waiting for this moment all my life. I am so happy I can't tell you. Thank you, Allah, for helping me come here.”

Laiquddin Munaf, a British pilgrim, described his journey as a dream. “I have to pinch myself again and again to reassure myself that I am in Makkah and Mina and that I am about to perform Haj,” he said.

Seventy-year-old Fatima Bibi from Dera Ghazi Khan, Pakistan, was brought into the tent city by her son. “This is my son Arif. He promised me that he would bring me here and he kept his promise,” she said.

http://www.arabnews.com/news/467646 13 October 2013

With millions of pilgrims moving to Mina today for the Day of Tarwiyah, the Haj Security Force has deployed thousands of officers and vehicles to ensure that traffic flows smoothly on roads leading to the area.

Minister of Interior Prince Muhammad bin Naif is overseeing operations.
Small cars will not be allowed to enter the holy sites; only large vehicles transporting pilgrims.

The government has also completed several projects to ensure pilgrims are safe. These include the Mina tents built on an area of 2.5 million square meters. These tents are made of fire-resistant material that limits the emission of toxic gases during fires. The tents are in various sizes including 8x8 meters, 6x8 meters and 12x8 meters.

A 100-km-long network of water pipelines for fire extinguishers are in place across Mina. Pilgrim camps have 30-meter-long water hoses fixed onto special boxes and fire extinguishers every 100 meters.

Each tent is equipped with automatic water sprayers and a 6-kg extinguisher.

Mina’s hospitals

The Ministry of Health announced here recently that its hospitals and health care centers in Mina are ready to deal with all types of ailments this Eid.
The ministry has focused this year on expanding its facilities to treat heart disease and provide surgery. It also has dialysis machines to save patients from seeking treatment at hospitals away from the holy sites.

Mina’s hospitals have 550 beds including 103 in the intensive care units and 108 in the emergency rooms. Mina’s Emergency Hospital has 190 beds and Mina’s Bridge Hospital 150 beds.

Alwadi Hospital in Mina has 160 beds and staff able to deal with all types of illnesses.

There are 28 health care centers close to the accommodation of pilgrims and in the main streets, 18 new primary care centers that were set up this year at train stations and 17 others at the Jamrat Bridge.
The ministry started operating these facilities Saturday.

http://www.arabnews.com/news/467634 13 october 2013

At exactly 12 midnight tonight, the Haj train will embark on its first trip for the season.

Dispatch of “A” traffic will start on schedule, where the train will serve as a regular metro for loading and offloading pilgrims on all stations. It will start from Arafat 1 station, through Arafat 2 and Arafat 3, then to Muzdalifah, Mina 1, Mina 2 and Mina 3. This will make a round trip within the holy areas.

Engineer Fahd Abu Tarboush, director general of the Haj train, said that there is a line designated especially for civil servants and government employees, as well as employees of the private sector companies working in this year’s Haj season, to perform their duties.

“The tickets are sold for 50 riyals to those workers who will perform their duties within the holy areas. They can’t use these tickets on the Haj train, however,” he said.

Traffic A will continue until 7:30 p.m. of the 8th day of Dul Hijjah (Oct. 13), he said. Traffic B will start operation at 8 p.m. on the 8th day of Dul Hijjah, and will keep running until 3:30 p.m. on the 9th day of Dul Hijjah (Oct. 14), to transport pilgrims to Arafat, where they will be moved from all the train stations in Mina and Station No. 3 in Muzdalifah.

Traffic 2 will start in the early evening of Arafat day (9th day of Du Al Hijjah), until 11:30 p.m. to transport the pilgrims from Arafah to Muzdalifah.
This will be followed by Traffic D, to carry the pilgrims from Muzdalifah to Mina, and will start at 12:30 a.m., and will keep running until 10:30 a.m. on the 10th day of Dul Hijjah (Oct. 15), which will be the day of Eid Al-Adha.

Tarboush said these trips will be available to pilgrims who hold the 250-riyal tickets. But the pilgrims who will not be using these tickets can use the 50-riyal tickets during the three days of the Eid, and they can be used for the Muzdalifah 3 and Arafah 3, Mina 1, and Mina stations.

http://www.arabnews.com/news/467570 13 October 2013

The Technical and Vocational Training Corporation (TVTC) in Makkah announced here recently that 150 qualified Saudi barbers would serve pilgrims in Mina.

Ahmed bin Abdul Wahab, the director of the TVTC program, said the barbers would cut the hair of pilgrims as they complete the stoning ritual at the Jamrat.

The TVTC launched the program with the Makkah Municipality to train young professionals at training institutes in Makkah, Jazan and Al-Ahsa.

He said the barbers would get special chairs, hygienic razors, clothing, antiseptic chemicals and other equipment in Mina. He said a TVTC committee would oversee the young men.

http://www.arabnews.com/news/467638

13 October 2013 - 08 Thul-Hijjah 1434 H

MAKKAH — A 80-year-old Saudi mosque imam, who has performed Haj 60 times, has strongly praised the current Haj services describing them as consummate and convenient compared to pilgrimages in olden time.

"The Haj now is a picnic thanks to the sublime services being provided to the guests of God by the Saudi government under the leadership of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah and his Crown Prince," he said.

Sheikh Jabran Yahya Solaiman Al-Malki, imam of Hiraz mosque in Al-Dair, in Jazan province to the Southwest of the Kingdom, said complete services being extended to the pilgrims have enabled them do their Haj rites in ease and comfort.

"There is no comparison between the Haj services today and those of the past when resources were scant," he said.

Al-Malki recalled that he performed the Haj for the first time with his father in 1954 during the reign of King Saud. "It was an exhausting experience which I will never forget. The resources were very little and transport was poor," he said.

He said the journey from Jazan to Makkah took him and his father two weeks to complete. "There were no paved roads and the cars were old and smoky," he added.

Al-Malki said there was not enough water, food or toilets in the Holy Sites. "The number of pilgrims was about 250,000. We used to live in tents near the Jamarat in Mina. We had to cross on foot the long distances between Mina, Arafat and Muzdalifah," he said.

Al-Malki said he had performed Haj for himself, his parents, relatives and a number of his sons who died young.

But the fact, at 80 with 60 Hajs, the imam could well be on his way to setting a Guinness world record.

http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index...20131013183543

12 October 2013

MINA — The Saudi Arabian Boy Scouts Association (SABSA) has published three maps of the holy places, in eight colors pointing to Tawafah locations, Haj campaigns and general services centers, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Blue is for South East Asian pilgrims, red is for Turkish and European, North American and Australian pilgrims, green is for Iranian pilgrims, brown is for non-Arab African pilgrims, yellow is for South Asian pilgrims, purple is for Gulf countries and violet is for local pilgrims.

The maps, which also include prominent landmarks to allow pilgrims to identify their locations, are the highlight of SABSA’s efforts to come up with innovative solutions to pilgrims’ problems during Haj.

In recent years, SABSA has used a Geographic Information System (GIS) to identify the location of pilgrims’ camps. It is using GIS to identify the coordinates of these camps, main landmarks and roads. The relevant coordinates are then fed into a computer program that identifies the required locations on the maps, which can also be viewed on smartphones.

http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index...20131013183542
13 October 2013

JEDDAH — The late Prince Naif Bin Abdul Aziz Haj Group, which has been allocated for beneficiaries from the programs of Prince Muhammad Bin Naif Center for Advice and Care and their families, has started its movement towards Makkah.

Spokesman of the Ministry of Interior Maj. Gen. Mansour Al-Turki said the group of pilgrims, who are guests of Prince Muhammad, includes 500 beneficiaries and their families.

They are subdivided into three groups that will move from Riyadh, Jeddah and Taif. The center’s administration has completed procedures related to the group including obtaining permits for the beneficiaries, providing places for accommodation in the holy sites and providing them with all requirements including meals, transport and medical care.

A total of 600 people have benefited from the previous two groups in 2011 and 2012.

http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index...20131013183541 12 October 2013

The National Water Company (NWC) is prepared to meet the demand for water at the holy sites, including Makkah, for this year’s Haj season, said Louay Al-Muslim, the company’s
CEO.

Speaking to Arab News, he said over 10 million cubic meters of water will be pumped into Makkah and other holy sites during the period.

The company’s strategy is to secure more than 200,000 cubic meters of water per day from the General Establishment for Water Desalination through the desalination plants of Al-Shuaiba.

Al-Muslim said the company would secure an additional 10,000 cubic meters of water per day from the water project in Wadi Malakan as a precautionary measure, which has been allocated to supply water to toilets in the Grand Mosque.

Additionally, all the four filling stations in Al-Ashiab would be filled to their full capacity to ensure continuous supply of water.

The company has also chalked out an integrated plan to address any water crisis that might arise.

The plan entails using the strategic water reservoir, which has a capacity of more than two million cubic meters, as well as preparing reserve tanks with taps for distribution in different areas across the holy sites.

Al-Muslim said that the company had implemented a comprehensive information technology system entitled “Compass,” which aims to manage operations at the holy sites.

Extensive monitoring equipment have also been installed to monitor water pressure and water levels in the reservoirs and to manage the distribution network through an IT system called “Escada.”

Systems will be integrated within the operational plan during the pilgrimage season, Al-Muslim said, adding that this was being done as per the directives of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah and the crown prince and the second deputy premier.

http://www.arabnews.com/news/467542 12 October 2013

Nine Pakistani businesspeople, including four women, were allegedly cheated by an agent into believing that they could visit the Kingdom on Haj visas. They were arrested on arrival, released and sent back to Karachi on Friday.

Hailing from Karachi, the alleged victims were issued visit visas by the agent instead of Haj visas.

“The victims were cheated by the agent in Pakistan, and they were unaware that they were supposed to travel on Haj visas and not visit visas,” said Suhail Ali Khan, press consular at the Pakistan Consulate in Jeddah. “They were arrested and put in jail for five days for traveling from Madinah to Makkah without Haj permits,” said Khan.

He said the travelers were not given enough time to check their visas and documents before departure.

“These Pakistanis had each paid 550,000 Pakistani rupees for Haj visa. They are victims of a scam. The agent gave them their passports at Isha prayer and asked them to be at the airport at Fajr the same day, They hardly had any time to check their visas. Pakistan Consul General Aftab Khokhar met them and with the intervention of the consulate, they were released from Madinah Tarheel and sent back to Karachi.”

Khan had an advice for pilgrims: “Don’t come for Haj on visit or other visas.” Thursday was the last date for pilgrims to travel from Madinah to Makkah. The news was first broken by Saudi media group-chat and later confirmed by the Pakistan Consulate in Jeddah.

According to sources, the report of the incident was sent by the embassy to Islamabad which is expected to release a formal statement on this later.

The Saudi authorities had announced that those caught performing Haj without a permit would be deported immediately and banned from entering the Kingdom for 10 years. Also, owners of vehicles smuggling unauthorized pilgrims to the holy sites would be detained and fined, and their vehicles impounded.

http://www.arabnews.com/news/467545

Mina, Dhu-AlHijjah 8, 1434, Oct 13, 2013, SPA

Pilgrims flocked to Mina today to ascend Mina holy site for watering day in pursuant of the Prophet's Sunnah.

The pilgrims spend the day amid integrated services and capabilities prepared by various departments concerned with Hajj and pilgrims in implementation of the directives of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, the Crown Prince and the Second Deputy Premier, to provide the best services and facilities to pilgrims to perform their Hajj rituals easily and comfortably.

The Command of Hajj Security has prepared an integrated plan to facilitate the ascension of pilgrims to Mina, providing security and safety.

http://www.spa.gov.sa/English/print.php?id=1157128

Grand Mufti arrives at camps in Mina

Mina, Dhu-AlHijjah 8, 1434, Oct 13, 2013, SPA

The Grand Mufti of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and President of Council of Senior Scholars and General Presidency of Scholarly Research and Ifta, Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Abdullah bin Mohammed Al Al-Sheikh, and other Saudi Islamic scholars have arrived at their work in the camps of the General Presidency in Mina.

The scholars began receiving questions of pilgrims and will continue to receive them until they move tomorrow to Mount Arafat.

http://www.spa.gov.sa/English/print.php?id=1157328

Mina, Dhu-AlHijjah 8, 1434, Oct 13, 2013, SPA

The Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs has allocated 226 electric vehicles at Jamarat Facility for pilgrims with special needs, patients, elderly people, and women to facilitate their performance of this Hajj ritual of throwing pebbles.

The Director of the Ministry's Department of Operation and Maintenance at Central Directorate of Developmental Projects in the Holy Sites Eng. Wajdi bin Hassan Toulah said that the electrical vehicles will serve 70,000 pilgrims during this year's Hajj season, 1434AH.

http://www.spa.gov.sa/English/print.php?id=1157219

 

Zamzam Water

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King Abdullah Project for Zamzam water

Mina, Dhu-AlHijjah 8, 1434, Oct 13, 2013, SPA

The General Presidency for the Grand Holy Mosque and the Prophet's Holy Mosque has accustomed to change Kaabah Kiswah (Covering) on Dhu-Al-Hijjah 9, the day of standing in Arafat Holy Mount.

The Director General of Kaabah Kiswah Factory in Makkah, Dr Mohammed Abdullah Pajudeh, said in a statement to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) that more than 240 workers and employees are working in the factory, noting that the cost of making Kiswah amounts annually to more than SR 22 million.

He pointed out that 700 kilograms of silk and 120 kilograms of silver and gold wires are used in making Kaabah Kiswah.

http://www.spa.gov.sa/English/print.php?id=1157292 12 October 2013

MAKKAH — The stoic silence maintained by the so-called champions of human rights and the double-standards practiced by some others came in for condemnation at the 14th Makkah Al-Mukarramah Conference on Human Rights Under Shariah and International Conventions which concluded here on Saturday.

The three-day conference, inaugurated by Makkah Emir Prince Khaled Al-Faisal on behalf of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Kong Abdullah on Thursday, called on the international community, the United Nations and war crime tribunals around the globe to punish the nations giving scant respect to human rights.

The conference urged stiff punishment for the Syrian regime of President Bashar Al-Assad for trampling human rights and for using chemical weapons on unarmed civilians.

It also condemned terrorist operations in Iraq and demanded that Iraq’s independence should be respected and that no one should have a right to interfere in the domestic affairs of that country.

The participants also condemned the continuous Israeli atrocities on Palestinians and warned against plots to divide the Al-Aqsa Mosque between Muslims and Jews. The United Nations should stop this aggression, they said.

The horrific oppression campaigns against Muslims in Maynmar were condemned as well. All countries should respect Muslims minorities’ rights, the conference said.

The participants stressed that the Shariah was the first to uphold human rights long before international conventions. International conventions on human rights are made by humans and therefore need to be developed because they are not comprehensive.

The conference rebuffed the double-standard policy in international positions in dealing with human rights issues around the world. It recommended that international organizations should benefit from the Shariah in dealing with human rights for men, women, children, orphans and labor.

Islamic countries should uphold laws fighting human rights violations and be signatory to international conventions and treaties on human rights.

They also called upon Muslim countries to implement the decision of the Islamic Summit Conference held in Kuwait 1978 which called for setting up of an Islamic justice court dealing only with human rights violations in the Muslim world.

They called upon global media to be credible on the issue of human rights in Islam and stop deliberate attempt to malign Islam.

http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index...20131013183565