Makkah News and Updates

Umrah firms told to submit their plans of operation


Prophet's Mosque, Madinah

Friday 28 March 2014

The Ministry of Haj has issued strict orders to Umrah service providers and firms licensed to operate this season to submit an operational plan through the automated system for Umrah.

Sources told local media that since the second phase of the operational plan to submit visa applications for this Umrah season will begin soon, the ministry issued orders to the licensed firms to submit their plans via the system, similar to the mechanism implemented last year.

The operational plan of the licensed firms must contain the nationality and the visa numbers that the individual firms intend to issue, and specifically mention the means by which its customers intend to enter the country.

The process for implementing the applications will be on a daily basis based on the numbers, including the value of the service packages.

The sources emphasized the importance of submitting true and correct information and data through the system to avoid any disruption.

Any such disruption and distortion will be the responsibility of the Umrah firm and the system service center for Umrah, the sources said.

After submitting their plans, the firms will get an approval notification from the Haj Ministry.

http://www.arabnews.com/news/547061

Albaia Mosque: Calling for attention

29 March 2014 - 28 Jumada Al-Awwal 1435

Albaia mosque lies around half a kilometer from Jamrat al-Kubra. It is visible from a distance with its bright brown color. It represents a perfect balance between sustainable architecture and a historical landmark and still stands in its Islamic glory, depicting a heavenly sight symbolizing eternity and longevity.

Pilgrims, throughout the 270-day Pilgrimage season, come together to witness the miracles of the fifth pillar in Islam: The Haj. As constant renovations and developments happen, pilgrims pass by taking pictures and marveling at the sights before them. Many pilgrims visit Albaia historical mosque to perform their prayers and take memorable photos as this is the mosque where the first bay’ah in Islam (oath of allegiance to a leader) was made before Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) migrated to Madinah.

Before 2007, Albaia mosque was surrounded by high mountains making it the perfect hideaway, in fact, the Prophet used to hide from non-believers here. He would also preach Islam behind the safety and serenity of these high mountains. After 12 years of prophecy, the Prophet sealed the bay’ah here under the witness of 12 men from Yathrib (the historical name of Madinah). The second bay’ah in Islamic history happened at the exact same location with the witness of 73 men and two women from Yathrib. This bay’ah was the beginning of the Islamic State. The then Abbasid Caliphate Abu Jafar Almansour built a mosque at the location in commemoration of the Prophet’s uncle Abbas Bin Abd Almutalib who signed the bay’ah both times.

 

Exterior and Interior

With a capacity of around 500 square meters, the mosque still stands in good shape. One of its unique features is the tilted Mihrab. In pilgrimage season, all of the mosques in the area are closed except for Albaia mosque. According to a historical study conducted in 1988 by Dr. Naser Abdullah Albarakati from the Culture and History Department at Umm Al-Qura University along with his colleague Dr. Mohammad Naisan Sulaiman Mana, the measurements of the mosque are as follows: the north wall of the mosque stands 27.90 meters tall and the west wall of the mosque measures 17 meters wide and 4 meters tall. The mosque has only one door on the north wall and its floor is furnished with red carpet. The mosque itself is surrounded by a steel fence. The mosque does not have any restrooms for performing Wudu.

Maintaining the mosque

For many years, Albaia mosque was only remembered by few. According to scholar Ali Bin Abd Alqader Altabri, the last renovation the mosque received was during the rule of Sultan Ahmad Bin Mohammad Khan by the Pasha Hassan Almimar. It underwent minor renovations in 2007.

The expansion plans in the area had initially slated the mosque for demolition to make way for a parking lot for buses that ferry pilgrims. Many citizens of Makkah gathered to defend the location and the historical monument. They called the municipality in Riyadh to exclude the mosque from the demolition plans. They also brought to light the importance of the monument to our history and Islamic culture. The protest went up to the Ministry of Civil and Rural Affairs where it was discussed and considered. Eventually, the citizens won and more attention was drawn to the mosque and its maintenance and renovation to preserve our prophetic history.

http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index...20140329200180
Article in arabic: http://www.makkahnewspaper.com/makka...1#.UzbP1KLm5sJ

Masjid AlBiah - مسجد البيعة

This Masjid, in Mina commemorates the spot where the Ansar of Madinah pledged their allegiance to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) in the year 621 A.H. The group included leaders of the Aws and Khazraj tribes of Madinah and were twelve in number. The second such pledge called the second Aqabah pledge (Bay’ah Aqaba Thaaniya) took place the following year, the thirteenth year after the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) proclaimed his Prophethood.

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) would make contact with various Arab tribes that came into Makkah for their festivals, trade fairs or pilgrimages and preach the truth of Islam to them. He would take the opportunity to call them towards worshipping only Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) and to believing in his Prophethood. His uncles Abu Jahl and Abu Lahab would often follow him, dissuading people from listening to his message. To avoid them, he would come out in the darkness of night to contact the caravans staying at a distance of several miles from the Ka’bah.

One night, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) heard some people talking at Aqabah. He came close and saw that they were six in number who had come from Yathrib (later to be known as Madinah) to perform pilgrimage at the Ka’bah. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) preached Islam to them and recited some verses of the Quran. They listened in awe and embraced Islam on the spot. They were neighbours of the Jews in Yathrib and had heard them mention of the coming of a grand Prophet in the near future and about his dominance over all others. The six new Muslims promised that they would invite their people to Islam upon returning to Yathrib and that they would meet the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) again during the next pilgrimage.

The next year, five of the six returned to meet the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) again at Aqabah and they brought with them another seven converts. These twelve persons pledged their allegiance to Islam at the hand of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) and this became known as the ‘First pledge of Aqabah’. They pledged that they would not associate partners with Allah, commit theft, fornicate, kill their children, defame others, nor disobey the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) when he instructed them to do good.

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) deputed Mus’ab bin Umair to go with them to teach Islam and preach to others. He remained busy all the time in teaching the Quran and other Islamic practices to the people. He stayed with As’ad bin Zararah (may Allah be pleased with him) and was known as Muqraee (the teacher). During this period many people from Yathrib embraced Islam.

The following year Mus’ab bin Umair (may Allah be pleased with him) set out from Yathrib for Makkah with a caravan of 72 men and 2 women which comprised of Muslims and pagans. The Muslims wanted to meet the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) and to invite him to come to Yathrib. They had been dismayed at the harassment, abuse and fear that overshadowed the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) and the other Muslims and had resolved to offer them their loyal protection if they moved there. A secret meeting with the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) was arranged one late night at Aqabah.

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) met them accompanied by his uncle Abbas who at that point was not a Muslim. He talked to the group, recited the Quran, prayed to Allah and encouraged people to embrace Islam. Then he said, “I ask for your allegiance on the basis that you protect me as you would protect your wives and children.” They pledged their allegiance to him and this became known as the ‘Second pledge of Aqabah’. They asked him to promise that he would not leave them and return to his people. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) gave his promise, “I am from you and you are from me. I will fight those you fight and will be at peace with those with whom you are at peace.” Twelve men were then chosen to be responsible for the affairs of the community, these included Sa’d bin Ubadah, Abdullah bin Rawahah and Ubadah bin Samit (may Allah be pleased with them).

Shaitan was watching and listening from the top of Aqabah, and when he could contain himself no longer he cried out in the loudest voice possible and spoke the name Mudhammam (Reprobate). The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) knew who it was and answered him saying, “O enemy of Allah. I will give thee no respite.”

http://www.islamiclandmarks.com/saud...sjid_biah.html

Translation of Friday sermons urged

Sunday 30 March 2014

Public pressure has been mounting to provide translation of Friday sermons in different languages spoken by non-Arab expatriates in the Kingdom, especially in English, Urdu, Malayalam and Tagalog, to help them understand the sermon’s message and learn more about Islam.

“This is a very important topic. We know there are millions of non-Arab expats who come to attend the Friday sermons but only a few of them get the message. The Ministry of Islamic Affairs must take up this matter seriously,” said Fuad Kawther, a Saudi engineer and former director general of the Industrial City Dawa Office.

Speaking to Arab News, he hoped the ministry would allow translation of sermons in major languages for the benefit of expats. He stressed the importance of understanding the message of Friday sermons that contain Islamic rules and teachings to be learned by Muslims.

Kawther also urged Muslim expats to make use of their stay in the Kingdom to learn Arabic, the language of the Holy Qur’an. He hoped that dawa centers and other charitable and cultural organizations would open more Arabic language centers for the benefit of expats.

The language center at Al-Hamra Dawa Center offers Arabic courses at three levels. It follows a curriculum developed by Al-Azhar University in Cairo. “There is big demand for Arabic language courses,” he pointed out. Arabic is the sixth most popular language in the world.

Kawther also pointed out that a mosque in Jeddah’s industrial city offers translation of the sermon in three languages. Kawther stressed the need to promote Arabic language to spread Islamic culture and civilization.

Abdullatheef Nadukandy, planning manager at a leading Saudi company in Jeddah, agreed with Kawther and urged expats to make use of the opportunity to learn Arabic. “It will not only help them understand Friday sermons but also excel in their professions,” he told Arab News.

Ahmed Mofarrah Al-Ghamdi, khateeb at Omar bin Al-Khattab Mosque in Faisaliya, stressed the significance of Friday sermons. “Many non-Arab expats including Indians, Pakistanis, Bangladeshis, Filipinos, Indonesians and Africans attend our sermons. Many of them do not know even a single word of Arabic,” he said, stressing the need for translation.

He proposed that volunteers of dawa centers provide translation of the sermon in different mosques, giving expats the gist of the sermon. “This will help them a lot in understanding their religion and change their ways.”

He hoped the Ministry of Islamic Affairs would instruct dawa centers across the country to deploy their volunteers in mosques to provide the service, especially at mosques where a large number of expats attend prayers.

The sermon delivered by Al-Ghamdi on Friday urged worshippers to take care of their parents, especially the elderly among them.

http://www.arabnews.com/news/548151

Madinah pilgrims exchange SR11m
in foreign currencies daily

Sunday 30 March 2014

Umrah pilgrims exchange at least SR11 million in foreign currencies daily at 15 licensed moneychangers operating around the Prophet’s Mosque, said Majed Al-Lehaibi, a supervisor at a leading moneychanger in the city.

“The euro and US dollar topped the list of foreign currencies exchanged at broker stalls in Madinah during the current Umrah pilgrimage season because they remain strong against economic volatility and maintain a steady exchange rate against the Saudi riyal, unlike most other currencies,” he said.

“The Egyptian pound, Iranian rial and Turkish lira are also in high demand,” he said. “The volume of trade in currencies this season is as vigorous as it was last season. The number of licensed moneychangers trading around the Prophet’s Mosque are sufficient to meet the demands of the city’s pilgrims and residents.”

Moneychangers are licensed by the Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency and other departments.

“None of these establishments can operate without a license thanks to strict surveillance,” he said. “The increase in electronic transactions has not affected business on the ground since cash remains in high demand in both Makkah and Madinah.”

“Profits largely depend on the difference between buying and selling prices,” he said. “Experienced workers and state-of-the-art electronic devices intercept counterfeit bills. Only one fraud attempt was intercepted in a single month compared with one attempt every two days during busy seasons such as Ramadan and Haj. Even then, fraudsters were immediately referred to the anti-fraud unit and arrested.”

Abdul Rahman Al-Harbi, another moneychanger, said that the euro, the Turkish lira, the Indonesian rupiah and the Malaysian ringgit are in demand in the ongoing Umrah season.

“A significant number of pilgrims keep their money in euros because its value against other currencies is always on the rise,” he said.

“It is mostly Moroccans, Egyptians, Malaysians, Turks and Iranians who seek our services during the current Umrah season,” said another exchange broker.

http://www.arabnews.com/news/548116

Record tourism revenues from spring vacation


Makkah reportedly had a 90 percent hotel occupancy rate, a record number of reservations

Sunday 30 March 2014

Tourism revenues from the 10-day school spring break, from resorts and hotels in Makkah, Jeddah and Taif, is expected to be a tota of SR130 million, a 60 percent increase compared to last year, a local operator said.

The school vacation started on March 19 and ends on Sunday.

Makkah reportedly had a 90 percent hotel occupancy rate, with 80 percent of its apartments were booked out.

Khalil Bahadur, a member of the national committee for tourism and hotels, said there were a record number of reservations in Makkah and other tourist destinations, particularly close to the Grand Mosque.

He said various factors contributed to the good business, including the pleasant weather, and the decision by many Saudis and expatriates to stay in the country for their holidays.

He said the demand for cabins, chalets and resorts on the region’s beaches was 60 percent higher than the same period last year.

A popular attraction at resorts this year was a system where families could pay SR100 and use facilities for part of the day, with a free lunch.

He said many tourist operators did not raise their prices by more than 10 percent despite the huge demand. Occupancy peaked on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, with a considerable number of visitors coming from outside Jeddah.

Bahadur, who is an investor in tourist resorts, villages and hotels in Makkah, Jeddah and Taif, said that non-Muslims should be allowed to travel to the country’s holiday destinations for longer periods, and not only during vacations which are for 60 days a year.

http://www.arabnews.com/news/548066