Makkah News and Updates

Tuesday 30 September 2014

Security forces have barred 98,000 people from entering Makkah because they did not have Haj permits, the Interior Ministry said in a statement on Monday. The authorities did not allow 25,216 vehicles to enter the holy sites because they were not licensed to carry pilgrims.

Police seized 85 vehicles for violating other Haj-related regulations.

Drivers of utility vehicles carrying water and essential commodities, and pilgrim buses, were required to leave Makkah as soon as they completed their tasks.

Authorities introduced the ban on vehicles to reduce bottlenecks and allow pilgrims to walk freely at the holy sites, a source said.

Makkah Gov. Prince Mishaal bin Abdullah inspected the Shumaisi checkpoint and checked the operations at other major entry points to the holy city.
Director General of Traffic Maj. Gen. Abdul Rahman Al-Muqbel gave a detailed presentation of the technology being used to check the permits of vehicles entering Makkah, the source said.

Random fingerprinting last year reportedly uncovered about 4,000 expatriates who tried to enter Makkah without Haj permits. They were deported and banned for 10 years. Their Saudi drivers were imprisoned and had their cars confiscated.

http://www.arabnews.com/featured/news/637746 Tuesday 30 September 2014

A total of 168,800 Indonesians will perform Haj this year, the country's ambassador said Monday.

Abdurrahman Mohammed Fachir told Arab News the final contingent of pilgrims arrived at King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah on Sunday evening and left for the holy city of Makkah. He said the first flight of pilgrims arrived from Jakarta in Madinah on Sept. 1.

Fachir said comprehensive arrangements have been made by the Haj mission in coordination with the Indonesian Ministry of Religious Affairs to ensure pilgrims have a hassle-free Haj this year.

Indonesia normally sends about 200,000 pilgrims. The number has fallen this year because of the reduction in Haj quotas stemming from the Grand Mosque expansion project. Indonesia sends the highest number of Haj pilgrims to the Kingdom.

A total of 3,000 staff would be working to help pilgrims this year, including workers from the country's health and religious ministries. A further 600 workers have been recruited locally and trained to assist during the pilgrimage.

Fachir said he would be working in the two holy cities during this period.
Over 2 million pilgrims will head for the tent city of Mina on Thursday, the beginning of the five day annual pilgrimage that will reach its climax on Friday on the plains of Arafat.

http://www.arabnews.com/saudi-arabia/news/637736 Tuesday 30 September 2014

The Ministry of Haj plans to fix the prices of Haj services offered by companies in an attempt to prevent the exploitation of pilgrims by unscrupulous operators.

Hussein Al-Sharif, undersecretary for Haj Affairs at the ministry, said a specialized department is working on the plan, which would include setting the prices for food, accommodation and transport.

Al-Sharif said that after the price controls are introduced, companies would be graded into three categories based on the quality of services offered. "The move aims to end the exploitation of pilgrims by Haj service providers." This would see "a drastic fall" in complaints of overcharging, he said.

The fixed rates would eliminate discrepancies in prices charged by companies offering the same level of services, he said. The price controls and grading would also apply to domestic Haj companies.

The ministry has already launched two programs to provide services cheaply — the Low-Cost Haj and Easy Haj.

A Low-Cost Haj package is SR2,500 per pilgrim, while the Easy Haj program begins from SR3,000. Of the 178,000 domestic pilgrims, 46,000 will benefit from the two programs.

There have been more than 14,000 approvals for the Low Cost Haj package from registrations made on the ministry's website. Fifty companies are providing this category of services this year. He said 600,000 domestic pilgrims registered online in the first two days of its launch this year.

The ministry plans to launch more programs to help domestic pilgrims, said Al-Sharif.

http://www.arabnews.com/featured/news/637756

Tuesday 30 September 2014

They can be seen video recording themselves walking around the Kaaba, kissing the black stone, perched close to the mount of Safa or Marwa, or standing near the green dome of the Prophet’s mosque.

Selfie fever has taken pilgrims and visitors to the Two Holy Mosques by storm in recent days, much to the chagrin of scholars and other pilgrims who condemn such ‘touristy behavior’.

“In Madinah, I noticed a family facing the sun, raising their hands as if they were making dua. I couldn’t figure out what exactly they were doing. But then I noticed a person in front of them taking their picture,” said Zahra Mohammad, 27, an Islamic Studies teacher in Riyadh.

“I have seen pilgrims in Masjid Al-Haram taking selfies with the Kaaba in the background and this selfie is then posted on Facebook making it a social media event and ruining their act of ibadah by ‘humble-bragging’,” she added.

The urge to document their every move at the holy mosques of Makkah and Madinah, and to share these precious moments with friends and families on social media has resulted in more pilgrims using their phones in the holy mosques than they once used to.

Many believe such behavior can be a deterrent to achieving humility and tranquility while performing acts of worship, especially during the once-in-a-lifetime journey of Haj.

Jeddah-based scholar Sheikh Assim Al-Hakeem said: “Photography without a legitimate reason is an issue of dispute among scholars. However, despite this difference of opinion, there shouldn’t be any dispute when it comes to the real meaning of Haj and the essence behind it. It is based on sincerity and following the sunnah. The Prophet (peace be upon him) when he went for Haj, he said: O Allah, I ask of you a pilgrimage that contains no boasting or showing of. Taking such selfies and videos defy the wish of our Prophet.”

Famous scholar Sheikh Abdul Razzaq Al-Badr warned against taking photos during Haj, saying: “When the Prophet (peace be upon him) reached the Miqaat he would say: ‘0 Allah make this a Haj without riya (showing off) and without trying to be heard of.’ This supplication is said at the Miqaat. And after making this supplication it is followed by action and striving against the soul. But now at the Miqaat many of the people are taking pictures as mementos. They take pictures on Tawaf, and Arafat, and while throwing at the Jamarat.”

“It is as though the only purpose of this trip is to take pictures and not worship. And when they return home they say: ‘Come look at me, this is me on Arafat, this is me in Muzdalifah! And we have seen some of the people when they are ready to take the picture they raise their hands in the appearance of humility, fear, and tranquility. And then after the picture is snapped they drop their hands, he said.

The Oscar selfie taken this year at the biggest Hollywood awards event became the most famous and talked about selfie in the world.

However, as has been witnessed in the past few days, it seems visitors to the two holy mosques do not want to be left behind in following trends of the world, even if they contradict the nature of their worship.

The sudden boom in selfies and photo shoots in the holy mosques premises can also be partly blamed on the increased sale and use of smartphones.

Until a few years ago, camera phones were prohibited from being taken inside the holy mosques, although some pilgrims managed to sneak them in.

However, authorities seem to have relaxed these rules as it is not uncommon to see pilgrims posing by the Kaaba and clicking away happily, although guards at the mosque entrances are reported to have prohibited people carrying professional cameras from entering.

“I was trying to pray Jumma in Masjid Al-Haram but a few people kept coming in front of me to film the Khutba (sermon) with their cameras. What happens to one’s khushoo (serenity in prayer) in such a situation is anyone’s guess,” said Ahmad, a Jeddah-based expat performing Haj this year.

“The number of people I’ve seen with cameras inside the Haram probably amounts to thousands during Umrah last year, and given so many people have camera phones, it’s an endemic not easy to stop,” he added.

He suggests that individual Haj tour operators must inform their group members against excessive camera use so as not to distract themselves and others from the main purpose of accomplishing Haj Mabroor.

http://www.arabnews.com/islam-perspective/news/637771

Tuesday, 30 September 2014

MAKKAH – Doing any harm to other pilgrims or disturbing serenity of the holy mosques and holy sites tantamount to dishonoring the Haj rites, it was stated at the 39th grand annual Haj symposium which began in Makkah on Monday.

Minister of Haj Bandar Hajjar inaugurated the symposium in the presence of Sheikh Abdulaziz Al-Asheikh, grand mufti and head of the Council of Senior Scholars; Sheikh Abdurahman Al-Sudais, head of the Presidency for the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques; and Hisham Al-Abbas, secretary general of the symposium.

Renowned Islamic scholars, jurisprudence experts, researchers, academics, writers and intellectuals from all over the world are taking part in the three-day event entitled “Glorifying the Symbols and Rites of Haj.”

Addressing the gathering, Al-Asheikh said that glorifying Haj rites means winning Allah’s pleasure through obeying His orders and staying away from forbidden things.

“Proper performance of Haj can be materialized through honoring these rites. It is obligatory to honor the House of Allah (Kaaba). Committing any transgressions in its vicinity like harming others is virtually a dishonor to the House as Qur’an describes it as the place of security,” he said.

The Grand Mufti underlined that doing more virtues in the vicinity of the Kaaba, including facilitating other worshippers to perform the rituals, are evidences of honoring the House of Allah.

“It is obligatory for every Muslim to honor holy sites of Mina, Arafat and Muzdalifah, and this honoring is represented by performing the rituals sincerely with the objective of winning Allah’s pleasure,” he added.

While pointing out that the Muslim world is passing through a critical juncture caused mainly by disunity and militancy, Al-Asheikh urged the participants to enlighten youths on the dangers of extremism and the importance of staying away from extremist outfits.

Al-Abbas said that security and safety are the basic Shariah requirements in all rites of Haj. “Any act that harms or disturbs peace and security of the holy mosques and the holy sites as well as creating inconvenience to Guests of Allah are a dishonor to the rites of Haj,” he said.

Hajjar underscored the need for making foreign pilgrims aware about respecting the sanctity of the holy sites well before their arrival in the Kingdom. This will contribute substantially in avoiding potential errors and mistakes during Haj, he said.

Hajjar conveyed the greetings of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah to the participants of the symposium, organized by the Ministry of Haj.

The minister hoped that the participants would play a key role in enlightening pilgrims from their respective countries on the basic factors that they should have in mind before setting out for pilgrimage.

http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index...20140930219825 Tuesday, 30 September 2014

MAKKAH — Around 4,900 scouts will serve pilgrims in the Holy Sites and Madinah, according to the Saudi Arabian Scouts Association (SASA) secretary general.

The scouts will help pilgrims who get lost find their way to their camps and assist the elderly and children, said Dr. Abdullah Al-Fahad. There are 20 mobile centers for scouts all over the Holy Sites.

The scouts support officials of the ministries of Haj, health, and municipal and rural affairs in their work and perform various tasks. They monitor the expiry date of food, check workers’ health cards and help organize the movement of pilgrims in the Holy Sites.

SASA said this year it would continue a 38-year-old tradition and use a vehicle that was manufactured back in 1976.

The car, which is still in good condition, will roam Mina and Arafat and provide necessary services to pilgrims.

For the past 38 years the vehicle has been used 45 days every year and after that it remains parked in SASA’s Riyadh headquarters.

Muhammad Al-Anqari, who is in charge of transportation and Haj camps for SASA, said the reason the car is still in good condition is because employees take good care of all SASA property and never squander public money.

http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index...20140930219830
MAKKAH — Traffic police officers have so far impounded 54 buses transporting pilgrims for various violations including worn-out tires, reckless overtaking and changing lanes without signaling, said director of the department in Makkah Col. Salman Al-Jumayee.

He told Madinah daily: “Our campaign focuses on reducing traffic accidents and making roads safer for all drivers.

“That’s why we urge all vehicle drivers to double-check their tires and replace them if the tread is heavily worn-out in order to avoid accidents that result in serious injuries and in some cases death.”

All drivers, especially those who transport pilgrims, should check the tire pressure of their vehicles before driving, Al-Jumayee said, calling on them to make sure their tires meet the required specifications before buying them.

Vehicles with bad tires risk being impounded by traffic officers.

Meanwhile, highway patrol officers have so far impounded 21,620 vehicles whose drivers transported pilgrims who did not have Haj permits and tried to sneak them into the holy city of Makkah through the following checkpoints: Ashirah, Al-Buhaitah, Al-Shumaisi, Al-Shuaiba, and Al-Jamoom.

Over 34,976 persons without Haj permits were not allowed to enter Makkah.

Col. Ayed Al-Buqami, commander of Highway Patrol officers in Makkah Province, said they hired female inspectors at all checkpoints to frisk women and prevent men from trying to enter Makkah wearing veils and abayas, the long flowing garment worn by women.

Al-Buqami said Saudis who attempt to perform Haj without permits will not be let in and their fingerprints will be taken to penalize them after the pilgrimage.

http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index...20140930219827

Tuesday, 30 September 2014

MAKKAH — The Ministry of Health has provided medical teams for pilgrims to prevent the potential spread of any epidemic disease, said Dr. Abdulsalam Noorwali, director of Makkah Health Affairs.

The teams have been dispatched to all points of entry (air, land, sea), the Grand Mosque, and the Holy Sites, Noorwali said.

Their mission is to focus on the pilgrims coming from countries that have been struck by epidemic disasters such as Ebola.

He said: “They ensure that quarantine and health requirements are strictly followed and applied to all pilgrims. Of the 106 teams, 38 are stationed in various places while 68 are mobile.”

The ministry has also ensured that all hospitals and health centers in Makkah and the Holy Sites are up and running and ready to receive any emergency case during Haj.

There are nine hospitals n Makkah, eight in the Holy Sites and 129 primary healthcare centers that all work around the clock.

The hospitals in Makkah are Al-Noor Specialist Hospital, Hera General Hospital, King Abdulaziz Hospital, King Faisal Hospital, Ajyad General Hospital, Maternity and Children’s Hospital, Ibn Sina Hospital, Al-Kamil Hospital, and Khulais Hospital.

The pilgrims who remain hospitalized in Makkah, Madinah, and Jeddah will be transported to the Holy Sites by buses arranged by the Makkah Car Syndicate.

http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index...20140930219822 Tuesday, 30 September 2014

MAKKAH — Three pilgrims were rushed to the hospital suffering from suffocation after a fire erupted at the upper floor of a 10-storey hotel in Makkah occupied by Asian pilgrims coming from Britain, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Monday.

The fire was successfully put off by Civil Defense fire extinguishing squads, said the spokesman of the Civil Defense.

The blaze gutted a dining room and a reception hall before the fire fighting teams were able to evacuate all the 107 Indonesian, Indian and Pakistani pilgrims coming from Britain.

An investigation was launched into the incident to determine the cause of the blaze.

http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index...20140930219823 Tuesday, 30 September 2014

JEDDAH — More than 22,000 doctors, nurses, pharmacists, technicians and administrators from the Ministry of Health will be providing health care to pilgrims, Acting Health Minister Adel Fakeih has said.

He met with the ministry's top officials at the Health Command and Control Center in Jeddah to review the latest preparations to provide pilgrims with consummate health services.

He said there are 25 hospitals in Makkah, Madinah and the Holy Sites with a combined capacity of 5,250 beds and 141 permanent and seasonal health centers to provide treatment and medical care to the pilgrims.

During the meeting, Fakeih launched the ministry's electronic program for health awareness on its website named "Your Health For Your Pilgrimage".

He said there would also be advanced ambulance centers in the Grand Mosque to provide emergency medical services to pilgrims.

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia's Ambassador to Australia, Nabeel Bin Mohammed Al-Saleh, said 3,600 Haj visas were issued free of charge to Australian pilgrims.

"This is the quota decided by the Haj Ministry," he said, adding that the Australian pilgrims are well disciplined and are not expected to overstay after the end of the Haj.

Secretary General of the Muslim World League Abdullah Bin Abdulmohsen Al-Turki said the MWL is hosting 500 pilgrims from various parts of the world.

He said the guests are made up of Islamic scholars, preachers, academics and employees of Islamic centers and societies. “Every year we invite a number of persons from Muslim communities who are active in the field of dawa (call) to perform Haj at our expense,” he said.

The Central Administration for the Development Projects in the Holy Sites have already started selling tickets for the Mashaer metro train to the Tawafa (Haj guide) establishments and Haj companies.

The ticket price for each pilgrim is SR250 and SR50 for employees of Tawafa establishments and the Haj companies who are not performing the pilgrimage.

The tickets will be valid until the end of Haj on Oct. 7.

Fareed Bin Mohammed Al-Ghamdi, who is in charge of collecting the ticket fares, said the tickets would not be sold to the individual pilgrims but to their Tawafa establishments and Haj companies.

Meanwhile, public security forces announced onthat it had identified 50 fake Haj campaigns that are currently being investigated. Maj. Gen. Jamaan Al-Ghamdi, assistant commander of the Haj forces, said 30 police stations were established in various areas of the Holy Sites to ensure the pilgrims with consummate security services. “We have 400 security patrols in cars, 100 motorbike patrols and 60 service men in plain clothes to work during Haj,” he added.

http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index...20140930219744

Mina, Saudi Arabia, Dhu-AlHijjah 06, 1435, September 30, 2014, SPA

The Saudi Post Authority has published a memorial mail stamp to mark this year's Hajj 1435 H. corresponding to 2014, it was reported today.

The stamp worth two Saudi Riyals carries at its back side an enlarged photo of the grand mosque and King Abdullah gate, the word Hajj, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia emblem and the date of the issuance of the stamp on its front page.

The Saudi Post Authority was accustomed to printing memorial stamps to mark religious, national, and social, cultural, sports, technical events as well as GCC, Arab and Islamic summit conferences.

http://www.spa.gov.sa/English/print.php?id=1279346

Wednesday 1 October 2014

A new pilgrim grouping control center along the Makkah-Jeddah highway was inaugurated by Haj Minister Bandar Hajjar to group pilgrims more efficiently and ensure that at least one pilgrim is served every three minutes.

According to the information, the center has been implemented according to the latest specifications and state-of-the-art technical and automatic equipment.

Authorities will use six e-tracks to inspect buses in order to facilitate the grouping of pilgrims during this year’s Haj season.

The grouping center has a mosque with a capacity to accommodate approximately 500 worshipers, a prayer area for women and toilets.

National Tawafa establishments, the Zamazemah United Office, the executive committee for pilgrims’ transport and the General Syndicate of Cars will take part in running the office annually.

The center accommodates an office for Saudi Airlines, a medical clinic, which includes physicians from the Ministry of Health, and another association that presents gifts to the guests of Allah.

The inauguration was attended by tdeputy Haj ministers, assistant deputies and several ministry officials.

Hajar asserted that Haj plans and projects at Makkah and Madinah should be implemented swiftly.

“The volume of projects require us to move forward with our development policy,” he said.

“Quality and services at the Haj Ministry must know no limit. Improvement and development should be the policy within the framework and a strategy on which we rely.”

“We have constantly introduced new services every year in order to ensure that the guests of God perform their rituals with ease,” he said.

“The expansion of the Grand Mosque area and its surroundings and the introduction of the metro project are milestones within these achievements.”

“Electronic grouping, the Umrah e-track and other electronic services are just a few of the new additions.”

http://www.arabnews.com/saudi-arabia/news/638231 Wednesday 1 October 2014

The Ministry of Commerce and Industry has distributed 6.6 million hot and cold meals so far during the Haj season this year. The project reportedly took place based on assessments by specialists and institutions that serve food to pilgrims at the holy sites.

The ministry plans to increase the number of vehicles distributing meals, from the more than 2,000 currently operating. It also intends to increase the provision of coolers and refrigerators at the holy sites by 45 percent to 183.

The ministry is monitoring the availability of food to meet any increase in demand, and inspecting shops to ensure quality food is available for pilgrims.

Inspection teams from the ministry are also checking out fuel stations, particularly those located on major roads between cities, to verify the calibration of supplies, and that no fuel is being mixed with other chemicals.
Teams are also inspecting shops selling car tires to verify the safety of products and confiscate unsafe used tires.

http://www.arabnews.com/saudi-arabia/news/638226 Wednesday 1 October 2014

Expatriates who registered their names online for the much publicized low cost Haj say their dreams have been shattered. Some of them headed for Makkah after registering themselves on the Ministry of Haj’s portal for low cost pilgrimage. On Tuesday, they complained that the service offered to them is substandard and had to experience difficulties while traveling to the holy city.

Syed Khaja Afzal, an Indian expatriate working in Riyadh who made his registration through the Haj Ministry’s online portal, said: “It was a nightmare to handle local Haj operators in Riyadh; we had to visit our Haj operator several times till the eleventh hour to finalize our Haj plan.”

According to him, the operator did not respond to any of the inquiries for several days. He finally told them to check with the ministry and not with him.

“The Haj operator, who was assigned to us after our online registration, advised us to visit him near Panda Market at Wazarat district in Riyadh at 6 a.m. on Tuesday to board a bus (No. 32) for Makkah. We reached there in time, but there was none to attend to our inquiries,” he said.

“Finally, the bus, a 2004 model, started after 1 p.m. in which mostly Arabs and other expatriates traveled, but the bus condition was very bad. In fact, the 2004 model vehicles are officially not allowed to carry pilgrims.”

He accused the Haj operators of resorting to malpractices in the case of online pilgrims, whereas they render prompt service to general category pilgrims.

Mohammed Imran, a Pakistani expatriate working with Riyadh Cement Company, echoed a similar viewpoint and said: “If this is the state of affairs at the beginning of our journey for the pilgrimage, then what about our situation in Mina.”

However, Syed ur Rahman, a Pakistani expatriate working in an industrial area of Dammam, who also registered himself online, said: “We didn’t encounter any problem so far with the Haj operator; we are scheduled to leave from Dammam on Wednesday morning. Only then we will be able to speak about the service.”

The Haj Ministry has allowed 20,500 pilgrims to book themselves online and the remaining 20,500 slots will be filled by domestic Haj companies directly. A total of 41,000 pilgrims are being covered under the low cost Haj program.

http://www.arabnews.com/saudi-arabia/news/638216

Wednesday 1 October 2014

The newly expanded Jamrat bridge in Mina can accommodate 500,000 pilgrims per hour during the Haj season, said Prince Mansour bin Miteb, minister of municipal and rural affairs.

“The streets leading to Jamrat, however, cannot hold these many pilgrims. As a result, only 300,000 pilgrims can use the bridge per hour now,” he said, while stressing his ministry’s plan to expand Mina’s streets.

Meanwhile, Makkah Gov. Prince Mishaal bin Abdullah said preparations are complete for Haj. “The plan for welcoming pilgrims was successful,” he said, urging all government and private agencies to mobilize their human and technical resources to make the annual event a big success.

Prince Mishaal, who is chairman of the Central Haj Committee, instructed security officers not to allow pilgrims without Haj permits into the holy sites and impose sanctions on violators.

Prince Mansour said the Jamrat expansion would help pilgrims perform the “Satan-stoning” ritual easily without risking being stampeded.

The government implemented the SR4.2 billion multilevel hi-tech Jamrat bridge project a few years ago to facilitate the stoning ritual in Mina, which used to witness stampedes, causing several deaths in the past.

“The expansion of Mina streets will enable Tawafa organizations to send large numbers of pilgrims to the Jamrat in coming years,” the minister said. Security forces will be deployed around the Jamrat to ensure a smooth flow of pilgrim movement.”

He said the Jamrat bridge has been handed over to specialized companies for its operation and maintenance after the completion of works.

More than two million pilgrims, including 1.4 million foreign Hajis, are expected for the annual pilgrimage, which will start on Oct. 2, with the faithful assembling in the tent valley of Mina.

A number of foreign heads of state, including Sudanese President Omar Bashir, Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mahmoud and Maldives President Abdulla Yameen, have arrived for Haj.

According to the Presidency of Meteorology and Environment, the weather in Makkah, Madinah and other holy sites would be milder this season, with temperatures reaching below 36 degrees Celsius.

All foreign pilgrims have already arrived in Makkah. Pilgrims who arrived in Madinah have left for Makkah in preparation for Haj.

http://www.arabnews.com/news/638261

Wednesday, 01 October 2014

MAKKAH — Around 8,345 Iraqis who live in areas controlled by Islamic State were smuggled out in order to leave for the Kingdom to perform Haj, said the head of Iraqi Haj delegation and the country’s undersecretary of Haj, Makkah daily reported.

The trip was risky and pilgrims had to put their lives on line for the sake of performing the pilgrimage, Kamal Issawi said.

“Some of them marched through the Euphrates River in pitch-black darkness and had to walk over wood bridges to get to the other end while some were taken to remote areas then whisked away by military airplanes to Baghdad airport,” Issawi said.

It was an arduous task to get the Sunni pilgrims unscathed out of the areas that have been witnessing fierce clashes, he said.

Some pilgrims were transported to Kirkuk Governorate, north Iraq, which is currently under the control of Kurdistan, and were asked to stay inside mosques until they had been taken to Al-Sulaimaniya Airport, despite the fact Kurdistani authorities initially refused to transport them to the airport, he claimed.

“We didn’t lose hope and were determined to accomplish our task. “We succeeded in convincing Kurdistan authorities to help us.”

During the era of former Prime Minister Noori Al-Malki, Mosul’s Sunni population was banned from performing Haj. However, the ban was lifted.

This year there are 26,922 Iraqi pilgrims, 50 percent of whom come from Sunni and Kurdish areas.

They all arrived through Prince Muhammad Bin Abdulaziz Airport in Madinah. Issawi thanked Saudi authorities for all facilities provided to Iraqi pilgrims.

http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index...20141001219954 Tuesday 30 September 2014

DHAKA: Bangladesh has sacked a top minister after his criticism of the Muslim pilgrimage of Haj triggered protests by Islamists who declared him an apostate and set a 24-hour deadline to replace him.

Abdul Latif Siddique, the country’s telecommunications minister, who is in New York accompanying Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, made the comments which were aired by local television stations.

Siddique said: “I am dead against Haj and Tablig Jamaat. Two million people have gone to Saudi Arabia to perform Haj. Haj is a waste of manpower. Those who perform Haj do not have any productivity. They deduct from the economy, spend a lot of money abroad.”

The comments drew immediate protests from the group Hefajat-e-Islam whose leaders called him “an apostate” and set a 24-hour deadline to the government to sack him from the Cabinet.

A senior official told AFP Siddique would be removed but he did not comment whether it was linked to demand by the Islamists.

“The decision has been taken to remove him from the Cabinet,” the official from the Prime Minister’s Office said, speaking on condition of anonymity. He added the decision would be effective after Hasina returns home.

At a New York rally where Siddique was the lone speaker on Sunday, he was also heard making critical comments about Hasina’s influential son and technology adviser, Sajeeb Wazed Joy. “Who is Joy? Joy is not part of the government.”

He also slammed the non-political Islamic group, Tablig Jamaat, millions of whose followers congregate outside the Bangladeshi capital each year in what authorities called the second largest Muslim gathering after the Haj.

He said the around two million people who gathered “don’t do any work except halting traffic movement throughout the country,” Siddiqui said.
There was no comment from the Tablig Jamaat.

http://www.arabnews.com/world/news/637881

Tuesday, 30 September 2014

JEDDAH — Bangladesh President Abdul Hamid and Foreign Minister Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali will arrive in the Kingdom on Wednesday ahead of the Haj pilgrimage.

The country’s Haj delegation, headed by Minister of Religious Affairs Motiur Rahman, is already in the Kingdom.

With the arrival of its last flight on Sunday, the Bangladesh Haj Mission has completed all preparations to extend the best ever services to more than 98,000 pilgrims, according to Consul General A.K.M. Shahidul Karim.

Speaking to Saudi Gazette, Karim said the Bangladesh government and the Haj mission have made all arrangements to enable the pilgrims to perform their Haj rituals smoothly and comfortably.

There are more than 200 staffers at the mission to serve the pilgrims.

He said: “We have taken a series of measures to improve the quality of services being rendered to the pilgrims, and the newly introduced city check-in is one example of this.

“Three committees have been formed for the smooth conduct of the Haj operation at the Holy Sites, and they consist of the admin tent management committee, tent inspection committee for government managed pilgrims and tent inspection committee for agency managed pilgrims.”

Rahman and senior officials are said to be impressed by the services and facilities arranged by the mission for the pilgrims.

He attended a meeting on the King Abdullah Grand Mosque Expansion Project, convened by the government of Saudi Arabia.

The meeting was chaired by Sheikh Abdurahman Al-Sudais, head of the Presidency for the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques.

Bangladesh Ambassador Md. Shahidul Islam also attended the meeting.

A total of 98,814 Bangladeshis are performing Haj this year.

Of them, 1,557 are under the government’s arrangements and the rest have gone through private tour operators.

The departure flights will start operation from Oct. 8 to Nov. 7, Karim said.

Biman and Saudi Arabian Airlines are transporting the pilgrims.

A medical team comprising 181 doctors and paramedics has arrived together with the administrative delegation to serve pilgrims at the mission’s clinics in Makkah, Madinah and the Jeddah Haj terminal.

Karim assumed charge of the consulate on July 28 after serving three years as counselor at the Bangladesh High Commission in London.

http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index...20140930219829 Wednesday, 01 October 2014

JEDDAH — Acting Health Minister Dr. Adel Fakieh said no infectious or epidemic diseases have been registered among pilgrims so far and all indications show that the health condition of pilgrims is good.

Dr. Fakieh instructed all officials in the health sector to provide pilgrims with all medical services they need and provide hospitals with sufficient amounts of medical supplies.

Meanwhile, King Abdulaziz International Airport's Director of health inspection center Abdulghani Al-Malki said they have cleared 205 airplanes that came from countries inflicted with dengue fever, yellow fever, and the plague, Al-Watan daily reported.

"We have double-checked the papers that prove the airplanes had been sprayed twice before taking off to their destinations," Al-Malki said. The health inspectors ensured that all pilgrims coming from these countries do not carry such infectious diseases.

Medial teams have examined 764,786 pilgrims and gave polio vaccine to 221,026 and meningitis vaccine to 124,956 pilgrims. Only 15 cases had to be transferred to several Jeddah hospitals because they suffered from chronic medical conditions such as heart diseases, high blood pressure while some of them had a history of brain strokes and heart attacks before.

All 14 Haj lounges undergo meticulous health inspection measures carried out by medical teams. The teams have not discovered any epidemic disease among pilgrims. Recent statistics by health centers showed that all the pilgrims who arrived at the King Abdulaziz International Airport were free from these diseases.

The teams have distributed pamphlets and booklets to educate pilgrims about important health issues such as the importance of washing one's hands in different languages in order to raise their awareness about these issues. The airport has stopped receiving any international flights for pilgrims starting Monday.

http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index...20141001219946

Wednesday 2014/10/01

U.S. Life Magazine published a report of two pages in its edition issued on May 31, 1943 AD, written by its two editors Noel Bush and Robert Landry on Makkah and its sanctity. The magazine said, "Makkah is the holiest place on earth for Muslims, and every day nearly 300 million of the (nation of Muhammad) from different parts of the world direct their faces towards the Holy Grand Mosque to pray five times a day, while more than 250,000 of them perform Hajj once in a year.

It explained that Makkah is a forbidden zone for non-Muslims, and non-Muslims can not enter into its surroundings at a distance of 100 miles.

It said that its editors tried during their visit to the Kingdom in 1943 to get pictures of the holy places in Makkah, but they were not allowed to do so as being non-Muslims, and they got a number of pictures of Makkah from some Muslims who entered it at that time and they sold Makkah pictures in Cairo and Bombay.

The Magazine noted that Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him) emerged in the seventh century AD, indicating that he belongs to the largest ruling Arab tribe in Makkah , and he died in Madinah, the second largest holy city in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in 632 AD.

http://www.alriyadh.com/981446

Tuesday 30 September 2014

Makkah Clock Royal Tower, A Fairmont Hotel, looks forward to welcoming pilgrims from across the world to the holy city of Makkah every year.
Less than 50 steps away from the Kaaba, Makkah Clock Royal Tower is the closest hotel to Masjid Al-Haram and the focal point of the Abraj Al-Bait complex.

Since it’s opening in 2010, the hotel has hosted more than two million guests from more than 120 countries. Additionally, it has been recognized with multiple industry and traveler awards, including the world’s Leading Landmark Hotel at the World Travel Awards. Its 601 meter frame and panoramic views of Masjid Al-Haram have emerged as a crowning achievement in both hospitality and architecture.

“Makkah Clock Royal Tower is a beacon for pilgrims and a symbol of gracious hospitality,” said its MD Ahmed Hozaien. “We offer our guests the opportunity to stay steps away from the holiest Muslim site in the world, in one of the most iconic hotel landmarks. At the same time, we strive to deliver a fitting spiritual environment that permeates peace, harmony and renewal through all our services and amenities.”

More than 3,000 colleagues have been preparing for months to host pilgrims in the fully occupied 1,664 rooms, suites and residences during the Haj period.

Most recently, Makkah Clock Royal Tower launched the Fairmont Residences.
Abdulaziz Eid, Makkah Clock Royal Tower’s hotel manager, said: “What really makes us stand out is our ability to offer a wide variety of choices to people and to accommodate such a huge range of needs and wishes.”

“We spent a long time developing our restaurant concepts and menus and have taken great care in utilizing the freshest and healthiest ingredients,” explained Executive Chef Ali Benali. The hotel also offers specialized children’s menus, as well as Islamic-themed recreational activities in the Kid’s Club.

http://www.arabnews.com/news/637461 Wednesday, 01 October 2014

MAKKAH – With millions of Muslims getting ready to begin their Haj pilgrimage on Thursday morning, Raffles Makkah Palace has emerged as the accommodation of choice for thousands of discerning travellers looking for an exclusive oasis and an impeccable level of service in the spiritual heart of the Muslim world.

With an intimate boutique feel, Raffles Makkah Palace is situated just a few meters from the sacred Masjid Al Haram and features stunning majestic views of the bustling Grand Mosque. The all-suites hotel has quickly gained a reputation with both locals and visitors as a private sanctuary for repose. “We are truly committed to providing world class accommodations and to upholding the spirit of harmony and reflection that define this holy city,” noted Director of Operations Khalil Abouzied.

With its unmatched views (the hotel boasts the clearest floor-to-ceiling views of Masjid Al Haram in the Abraj Al Beit complex), and its commitment to service excellence, it’s easy to see why visitors have flocked to Raffles Makkah Palace since its opening in 2010, and why it was named Middle East’s Leading Luxury Hotel at the World Travel Awards only ten months after opening its doors.

Abouzied noted, “For 126 years the Raffles hotels have been an oasis for the well-travelled. Raffles Makkah Palace is proud to continue this tradition of excellence in the holy city of Makkah.”

The hotel, which provides easy access to the King Abudul-Aziz Gate, the main entrance to Masjid Al Haram, has become synonymous with superb location and upscale service. Paramount among these services are the personal butlers assigned to every one of the 214 suites. From arranging transportation, to planning a celebratory event or finding a rare gift, the hotel’s formidable butlers unobtrusively provide the upmost care and assistance ina multitude of languages.

“Our team is made up of more than 18 different nationalities that reflect the diversity and multiplicity of the Muslim world, and we all share a common passion for setting a new quality benchmark for hospitality in the holy city,” added Abouzied.

This diversity is mirrored in Raffles Makkah Palace’s culinary portfolio. Led by world seasoned Chef ZiadDawoud, the hotel’s two restaurants and cafe are a product of an international journey spanning more than nine countries, and the collaborative effort of more than 75 chefs. Residents can enjoy a fusion of eastern, western and international favorites with a modern twist at Al Qaser. Additionally, the Narjes Tea Lounge presents an array of local coffees and freshly baked deserts, while Al Majlis takes its guests on a fabulous culinary tour of the Levant.

A notable hotspot in the hotel and a favorite among Makkah residents is The Creamery.

http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index...20141001219948