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#4696 [Permalink] Posted on 8th October 2014 18:12

Holy Mosque updates

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#4697 [Permalink] Posted on 8th October 2014 18:14

Hajj 2014

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#4698 [Permalink] Posted on 9th October 2014 19:50

Masjid al Haram updates

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مشروع توسعة المسجد الحرام
توسعة الملك عبدالله
توسعة الساحات الشمالية
حج هذا العام ١٤٣٥هجري
١٤/ذي الحجة/١٤٣٥هجري
٠٨/اكتوبر/٢٠١٤ميلادي
بعد الساعة الواحدة صباحاً

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#4699 [Permalink] Posted on 9th October 2014 19:57

Haj a resounding success
Haj a resounding success

• Operation plan went well: Mishal
• It was epidemic-free, claims Fakieh

Tuesday, 07 October 2014 - 13 Thul-Hijjah 1435

MINA/MAKKAH — Haj 2014 has been a resounding success in all terms, authorities announced Monday. The announcement came as over two million pilgrims, having reached the spiritual peak of their lives, began leaving Makkah after performing the stoning ritual at the three pillars symbolizing Satan in Mina. Some pilgrims are staying back in the Tent City to complete the stoning ritual on Tuesday, the third day of Tashreeq, following the example of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Although the Haj, one of the five pillars of Islam, comes to a close officially on Tuesday, pilgrims are allowed to leave a day earlier.

Makkah Emir and Chairman of the Central Haj Committee Prince Mishal Bin Abdullah said the Haj operation plan has been successful with performance of rituals by pilgrims in much ease and comfort. He thanked all the concerned agencies who exerted all possible efforts to enable the pilgrims to perform their rituals perfectly.

Maj. Gen. Mansour Al-Turki, spokesman of the Ministry of Interior, announced that all the goals of the operation plans for the Haj season were accomplished.

“By Monday afternoon, a total of 1.4 million pilgrims were on their way to Makkah after performing the stoning ritual, praise be to God. There was an unprecedented increase in the number of pilgrims who used the ground and fourth levels of the Jamarat but the crowd management mechanism worked well and that enabled pilgrims to perform their rituals safely and comfortably,” he said at a press conference in Mina on Monday afternoon

Adel Fakieh, acting health minister, said Haj this year has been completely epidemic-free while authorities engaged thousands of health workers to make sure pilgrims were protected from two deadly viruses, Ebola and Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (Mers-CoV). As pilgrims performed the final rituals of the Haj and began returning home, Fakieh said: “I am pleased to announce the Haj was free of all epidemic diseases.”

Those pilgrims who left Makkah Monday performed Tawaf Al-Wida (farewell circumambulation around the Holy Kaaba), which is the last ritual of the pilgrimage, before their departure.

This year’s largely incident-free Haj drew 1.4 pilgrims from 163 nations, in addition to over 600,000 domestic pilgrims, mainly Makkah residents. The Haj drew a cross-section of humanity, from presidents to commoners, including a wounded Syrian rebel war veteran. “I wish I could always stay here and not return home,” said Umm Mohammed, 58, an Indonesian pilgrim.

Pilgrims started the stoning ritual in a very smooth and peaceful way. They stoned seven pebbles each first at Jamarat Al-Sughra, then at Jamarat Al-Wusta, and finally at Jamarat Al-Aqba. It is to emulate the stoning of Satan at three spots by Prophet Ibrahim (pbuh) where the devil is said to have appeared trying to dissuade him from obeying Allah’s order to sacrifice his son, Ismail (pbuh). Pilgrims started flocking to the Jamarat after Dhuhr and performed the ritual.

Pilgrims were seen moving in an orderly and much organized way to all five levels of Jamarats from various corners of the Tent City. Huge presence of security forces and Civil Defense personnel was seen at various points at the mammoth state-of-the-art Jamarat complex as well as on the passages leading to the Jamarats. They manned all through the 11 entry and 12 exit points from Jamarat. Several units of the forces were on duty to undertake a huge task of crowd management in a smooth way.

More than 70,000 security force personnel were assigned to assist the pilgrims, commander of the hi-tech Command and Control Center for Haj Security, Maj. Gen. Abdullah al-Zahrani, told reporters in Mina.

The center features a network of screens linked to thousands of surveillance cameras across the holy site. “There were no security gaps during Haj,” said Zahrani, who added that more than 380,000 people without permits were not allowed to enter the Holy Sites.

Authorities deployed thousands of health workers to protect pilgrims from Ebola and MERS. They did not allow pilgrims to come from Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, the West African states hardest hit by Ebola. There were also improved crowd-control measures, and an unprecedented crackdown on pilgrims without the required permits. Among its preventive measures, the health ministry set up a “command and control” center to direct the Haj health operation, and required every pilgrim to complete a health screening questionnaire. Passengers were monitored by thermal cameras that detect high body temperature, and 15 isolation rooms were set up to hold any suspicious cases at the airport in Jeddah.

Fakieh said 170 people were considered as possibly having MERS but all proved to be negative.

Maj. Gen. Al-Turki said that those who were arrested for violation of Haj regulations will be handed over to the concerned administrative committees under the Passports Directorate General to take penal action, including fine or imprisonment or both against them. The vehicles used for transportation of pilgrims without a Haj permit will be impounded, he said.

Hatem Qadi, spokesman of the Ministry of Haj, said that Minister of Haj Bandar Al-Hajjar alerted the tawafa organizations that it is ideal for them to allow 50 percent of their pilgrims to stay back in Mina on Monday so as to avoid overcrowding at the Grand Mosque.

He said that all the arrangements are well in place for the movement of pilgrims to Madinah. The first groups of pilgrims have arrived in Madinah Monday evening.

Saudi Arabia is the country hardest hit by MERS, which has killed 322 people in the Kingdom since it first appeared in September 2012.

The Health Ministry on Sunday reported two more MERS deaths, one in Riyadh and another in Taif, 50 80 km east of Makkah. Ebola has killed more than 3,000 people in West Africa. Saudi Arabia did not allow pilgrims to come from Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, which have been hardest hit by the illness.

A rockslide in Mina on Sunday left 14 pilgrims with “medium and minor” injuries, SPA reported, but no major trouble was reported during the rituals.

http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index...20141007220466

Missions, pilgrims laud Haj facilities, services

Tuesday, 07 October 2014 - 13 Thul-Hijjah

MAKKAH — The Saudi authorities, whose meticulously designed and flawless Haj operation plan has yielded an outstanding outcome, won accolades from senior diplomats representing Haj missions of various countries as well as pilgrims. They said that the Kingdom alone can undertake such a huge crowd management mechanism in a superb and extremely organized way.

British Consul General Muhammed Shawkat attributed the success of Haj to the meticulously designed plan as well as the big drop in the number of domestic pilgrims plus implementation of massive expansion projects in Makkah and the Holy Sites. “The success shows the capabilities of the government and people of Saudi Arabia in taking up the big task of providing the best ever services and facilities for pilgrims.”

Shawkat said British pilgrims did not encounter any major difficulties or problems. The coordination between the consulate and the Tawafa Organization for Pilgrims from Turkey, Europe, America and Australia was excellent, he added.

Bangladesh Consul General A.K.M. Shahidul Karim told Saudi Gazette that that the arrangements for the Haj are very great and the pilgrims are extremely happy to perform their rituals in much ease and comfort. A number of leaders, including President Abdul Hamid and Minister of Religious Affairs Matiur Rahman performed Haj and all of them are very much satisfied with the facilities and arrangements. Bangladesh Ambassador Md. Shahidul Islam was there to personally over the mission’s Haj operation.

Indian Consul General B.S. Mubarak thanked the Saudi authorities for the full cooperation extended to the Haj missions to make their operation plan a great success. “Everything went very smoothly at Jamarat and within the Tent City. The last groups of our pilgrims will leave Mina on Tuesday, after performing the fourth day’s stoning ritual.” Mubarak thanked the elaborate arrangements made by the Saudi authorities for crowd management.

French Consul General Louis Blin said that French pilgrims were able to perform the rituals in ease and comfort. He also compared the difficulties faced by him while performing Haj during the year 1985 and the ease and comfort enjoyed for the Haj of 2014. “The pilgrims were blessed with the availability of amazing facilities and arrangements, especially the state-of-the-art Jamarat Complex and other giant projects at the Holy Sites,” he said.

Echoing the same view, Abdurrab Abdul Azim, a pilgrim from Egypt, said that pilgrims are the beneficiaries of the vast arrangements and high tech facilities made by the government of Saudi Arabia that helped them to perform rituals without any hardship. “I felt much ease this year while comparing to my previous Haj in 2005,” he said. Khaled Bu Doraiqa from Morocco, said that the Mashair train facility has made the movement of pilgrims within the Holy Sites much easier. “There has been qualitative leap in terms of the facilities and services within a decade,” said Doraiqa, who performed Haj earlier in 1991.

Mariam Abdurahman Cheruvattidathil, a pilgrim from India, thanked Almighty Allah and then the Saudi authorities for enabling her and other pilgrims to perform the rituals easily and comfortably. “It was a wonderful lifetime spiritual experience for me to be part of the two million pilgrims who faced not any difficulties in their performance of the ritual. Mashair train and the mammoth Jamarat have eased to quench our spiritual thirst,” she said while lauding the commendable service of volunteers who made available of packets of rice soup and guiding some of our lost pilgrims to their tents. Mariam, a retired teacher performed Haj together with her husband Abdurahman.

http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index...20141007220470

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Hajj Season 1435/2014

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#4700 [Permalink] Posted on 10th October 2014 16:01

They served guests of Allah selflessly

Wednesday, 08 October 2014 - 14 Thul-Hijjah 1435

MINA — There were thousands of volunteers, including women and teenagers, in action to render help to Haj pilgrims at the holy sites of Mina and Arafat during Haj. Pilgrims from all over the world were the beneficiaries of their selfless, untiring and dedicated service. What prompted them to set out for the Holy Sites from various cities and regions of the Kingdom was nothing other than winning Allah’s pleasure through serving His guests. They are fully aware of the reward for social service in Islam, which is a religion that deems serving people as worship to God. The Prophet (peace be upon him) has said that those who are keen to alleviate the suffering of people are very dearer to Allah. Needless to say then about the rewards for serving the guests of God.

Saudi Gazette saw volunteers everywhere in Mina where they have proved to be a great help and support to mainly sick and elderly pilgrims and those who had lost their way or got separated from their mahrams (blood relatives). They also served food to pilgrims and were busy engaged in offering a wide variety of services.

These volunteers belong to different Indian social, cultural and religious forums, such as the Jeddah Haj Welfare Forum, India Fraternity Forum (IFF), the Indian Pilgrim Welfare Forum (IPWF), Haj Cells of the Kerala Muslim Cultural Center (KMCC) and Risala Study Circle. Scores of students from various schools have also joined them.

Well-known trainer Dr. Ismail Maritheri of King Abdulaziz University was in Mina as a field coordinator of volunteers. He told Saudi Gazette that the volunteers, with their selfless service, have made a lasting impression in the minds of Hajis from all corners of the globe. “Linguistic barriers and other material factors did not stand in the way of rendering services to pilgrims. Their dedication and commitment have made an electrifying impact on most of the Saudi muallims,” he said while citing names of muallims like Dr. Waleed Yousuf and Ghazzali.

The credit for fielding the largest number of volunteers goes to the KMCC and India Fraternity Forum, with each mobilizing more than 1,000 volunteers.

Ashraf Vengatt, general secretary of KMCC Saudi national committee, told Saudi Gazette that there was an overwhelming response from members of KMCC who poured into the Holy Sites from all parts of the Kingdom. “We have expected around 1,000 but a total of 1,884 volunteers turned out to serve the pilgrims,” he said. Ahmed Palayatt, president of KMCC Jeddah Central Committee and treasurer of the Haj Cell, said around 800 volunteers from Jeddah were on duty in Makkah and the Holy Sites.

“Muallims of four maktabs have allowed us to prepare rice soup and pickles at the common kitchen of their camps. Tens of thousands of pilgrims have benefited from this. In addition to this, we rendered various other services like first aid, and guiding lost pilgrims to their tents.”

Naser Edavanakkad, acting general secretary of Jeddah KMCC, said that the sharp decline in the number of domestic pilgrims has made things easier for the volunteers.

Tipped as the most organized among volunteers groups, IFF this time fielded more than 100 women and students also. These expatriate volunteers, who belonged to different states of India, come from various corners of Saudi Arabia after getting the best ever training in field voluntary work. It rendered services to pilgrims in Makkah and the Holy Sites and the services include guiding pilgrims to their accommodation, taking sick pilgrims to hospitals and clinics, and distributing drinking water, said Iqbal Tirur of IFF. Our women volunteers helped many sick women pilgrims in need of medical assistance at their camps and some of them were taken to intensive care units. About 50 members of the Students Fraternity were stationed mainly at Mashair train stations in order to guide pilgrims to their tents and assisting them to get on wheel chairs. The Holy Sites Location Map designed by IFF was widely used in Mina. Volunteer service was managed by a committee with Mudassar Naser as convener, Abdul Raoof joint convener and Mohammed Ali as volunteer captain.

The Jeddah Haj Welfare Forum, which is an umbrella organization of around 21 social and cultural organizations, deployed 500 volunteers at the Holy Sites. “We have so far distributed 15,000 packed rice soup to pilgrims, of which 5,500 on Monday. This year, we extended our services to Jeddah Haj terminal also, said Abbas Chemban, chairman of the forum. The forum rendered various types of services, including helping lost pilgrims to find their accommodation. Haj Welfare Forum branch committees in Makkah and Madinah also offered services to pilgrims who started flocking to the holy cities from all over the world.

The Care and Share wing of the Saudi Risala Study Circle (RSC) has mobilized 625 volunteers from various region of the Kingdom, according to Khaleelu Rahman Vettiyadan, spokesperson of RSC. “Our volunteers were mainly engaged in attending to sick pilgrims and ensure that they were getting the best medical care and treatment on time. We offered emergency nursing to several sick pilgrims, besides offering services for completing burial procedures of deceased pilgrims.” RSC has been in the forefront of serving the pilgrims over the last six years, Vettiyadan added.

http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index...20141008220575

My shoulders are a comfortable chair for my father – Indian

MINA — I could have brought a wheelchair to transport my father but I could not find a better and more comfortable means of transport for my aging farther than my own shoulders, an Indian pilgrim has said.

Mohammed Rasheed, who is in his 50s, carried his 80-year-old father on his shoulders throughout the Haj rites.

"I could have pushed him on a wheelchair or a cart but my shoulders were more comfortable and convenient to him," he told local daily Al-Watan.

Rasheed said he is his father's only son and that he loved him beyond belief. "I became more attached to my father especially after the death of my mother," he said.

He said his father used to carry him on his shoulders all the time when he was young. "It is time I reciprocate in kind," he said.

Rasheed said his farther always spoke to him about his wish to do Haj but his financial conditions did not permit him. "When my father became 80, I decided to bring him to the Haj no matter what the expenses," he said.

Rasheed said completion of his father's Haj had always haunted him. "Many times in my dreams I saw my father doing the Haj and I was carrying him on my shoulders," he said.

"I made a solemn pledge that my father would not put his feet on the ground whether in Tawaf (circumambulation of the Holy Kaaba), Sai (walking back an forth seven times between the hillocks of Safaa and Marwah) or at the Jamarat to throw pebbles at the Satan," he said.

Rasheed remembered that in his small village in India people used to say that he would never be able to walk because his father, who loved him so much, would not allow him to walk the Haj by carrying him.

Rasheed's stepmother too has come to the Haj with his father.

http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index...20141007220473

I was with God alone, Cuban pilgrim states

MINA — Maria Luiz Calfo Liva is one of the pilgrims who has performed Haj from Cuba. She is 50 years old and had become a Muslim only seven months ago.

"I represent the entire Cuban Haj mission. I am one of the pilgrims who have come from the Republic of Cuba for the pilgrimage this year," she told local daily Al-Watan on Monday.

Liva is accommodated at the camp number 27 in Mina, which belongs to the Tawafa Establishment of the Turkish, European and Australian pilgrims. She has maintained very close ties with her camp mates. She has become exceptionally close to the supervisor of the camp Hussam Al-Miski whom she calls "my son" and he calls her "my mother".

Liva, who is a schoolteacher, said it took her three days of flying to arrive at the Kingdom. "It took me 12 hours to arrive in Moscow from Havana and then more than seven hours to reach Dubai. The flight from Dubai to Jeddah was two and a half hours. This is in addition to the long hours I spent at the transit lounges," she said.

Liva said when the driver took her to the Grand Mosque to do the Tawaf Al-Qudoom (arriving circumambulation) her heart was beating with anticipation and love of God. "When I came closer to the Kaaba (House of God) I felt my feet trembling. They were not able to carry me and I was about to faint. I started crying impressed by the sanctity of the place," she said.

Liva, who speaks seven languages, she said she could not stop her tears during all the Haj rites.

When asked about the crowdedness in the Grand Mosque and the Jamarat, Liva said she always felt alone with God. "The crowds did not bother me. All the time I was with God alone," she said.

She said most of her supplication in Arafat was for the salvation of the Palestinian people from Israel's atrocities. "I always prayed to Allah to rescue my brothers in Gaza from Israel," she said.

Liva said she was traumatized by Israel's brutal aggression against Gaza and the killing of a large number of the Palestinian civilians especially the innocent children and the unarmed women. Asked what she came out with from the Haj, she said she felt as if Allah was talking to her privately telling her that she could now start a new life filled with serenity and calm.

http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index...20141007220471

Man fulfills promise after 20 years; takes wife to Haj

eed to marry him.

“I had hard time convincing my wife to marry me. After marriage, I have never stopped thinking about how I would keep my promise,” Bananyan said.

Although life and children made them busy in life, he never lost sight of his promise and dream. He kept saving money, with a little bit from here and there and prayed to Allah that he would live to see the day he and his wife go for Haj. When he finally got had saved up enough money, he told his wife, who was just ecstatic.

“I can’t describe how happy I feel while I stand here in Mina with my husband looking at all the Muslims who have come from all corners of the world to perform Haj. I’m grateful to my husband who fulfilled his promise to me,” the wife said.

http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index...20141008220564

Kingdom deserves accolades for hassle-free Haj: Indian scholar

MINA — A renowned Indian scholar thanked the Saudi authorities for the very successful Haj operation. Kanthapuram A. P. Aboobacker Musliyar, general secretary of the All India Muslim Scholars Association, told Saudi Gazette that the high tech facilities and massive development projects at the Holy Sites have made performance of Haj much easier and comfortable.

He recalled that until up to recent years, pilgrims as well as Muslims across the world were especially in prayers for an incident-free Haj. “With the implementation of the state-of-the art multi-level Jamarat complex and expansion of Mas’a (running area between Safa and Marwah), there were no incidents of stampede or any deaths caused by accidents involving crowds. This shows the Saudi government’s utmost keenness and vigil to ensure maximum safety and comfort for the pilgrims,” he said.

Kanthapuram, who performed his first Haj in 1968, shared with Saudi Gazette the experience of his father and himself during Haj. “My father Ahmed Haji used to narrate to us about his arduous Haj pilgrimage and risky trip between Makkah and Madinah. “He rode on a camel along with another pilgrim and the rider. It took several days to reach Madinah from Makkah and vice versa, and there were dangers of exposure to hot sun, biting winter, thirst and hunger, and even plunder by local nomads,” he recalled.

Going down memory lane, Kanthapuram said that his first Haj was very tough and hard. “We got stuck in desert on the Makkah-Madinah highway for hours due to engine failure of an old-fashioned bus. But things smoothed out and we were able to perform Haj despite these hardships.”

http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index...20141008220576

Pilgrims who do not go in groups liable to get lost

MAKKAH — The pilgrims who usually get lost and are unable to come back to their tents are those who go out individually not with their groups, according to a boy scout.

"The largest number of straying takes place in Mina during the first three days following the Eid Al-Adha when pilgrims take off their Ihram and wear plain clothes," he said.

The scout, who did not want to be identified, said all the tents in Mina look alike so it would be difficult for some pilgrims to recognize their accommodation places.

"Though Mina is very small geographically, yet Hajis lose their way because the streets are narrow and all tents are similar," he said.

The scout noted that some pilgrims go out alone to throw pebbles at the Satan but may not know how to come back. "We have assisted a large number of them to return to their tents," he added.

Ismael Abu Rihab, a Syrian pilgrim who is well over 70, said he went out of his tent to buy some necessities but was unable to come back to his tent. "The tents look very much alike. I am illiterate and cannot read the signs. I would not have been able to come back to my tent had it not been for the boy scouts," he said.

Maleekah Abdul Salam, a Moroccan woman pilgrim, said she left her tent to go to the Jamarat area to throw stones at the Satan. "I did not know how to reach my tent after performing the ritual. Some boy scouts took me back to my accommodation when I told them about my Tawafa establishment. I am very grateful to them," she said.

Mahmoud, a pilgrim from Daghestan, said when pilgrims go together in groups they collectively are able to recognize the signs and landmarks and hence rarely get lost.

He advised the pilgrims to go in groups to do the rituals and chances of them losing their way is negligible.

The scout said when the pilgrims remove their two-piece Ihram and put on their plain clothes they are not easily recognizable. "There are too many colors and too many different looks and clothes. The scene resembles a carnival," he added.

He noted that the most organized of pilgrims are the Malaysians, the Indonesians and the Turks. "They always walk together and function as a group, so no one gets lost," he said.

The scout said most of the pilgrims who go out alone are the domestic Hajis. "Though these pilgrims know the area quite well, they are still liable to get lost," he said.

http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index...20141008220570

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#4701 [Permalink] Posted on 10th October 2014 16:03

Egyptian who carried elderly Haji on back
becomes a Twitter hero

Tuesday 7 October 2014

An Egyptian pilgrim carried an elderly fellow pilgrims on his back in a genuine display of Islamic brotherhood and solidarity during this Haj season.

“This is not my father,” the pilgrim told photographer Emad Al-Husseini when the latter congratulated him for having gotten an opportunity to serve who he thought was his old man.

“I wish it was my father,” the Egyptian said. His picture, carrying the elderly Haji, was tweeted by Al-Husseini and retweeted at least 10,000 times by people impressed by the man’s exemplary act.

The Egyptian who carried that the stranger on his back has become a hero on Twitter and many people around the world have lauded his kindness and prayed for him.

http://www.arabnews.com/saudi-arabia/news/640726

Ice cream vendor sweetens sale in eight languages

MAKKAH — The distance separating the ice cream shop from the Grand Mosque is not great. It is only hundreds of meters away and the guests of God will have to cross many times every day to reach the Haram from.

On their way to or from the Grand Mosque, many pilgrims have made it a point to stop at Ahmed's shop to buy ice cream or cold drinks to quench their thirst caused by Makkah's high temperatures, which can reach 50 degrees Celsius in summer.

Ahmed, the shop owner, is a 35-year-old Yemeni who has been in the business for more than 15 years. “I decided to learn many languages to be able to communicate with my client pilgrims," he told local daily Al-Watan.

Ahmed said he has made a lot of money from this business but his ambitions did not stop in making money but in cultivating himself with education and foreign languages. Though his place is always over crowded with customers, he finds time to train his language by speaking to a pilgrim or two. "I sell the ice cream quickly so as to find time to speak to one or two of the pilgrims in their own languages," he said.

Ahmed said his long years as an ice cream vendor has enabled him to learn little of many languages to communicate directly without any interpreter with his clients.

In addition to his mother tongue Arabic language, Ahmed can also speak English, French, Malay, Bahasa Indonesian, Urdu, Hindi and others.

"I am not proficient in the foreign languages but I can communicate without much difficulty with pilgrims from various nationalities," he said.

Ahmed said on many occasions he worked as interpreter for some Hajjis who wished to speak to some other customers in his shop.

"I also offer the pilgrims free-of-charge services such as guiding them to various places in Makkah," he said.

http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index...20141008220562

Jeddah prepares for pilgrims

JEDDAH — The Directorate of Jeddah Health Affairs has mobilized its personnel to receive the pilgrims who have completed the Haj rituals and are ready to leave for home.

It has prepared 135 ambulance vehicles, equipped with full medical supplies, in addition to 35 regular ambulance vehicles, 5 ambulances equipped with ICU equipment, and 85 various vehicles equipped with spare parts for ambulances to respond to emergency cases and provide full services to pilgrims, said Saeed Al-Ghamdi, director of Public Services.

“We’ll be providing therapeutic and preventive services for pilgrims at King Abdulaziz International Airport and the Jeddah Islamic Port,” Al-Ghamdi said, stressing that all Jeddah hospital have been put on alert to deal with any critical case.

For his part, the directorate spokesman Abdulrahman Al-Sahfi, said King Saud Hospital, an 800-bed facility, which is close to the airport, has specifically been provided with more medical staff, to be ready for possible cases.

“This hospitals has received Coronavirus cases before and dealt with them properly.

It’s the only hospital whose medical staff has not contracted the virus while treating patients inflicted with it,” Al-Sahfi said.

It is the first line of defense when it comes to emergency cases that attack pilgrims as it deals with all cases then refer each case to the pertinent hospital.

The new medical staff members have recently have been provided an intensive course abroad on how to administer first aid and take preventive measures to protect patients.

http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index...20141008220567

Pilgrims spend SR2.2b on gifts

JEDDAH — Pilgrims this year have spent an estimate of SR2.2 billion on gifts, with SR1,500 being the average spending of a pilgrim, according to Ibrahim Batarji, chairman of the Industrial Committee, Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

“How much a pilgrims spends on gifts depends on his economic condition and the living standards back in his home country,” Batarji said, estimating that the actual average can range between SR1,300-SR1,600.

Batarji noted that the constant hike in prices and the depreciation of some currencies in the Arab and Muslim worlds should be taken into consideration when conducting such estimates.

The majority of pilgrims love to buy their loved ones rosaries, prayer rugs, white clothes, and jewelry. The reason why the spending is not as high as the previous years can be attributed to the lower number of pilgrims who came for Haj this year, who are estimated to be around two million.

Abdulhakim Al-Saadi, businessman who owns several shops, said pilgrims love to buy their gifts in Makkah, Madinah, and Jeddah while some pilgrims like to purchase gifts at Mina.

Russian products, in particular, attract pilgrims because they are of high quality compared with Chinese products, usually low-quality.

Abdulaziz Obaid, businessman, said pilgrims tend to buy gold in Makkah and Jeddah because they trust jewelers in these cities. About 10-15 percent of gifts bought by pilgrims is gold.

http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index...20141008220561

Record power usage in Makkah

here have been no major power failures or electricity-related accidents during Haj this year, Abdulmain Al-Shaikh, head of the Saudi Electricity Company’s Western Province branch and general supervisor during the Haj season, told Arab News.

“Makkah recorded the highest usage of electricity on the last day Haj, while Mina recorded the highest load on the day of sacrifice,” he said.

“In addition, electricity consumption doubled on the Day of Arafat compared with last year.”

The SEC has assigned engineers to monitor electricity outlets and ensure a safe Haj, he said.

The SEC has spent SR1.9 million on strengthening existing networks, establishing four power transfer stations and five circuit voltages, as well as providing connections to new subscribers and new projects. “Our emergency center received 206 notifications for power outages during Haj, marking a 15-percent decrease in the number of complaints,” he said.

“Teams got to camps and buildings, which accounted for half of all complaints, on motorbikes to quickly rectify power failures.”

The company also ran daily awareness workshops for workers in the field to ensure that their Haj safety guidelines are being implemented. The SEC regularly conducts field trips to Mina, Arafat and Muzdalifah to monitor the situation on the ground and ensure areas are safe, he said.

http://www.arabnews.com/saudi-arabia/news/640706

Special courts for Haj-related offenses

Tuesday 7 October 2014

The Ministry of Justice has established 14 special courts in Makkah for the very first time to deal with Haj-related offenses in and around the holy sites during the busy Haj season, said Salman Al-Nashwa, secretary-general of the Supreme Judicial Council.

The special courts were opened upon a recommendation made by the council to address violations committed by pilgrims, supervise power of attorney for slaughtering sacrificial livestock and to oversee procedures for handing over cash or valuables left by pilgrims who died.

Police stations throughout Makkah, including the Grand Mosque area, will be linked to the courts. The intensification of surveillance at numerous checkpoints on roads leading to Makkah has led to a significant reduction in the number of infiltration attempts into the holy sites.

Backed by air surveillance, authorities intensified checks throughout the Kingdom and in the western region in particular, netting the highest number of illegal pilgrims this year.

More than 15,000 illegal pilgrims were caught and fingerprinted this year, compared with only 4,100 caught last year, according to the latest information released by the Interior Ministry’s command center in Makkah.

Security authorities focused on the outskirts near Taif, the second main entry point that sees nearly half of all pilgrims pass through every year.
Very few expatriates, especially from Jeddah, were able to make their way into Makkah without permits.

“We will not spare any expatriate who dared to enter into Makkah without a permit to perform Haj,” Col. Ahmed Al Lohaidan, Passport Directorate spokesman in Riyadh, told Arab News.

“We will expedite penal measures, which will include imprisonment, deportation and a 10-year ban from entering the Kingdom,” he said.

The new, state-of-the-art system, which linked checkpoints with the Interior Ministry server has not only helped authorities catch illegals, but has made it easier for pilgrims with permits to file into Makkah.

An exclusive fiber-optic cable was set up at an integrated inspection complex in Al-Baheetah near Taif, which is also a designated follow-up center for Haj violators. Another similar facility has been set up in the Shumaisi area.

The random survey, which coincides with world cardiology day, showed cases of high blood pressure (HBP) and diabetics among a number of men and women who were oblivious to their ailments.

Some of the prospective patients were given guidance, while others were advised to consult doctors and further tests, the paper said.

Mohamed Sulaiman, a cardiologist at KAMC, said the survey included 110 samples and large numbers of respondents in the 35 to 50-year age group, who were discovered to have health problems that could negatively impact on heart, the paper said.

http://www.arabnews.com/saudi-arabia/news/640691

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#4702 [Permalink] Posted on 10th October 2014 16:04

Hajis warned: Don’t overstay visas

Tuesday 7 October 2014

he Passport Department has urged all foreign pilgrims who came for Haj to leave the Kingdom before the expiry of their Haj visas.

“You have been blessed with the opportunity to perform Haj. You are now requested to leave the Kingdom in accordance with departure schedules, as Saudi laws do not allow you to overstay your visas,” the department told pilgrims. The department has deployed a large number of officers at airports, seaports and other border points to facilitate the departure of 1.4 million pilgrims.

Foreigners overstaying their Haj and Umrah visas would face punishment in accordance with local laws.

Saudis and expatriates have been advised not to employ or shelter overstayers to avoid punitive action.

http://www.arabnews.com/saudi-arabia/news/640741

12 Pakistani Hajis hurt at Jamrat ritual

Wednesday 8 October 2014

Twelve Pakistanis were reportedly injured during the stoning ritual at the Jamrat on the second day of Eid Al-Adha in Mina.

According to the Department of the Saudi City Defense, 12 Pakistanis were wounded when other worshippers were throwing stones while performing Rami at Jamrat. Three of them were discharged after receiving medical treatment while the remaining nine were kept under observation.

The news was broadcast on all Pakistani and media channels according to reports. Rami is conducted in Mina, 5 km east of the Grand Mosque in the holy city of Makkah. Arab News tried to contact the Pakistan Haj authorities for more information on the incident but was unable to contact them.

http://www.arabnews.com/saudi-arabia/news/641041

Health Ministry treats 21,340 sick pilgrims

The Ministry of Health has treated 21,340 pilgrims for various ailments at its hospitals and clinics in Makkah and Madinah since the Haj season began.

This includes 26 cardiac catheterization surgeries, 118 dialysis processes, one open heart surgery and three endoscopy operations.

Hospitals provided medical services to 6,249 patients while 15,091 received primary care from health centers, the ministry said.

Outpatient hospitals provided services to 8,024 patients and 5,225 patients received first aid treatment. A total of 220 patients were hospitalized in Makkah and Madinah, while 192 checked out of the hospitals.

http://www.arabnews.com/saudi-arabia/news/641051

Makkah women invite female pilgrims as a yearly tradition

HOLY SITES — A number of Saudi families have invited Syrian female pilgrims to their houses to spend some time together and get to know each other. The practice has been in use for quite some years during which Makkah women invite female pilgrims from different nationalities every year to their homes and offer them food. It is a good opportunity to build relationships with pilgrims and introduce them to the hospitality of Makkah people.

The hosts coordinate with the Arab Pilgrim Establishment’s women committee to have the pilgrims over for lunch or dinner and introduce the pilgrims to the lifestyle, culture, traditions, and customs of prevalent in Makkah.

The committee’s Chairwoman Samirah Al-Banani is in charge of coordination between the hosts and the pilgrims She says a prominent Makkah lady has recently invited some female pilgrims to her house and showered them with her hospitality. The host welcomed the pilgrims with a shower of rose petals.

Omaima Gazaz, executive assistant of chairwoman, is also in charge of coordination between Haj delegations and host families. “Every year Makkah ladies compete with one another to host female pilgrims at their houses and shower them with gifts and generosity,” Gazaz said.

A Syrian pilgrim thought it was difficult to meet women from Makkah in their houses. However, when Gazaz told her it was easy, she was happy. Gazaz fixed her a meeting with a Saudi woman who invited her to her home.

Another Syrian female pilgrim who spent time with a Saudi woman in her house said she was impressed with how smart, generous, tidy Makkah ladies were. She praised the host program run by the establishment.

Another Syrian pilgrim described her experience with Makkah women as enriching and eye-opener. “Generosity is an innate trait in women here. I’m speechless. I don’t think I can't thank the host family enough for their kindness,” she said.

http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index...20141008220565

Haj unites long-separated close Palestinian friends

MINA — The Tent City of Mina ended a long separation between two close Palestinian friends and in-laws.

Rasheed Mansour, who came to the Haj from the West Bank within the Palestinian Haj mission, had no idea that his close friend and brother-in-law Rami Al-Zaatrah, a Gaza resident, was also here as a guest of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah.

The King has invited a number of Muslims from various parts of the world to the pilgrimage at his own personal expenses.

Al-Zaatrah was freed as part of an agreement between Israel and Hamas over the release of the Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit on Oct. 18, 2011.

“I had no idea that my close friend and brother-in-law was also performing the Haj. I received a call from my wife telling me that the name of her freed brother was in the list of the Palestinian pilgrims invited by King Abdullah to perform the Haj,” Mansour told local daily Al-Watan.

He said he has not seen Al-Zaatrah for more than 16 years which he had spent in the Israeli prisons.

“I could not believe my eyes when Al-Zaatrah entered our camp in Mina. My tears of long memories mixed with my tears of joy while I hugged him for a long time to quench my burning desire to see him,” Mansour said.

Mansour said all the other pilgrims in the tent started crying witnessing the passionate scene.

Mansour said he also met in Mina with his cousin who has been working in Hail for more than 40 years. “I was happy to see my cousin and his children whom I have never seen before,” he said. “Mina is a good omen for me. It brought me good luck,” he added.

http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index...20141008220581

Fake Haj firm robs 650 Arabs of SR1.6 million

A total of 650 pilgrims were found sleeping in a rundown private school in Al-Aziziah next to Mina without food, water and transport on Sunday, allegedly victims of a fake Haj firm.

The pilgrims, from various Arab countries, claimed they paid SR1.6 million to the operator in Buraidah, Qassim, to take them on the holy pilgrimage. They allegedly paid between SR2,000 and SR4,000 for transport, two meals a day and accommodation.

Some pilgrims claimed that the company in Qassim operated under other names in the region. They were allegedly transported in 13 buses to Al-Sail, where a company official apparently told them that they would have to wait until the day of Arafat before trying to enter the holy sites. This was because the police would not check Haj permits on that day.

The pilgrims said they were then forced to enter the holy sites in private cars. When they arrived in Mina on Thursday, Dhul Hijjah 8, they found that the company had not provided them transport between the holy sites, and no food. There were elderly people and children with the group. Some were sick and did not have money to buy food.

Some pilgrims claimed they had to hire their own transport to take them to Arafat on Friday. Others said that the company's director provided them with transport after they threatened to report him to the police. They said they were exhausted and hungry.

A few pilgrims said that after they returned to Mina from Arafat they contacted the company director to demand the accommodation he allegedly promised. However, when they went to the place where they were supposed to stay, it was a rundown private school without proper washing facilities and basic security. The school was so small, some had to sleep out in the yard, they claimed.

The pilgrims said a Saudi owned the company. However, when contacted the citizen claimed he was only an intermediary and that expatriates ran and owned the company, which included Egyptian, Sudanese and Pakistanis.
The pilgrims claimed that the Saudi man provided them with air-conditioning units after they threatened to report him to the police.

A worker from the company said these accusations were false, but admitted the company organized pilgrimages without permits.
He refused to answer further questions.

http://www.arabnews.com/featured/news/640746

Labor minister’s family
takes time out to serve pilgrims

Tuesday 7 October 2014

The majority of Makkah’s families are renowned for serving pilgrims.

The family of Labor Minister and Acting Health Minister Adel Fakeih, a native of Makkah, took to the field to help pilgrims during the holy rituals in a show of tradition and hospitality.

Members took care of lost children and attended to sickly pilgrims.

Local media reporters met the minister by chance when he was at the lost children center, where he was found handing over a lost child to guides.
The center, chaired by Maha Fitaihi, his wife, cares for lost children until they are returned to their parents.

Dana, his daughter, also helped in the operation.

Fakeih said he is proud to serve the guests of God.

“I am absolutely honored to take on this task, entrusted to me by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah. My wife already preceded me in the volunteer field to serve pilgrims four years ago. This is my first year serving in the Haj season,” he said.

“A Prophetic Hadith said credit should be given to those who serve guests and neighbors. Reward is multiplied for serving pilgrims. I can only hope my family will be blessed after engaging in such deeds,” he added.

Maha Fitaihi, who heads the Haj female guides and is the chairwoman of the center to guide lost children during Haj rituals, says the center received 63 children of which 56 were handed to their parents. The remaining seven children are still at the center.

“It has been five years since the center was established and started operating. During its first year of work, the center managed to return 87 lost children to their parents, and during its second and third years 68 and 56 children were restored to their parents respectively. In the fourth year, the center received the less number of lost children with 24,” said Fitaihi.

She confirmed that because of the nature of their work as female guides for lost children they cannot leave the center and go down to the holy sites until after the guides handed over all the children staying in the center to their families.

“Fifteen female guides worked at the center in its first year of establishment, 17 in the second year, and 16 during the third and fourth year,” she said. But this year, she added, 21 female guides worked at the center in shifts.

She said the first year was the most difficult test for the center’s success because nobody knew the center existed. “But we were determined to succeed. All children at the center are treated with utmost family affection and love until they are handed to their parents,” she added.

Fitaihi said she hoped the center is linked by one single phone number with the security and health authorities so that female guides can coordinate with these bodies to hand the children to their families, or in case they needed medical care.

“We strongly hope that the quality of services offered at the center improves next year, mainly the air-conditioning installations in view of the rising high temperatures,” she pointed out.

She said it is an honor for both the acting health minister and herself to step down to the field and serve the pilgrims as best as they both could. “Adel Faqeih has never had the time to rest properly because his main concern is to serve his country, and to be at the very good trust of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques who entrusted him with the responsibility of being the minister of both labor and health.”

Such responsibilities, she explained are considered as an honor to serve, and not a title and prestigious position. “This service is a great honor to us, to serve the guests of Allah,” she added.

http://www.arabnews.com/saudi-arabia/news/640731

‘Kadada’ thrives on demand for illegal pilgrims’ transport

Major highways and roads between Makkah and Madinah are witnessing increased tension between security personnel and drivers of private cars, who have been taking advantage of the Haj season to transport pilgrims without Haj permits between Makkah, Madinah, and the holy sites.

“Kadada” or transporting pilgrims, has grown increasingly popular among employees and college students owing to the lucrative returns from the activity. Drivers of these private vehicles can often make thrice the normal amount of revenue earned during normal days, causing many to take advantage of the busy season.

According to experts, the drivers are usually employees or students in the public or private sectors, and often raise the prices of their services for pilgrims, especially those without Haj permits and in need of transport between the three pilgrim cities of Makkah, Madinah and Jeddah.

However, the lack of a Haj permit classifies Kadada as a violation with authorities often booking these drivers.

The General Syndicate of Cars said more than 20 thousand vehicles transport pilgrims between cities, making the Haj season a golden opportunity for public transport companies to achieve high returns, despite the increasing presence of unregulated private transportation services.

Saeed Al-Ghamdi, who works in the transport business for pilgrims during the Haj season, said the strict regulations against pilgrims without Haj permits throws up opportunities to make high earnings for the drivers of private vehicles. He said prices can reach as high as sR1,000 per person to transport pilgrims without permits, and some drivers can make more than SR50,000 during the Haj season.

Faida Al-Saadi said despite tightening security on transportation services, drivers find new routes which bypass the security checkpoints each year to bring pilgrims without permits into Makkah or the holy sites.

Some drivers even charge 200 riyals per vehicle to get these vehicles into Makkah without passing security checkpoints.

Amer Al-Manhali said the busiest days for drivers are typically the 12th and 13th of Dhu Al-Hijjah when pilgrims leave Mina to go to Makkah, making it a good opportunity for drivers to increase prices as pilgrims without permits have limited options for transportation.

Meanwhile, security forces in Al-Baheeta said 91 vehicles were booked for attempting to smuggle pilgrims into Makkah, while more than 7 thousand violators were identified during the past few days. General Shafi Al-Subaie, head of the facility for impounded vehicles in Al-Baheeta, said all vehicles were being used to transport pilgrims illegally and were identified along the major roads leading to the holy sites, carrying up to 25 passengers at a time. He said the vehicles will be transported to the booked vehicles facility in Makkah after the end of the Haj season for further legal action. All drivers were fingerprinted and their cases transferred to the specialized committee for further action, he said.

Security authorities had earlier announced that 51,112 vehicles without permits were turned back for trying to enter the holy sites.

http://www.arabnews.com/saudi-arabia/news/641056

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#4703 [Permalink] Posted on 10th October 2014 16:06

Crimes in holy sites have decreased, says official

Wednesday 8 October 2014

Crimes at holy sites has considerably come down over the last few years, said an official recently.

According to Brig. Gen. Ibrahim Abdullah Al-Iraini, assistant commander for investigations at the holy sites, there have been fewer instances of crimes, mainly related to theft and fraud, because of a better police administration.

Besides a greater number of officers being deployed to check criminal activities, pilgrims’s becoming more vigilant is also the reason behind the downward trend in crime graph, he said.

The government’s security agencies have arrested 10,800 people for fraud and theft in the last 20 years at the country’s holy sites, according to another official.

Capt. Saud Al-Otaibi, commander of criminal registrations at the holy sites, said the program was automated in 1998. Officers registered around 12,000 incidents of theft and sexual harassment over the period. He said theft made up 90 percent of the crimes and sexual harassment 10 percent. These crimes occurred over the past 20 years.

Security personnels identified several criminals by distinguishing marks on their bodies and faces.

“After arresting them, their identities were determined by their fingerprints or distinguishing marks. Officers also determined whether they were involved in other crimes,” he said.

There is greater vigilance in crowded areas, especially where women gather. The department’s operations room deploys more officers to these hotspots if needed.

He said wherever possible, victims are sent SMSs if their stolen items are recovered. It is kept for an entire day before being sent to the Ministry of Haj. Stolen cash found is sent to the Muslim Monetary House. He said that 47 missing items were recently returned to their rightful owners.

Capt. Hamid Al-Qahtani, director of the call center, said all cases of theft and missing items are recorded. The center received 60 calls over two days after Arafat. He said there were only five calls to report cases of theft.

http://www.arabnews.com/saudi-arabia/news/641086

Authorities open probe into Aziziah

ghost Haj campaign

Security authorities have opened an extensive investigation to prosecute the parties involved in the Aziziah ghost Haj campaign. Evidence gathered on the case so far will eventually lead the security authorities to those responsible for the campaign and the identity of the owner of the firm.

New details of the case revealed that one of the officials of the campaign is of Arab nationality. Soon after Al-Eqtisadiah published its report on Monday the man instantly rushed to give every pilgrim SR500, offered them meals and promised to provide buses to transport them to Buraidah fearing they may file complaints against his company.

A number of pilgrims confirmed their situations have changed, and that the official sent workers to clean the rented building, which used to be a private school, and they were compensated with money for the maltreatment.

They explained that the official did not appear in person fearing a confrontation with the annoyed pilgrims or arrest by security authorities.

A security source at Jeddah police said the authorities are determined to seize the perpetrators of such fake campaigns.

The source emphasized on the constant cooperation among the various security bodies and the media as a key partner in the security system to face violators. He said the media has played an important role in reducing such ghost campaigns by raising awareness among pilgrims.

A report by the newspaper disclosed the existence of 650 pilgrims without permits affiliated with a ghost campaign. They have taken shelter in a dilapidated private school in Azizia near the holy site of Mina. The ghost campaign, based in Buraidah, Qassim, did not provide the pilgrims with meals or transportation services. The victims are Arab nationals of different countries.

Each pilgrim has paid between SR 2000 — SR4000. Some clauses of the contract included commuting the pilgrims by road from Buraidah to Makkah and the holy sites, as well as providing a decent lodging, three meals a day and transportation to the holy sites and back to Buraidah.

The pilgrims showed their agreements with the company in Qassim, and official documents with the name of the firm and its manager. They pointed out that the firm operates several offices under different names. They also showed receipts of the money they paid to the company for the Haj pilgrimage.

They explained that the company had signed agreements with 650 pilgrims on 13 buses and paid a total of SR1.6 million.

They said that they discovered that the company was bogus when they reached the Sail meeqat near Taif, when the man told them to wait until the day of Arafat owing to their not having Haj permits. He also stressed that they did not need permits to enter the holy sites, a clear violation of the law.

According to the latest statistics of the Public Security, a total of 58 ghost Haj campaign offices were seized during this Haj season and all have been referred to the Bureau of Investigation and Public Prosecution for further regulatory procedures.

http://www.arabnews.com/saudi-arabia/news/641101

Local Hajis return to home cities

A large number of pilgrims have returned to their respective cities after performing the annual pilgrimage, which they say has been one of the most successful seasons of Haj.

“This is my third time to perform Haj and I must say all the services provided this year were exceptional. They performed the rites smoothly. Everything was so organized, thanks to the hard work of the Saudi government and the scouts that helped us in every way possible,” said Hamza Saeed, a Jordanian residing in Jeddah.

He said they received quality food, pure water, medical, and transportation and supply services throughout the Haj period easing their journey and allowing them to concentrate spiritually.

Likewise, several domestic pilgrims enjoyed the affordable Haj packages offered by the ministry and appreciated it for enabling them to perform their rituals with ease and comfort.

“Following earlier complaints of the high expenses involved in doing the pilgrimage, the Haj Ministry introduced the cost-effective services for local pilgrims. The Haj tour ensured us a smooth journey from Riyadh to the Holy City of Makkah and a peaceful pilgrimage,” said Ali Abdullah, adding that “the total amount I spent was only around SR5,000 for three members, whereas earlier the cost of pilgrims used to reach above SR10,000. I am happy that the Haj went really well and most importantly the services provided to us were great.”

Moreover, all the pilgrims commended the Saudi Arabian Scouts Association (SASA) for their constant support and for assisting them in making their movement easier in Holy sites.

Faiz Khan, a Pakistani residing in Jeddah said, “My ten-year-old son was lost during the journey from Mina to Arafat, but with the help of the scouts we found him within an hour. I am really grateful to them and appreciate their quick services. The scouts were spread all over the Holy sites to help the pilgrims in finding their way, and to assist the children and the elderly.”
However, many of them expressed dissatisfaction toward the ministry for offering a limited number of low-cost Haj packages and the quality of services despite paying a huge amount of money.

“We hope they increase the number of domestic pilgrims enjoying low- cost packages of Haj next year so that it is affordable for a greater majority of people in the low-income bracket,” said Yousef another resident of Jeddah.

http://www.arabnews.com/saudi-arabia/news/641071

NWC distributed 1.5m cubic meters water to Mina

The National Water Company (NWC) distributed over 1.5 million cubic meters of water to the holy sites on Sunday and Monday, an official of the company revealed recently.

The company’s spokesman, Khalid bin Abdulaziz Al-Museibih, the executive director of branding and corporate communications, said that the firm’s executive directors held several meetings with various agencies at operational sites and control rooms, which are run under the Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system to monitor the water and sewage networks at the holy sites.

Lauay Al-Musallam, the NWC’s chief executive officer, recently visited several of the holy sites to check on services provided.

Al-Museibih said the NWC was committed to quality service provision. He said there had been around-the-clock distribution of water over the public water network to feed the main reservoirs, water outlets and fire extinguishers. The company’s engineers and technicians supervised and monitored the network.

Al-Museibih said all field teams had been equipped with cars, equipment, motorcycles and communication devices. The work was coordinated from the operating rooms and managed by the central office at the holy sites. Reports are sent if there are any interruptions or damage to water and sewer pipes. He said no problems were recorded this year.

Al-Museibih said that extensive planning had gone into managing the water systems for this year’s pilgrimage. The NWC set up a system of services operating at the highest level of professional standards and efficiency.

He said the operational plan was tested by applying one of the best technological programs for the management of water, known as Compass, which monitors contractors and field teams. He said there was also quality control of the toilets. The system is designed to control water flow along 763,000 meters of pipes, and sewage networks in Mina along 84,000 meters of pipelines.

http://www.arabnews.com/saudi-arabia/news/641061

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#4704 [Permalink] Posted on 10th October 2014 16:08

Haj agencies win

royal plaudits for stellar work

Wednesday 8 October 2014

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah has commended the efforts of government agencies and private organizations in making this year’s Haj a "big success," enabling more than 2 million Hajis to perform their rituals in peace and comfort.

“We appreciate the efforts of your royal highness and the Supreme Haj Committee as well as security officers and employees of public and private agencies in making the Haj operation a big success,” the king said in a cable to Interior Minister Prince Mohammed bin Naif, chairman of the committee.

King Abdullah thanked the Almighty for His blessings and praised all officials and employees of Haj-related organizations for doing their jobs responsibly. “This has resulted in them efficiently carrying out the various plans related to Haj security, health services, traffic and pilgrim safety,” the king said.

King Abdullah underscored the coordinated efforts that allowed pilgrims to move smoothly to the tent city of Mina, Mount Arafat for the standing in prayer ritual, before moving to Muzdalifah and then Mina for the stoning of the Jamrat, without any major incidents.

“We thank God for protecting the health of pilgrims from infectious diseases,” the king said while praising the precautionary measures taken by the Health Ministry. He reiterated Saudi Arabia’s readiness to extend the best possible services to the guests of God.

Prince Mohammed had sent a message to King Abdullah congratulating him on the successful completion of the pilgrimage. He said over 2 million faithful, which included 1.4 million foreign Hajis, stood at Arafat on Friday. “There was uninterrupted water and electricity supply,” he said while praising municipal workers for cleaning Makkah and the holy sites.

According to a report carried by a local news website, two pilgrims died and 95 fainted inside the Grand Mosque on Monday after nearly 1.5 million thronged the mosque complex for Tawaf Al-Wida. The Civil Defense and Special Security Force deployed more officers at the mosque to control the crowd.

Mahmoud Al-Sayed from Egypt said he was extremely happy for having the rare opportunity to perform his first Haj. “I never expected this huge arrangements made by the Saudi government for the pilgrimage,” he said.

“Nobody can underestimate the marvelous services being extended by the Kingdom for the welfare of pilgrims,” said Anwar Al-Kuthairy of Yemen. “The introduction of the Mashair Railway was a wonderful idea that facilitated the movement of pilgrims between the holy sites,” said Tunisian Makhlafi Abdullah.

Sheikh Abdul Rahman Al-Sudais, head of the Presidency of the Two Holy Mosques, congratulated King Abdullah, Crown Prince Salman and Makkah Gov. Prince Mishaal for the successful Haj operation.

“Pilgrims have been able to make use of the second phase of mataf expansion and the historic giant expansion of the Grand Mosque ordered by the king during this Haj season,” Al-Sudais said.

http://www.arabnews.com/featured/news/641131

October 2014

Pilgrims begin to fly home

Wednesday 8 October 2014

More than 4,000 flights are scheduled to transport one million pilgrims back to their home countries within the next few weeks, said Khalid Al-Harbi, director of Haj services at King Abdulaziz International Airport (KAIA) in Jeddah.

“There are 20 percent more departing flights than arriving flights,” he said. “This is due to the fact that thousands made an early arrival at the Madinah airport and will leave through Jeddah’s airport.”

Authorities operated about 80 regular and chartered flights to different parts of the world on Tuesday to transport pilgrims out of the country, according to officials.

Though the formal departure of pilgrims began on Tuesday, pilgrims from neighboring countries, such as Egypt and GCC states, began leaving from Monday evening.

Around 20,000 pilgrims from GCC states left early Tuesday. A total of 67 flights are set to leave on Wednesday, in addition to 40 other flights.

“Flight schedules, can, however, be changed or canceled,” he said.

Al-Harbi expected departing flights to gradually increase by Friday to reach 100 pilgrim-only flights daily and 40 regular flights.

“We have three runways at the Haj terminal,” he said. “The longest runway was 3,600 meters, but the Civil Aviation Authority then extended it to 4,000 meters, enabling the runway to take two planes at a time.”

The Haj & Umrah Services United Agents Office, meanwhile, is operating 900 buses daily to shuttle pilgrims to KAIA. “Our office is striving to shuttle pilgrims to airports four hours ahead of time to make way for any unforeseen problems,” according to Abdulilahi Al-Jadah of the United Agents Office.

http://www.arabnews.com/news/641151

It beggars belief ...
panhandlers at Mina raked in SR4,000 daily

Female beggars were rampant during Haj in and around Mina on routes leading to the Jamrat (stoning) area and other sites, with some raking in as much as SR4,000.

“These beggars have convincing methods to ask for money,” said Ahmad Ali, a pilgrim. “Some of them say they are sick, while others sit on the ground pretending to be handicapped to invoke the pity of bystanders.”

Ibrahim Sadeq, another pilgrim, said he ran into a group of very young female beggars of African descent asking for money to buy food.

“I offered one of the beggars to come with me to a restaurant so I can buy her food, but she refused,” he added.

A female beggar by the name of Sadiya Noor said she came to the holy sites to beg because she said the money is good and begging is very feasible during the Haj.

“My family is very poor and the money we have is not enough to pay for rent and food,” she said. “Our parents are keen on us begging during Haj because we make good money. I make as much as SR4,000 daily.”

Another 50-year-old beggar of Asian descent said this the first time she came to perform Haj. “I noticed that many children, men and women ask for money from Hajis, so I did the same during these last couple of days. I have earned myself SR1,200, an amount that will help me buy presents for my grandchildren and pay for other expenses,” she said.

Authorities, however, have appealed to pilgrims not to give beggars any money to discourage the phenomenon from continuing in future Haj seasons.

http://www.arabnews.com/featured/news/641146

Illegal pilgrims caught sleeping in shopping mall

A recent video showing illegal pilgrims sleeping between shelves at Makkah’s biggest shopping mall next to the Jamrat (stone-throwing) area has prompted action from authorities.

The video, which was published on Sunday and which is believed to have been taken in the evening, showed pilgrims eating in the halls while others slept.

Mohammad Al-Sahli, a member of the city’s human rights commission and head of a research and study center at Umm Al-Qura University, blamed several authorities for this phenomenon and security failure.

“The Bureau of Investigation and Public Prosecution should follow up on the situation and take penal action against intruders to deter pilgrims from thinking they can get away with such behavior,” he said.

Sleeping in public areas is still a major cause for concern among Haj authorities despite intensified security checks, which helped stop more than 250,000 illegal pilgrims from entering Makkah ahead of Haj.

http://www.arabnews.com/saudi-arabia/news/641476

Terror rehab center helps 500 inmates perform Haj

An estimated 500 beneficiaries from the Prince Mohammed Bin Naif Counseling and Care Center and their families have gone on Haj this year with support from the center’s annual pilgrim campaign, said Interior Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Mansour Al-Turki.

Other center inmates who have not taken part in the center’s programs will spend the rest of the Eid Al-Adha holiday with their families and then return back to the center.

This is the fourth campaign launched by the center. The program is aimed at reconnecting members with their parents and correcting extremist thought among the center’s inmates, in addition to raising awareness about legal and religious perspectives.

The camp also offers many religious awareness lectures to complement the center’s programs and provides advice to inmates and their loved ones.

http://www.arabnews.com/saudi-arabia/news/641486

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#4705 [Permalink] Posted on 10th October 2014 16:16

Madinah
____________________________

Focus now shifts to Prophet’s Mosque

Mina wears a deserted look after departure of all pilgrims

Wednesday, 08 October 2014

MADINAH/MAKKAH — At the completion of the lifetime spiritual journey of Haj pilgrimage, over 400,000 pilgrims arrived in Madinah by Tuesday morning to pray in the Prophet’s Mosque and offer him salutations.

The pilgrims who arrived in Madinah on Tuesday included 1,100 guests of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah and 500 Palestinian pilgrims from Gaza.

King Abdullah thanked all those who were involved in making the Kingdom’s Haj operation a big success. In a reply cable to Minister of Interior and Chairman of the Supreme Haj Committee Prince Muhammad Bin Naif, the King attributed the success of the Haj to the great efforts exerted by the minister and members of the committee as well as the security personnel and staffers of government and private agencies and departments to render the best ever services for Haj pilgrims. “I appreciate all of these responsible people in fulfilling their obligations through implementing security, preventive, health, service, traffic, and organizational plans so as to enable the pilgrims to perform their rituals easily and comfortably,” he said. Earlier, Prince Muhammad, in his cable, briefed the King on the efforts made to make the Haj operation a great success.

Officials and staffers of the Private Haj Guides Organization in Madinah received the pilgrims who started arriving Monday evening. The organization has mobilized all its resources to serve more than 650,000 foreign pilgrims who are expected to arrive in the city before returning home.

Those pilgrims who have already been to the city before the Haj and those with no plans to visit Madinah started leaving the Kingdom.

The first flight carrying foreign pilgrims left Jeddah’s King Abdulaziz International Airport on 6.15 a.m. Tuesday. There were 132 pilgrims on board the plane bound for Bahrain. Saudi Arabian Airlines transported the first batch of 450 domestic pilgrims on board its flight to Dammam Tuesday morning.

Meanwhile, the enormous Tent City of Mina wore a deserted look with the remaining pilgrims leaving for Makkah after performing the stoning ritual on the final day of the Haj. Most of the pilgrims had left Mina after performing stoning ritual for the third day on Monday. Those who stayed back in the Tent City completed the ritual after Dhuhr on Tuesday, the third day of Tashreeq, following the example of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). They hurled seven pebbles each first at Jamarat Al-Sughra, then at Jamarat Al-Wusta, and finally at Jamarat Al-Aqba, and then they left for Makkah. The pilgrims will have to perform Tawaf Al-Wida before their departure from Makkah.

Hundreds of thousands of pilgrims stayed back in Mina to complete the stoning ritual. Minister of Haj Bandar Hajjar alerted the Tawafa organizations that it is ideal for them to allow 50 percent of their pilgrims stay back in Mina on Monday so as to avoid overcrowding at the Grand Mosque. In line with this directive, most of the Haj missions had made extra arrangements for the pilgrims who prefer to stay back in Mina.

Muhammad Muajini, deputy chairman of the Tawafa Organization for the Arab Pilgrims, said that 40 percent of their pilgrims spent Monday night in Mina and left the valley after performing the fourth day’s stoning ritual Tuesday afternoon.

With all pilgrims vacating the Holy Sites, the Makkah Mayoralty officials face a daunting task of cleaning up after disposing more than half a million tons of garbage. The mayoralty has mobilized 23,050 personnel, including 14,000 street cleaners, to keep Makkah and the Holy Sites neat and tidy. Makkah Mayor Osama Al-Bar said earlier that the mayoralty would start disposing of garbage in the Holy Sites immediately after pilgrims leave Mina.

http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index...20141008220580

Hajis stream into Madinah

Thursday 9 October 2014

An estimated 650,000 Hajis have already arrived in Madinah to visit the Prophet’s Mosque since the Haj ended, with more expected over the coming days, according to officials here on Wednesday.

There was congestion on the Madinah-Makkah highway because of the numbers of buses carrying pilgrims into the city. The security checkpoint at Kilo 9 has been staffed by special forces officers to inspect vehicles, limit the speed of vehicles and provide parking space for Saudi Red Crescent vehicles.

Director of the Haj Ministry in Madinah, Mohammad bin Abdulrahman Al-Beijawi, said that on Tuesday alone, 110,000 pilgrims arrived as the government’s health, traffic and security agencies geared up for the influx, under the supervision of Madinah Gov. Prince Faisal bin Salman.

He said the ministry was confident that 99 percent of foreign pilgrims would leave the Kingdom as planned because they have accommodation and travel contracts. Pilgrims would leave according to pre-defined schedules, in coordination with their Haj guide operators.

Abdul Wahid Al-Hattab, spokesperson of the Prophet’s Mosque, said that 250 umbrellas have been provided to protect worshippers from the sun. “We also provided 20 golf carts for persons with special needs. Ambulances are ready and on alert for any emergencies,” he said. Other departments handling missing persons and lost property have been placed on alert.

“The religious guidance and orientation section will guide visitors and worshippers at the Prophet’s Mosque, and provide scientific lessons on Islam. There is also an integrated library with a sound system broadcasting lessons, offering visitors free CDs, and proving facilities to explain fatwas (religious edicts) on the Haj and holy rituals, and required behavior at the mosque.” It also has computers. The library is open from 7 a.m. until 10 p.m., he said.
Al-Hattab said the female section has been prepared for worshippers, with women supervisors to ensure there is no congestion and privacy is maintained. There are also special arrangements for women to enter the Garden of Paradise section. Female visitors can enter from sunrise until before noon prayer, after noon prayer until before Asr, and then after Isha until midnight.

The Prophet’s Mosque also deploys scholars and law students to conduct daily lessons on Tafseer, Hadith and modern jurisprudence. There are also copies of the Qur’an in several languages distributed to worshippers, he said.
One hundred doors of the mosque will be opened at peak times. There would also be continuous cleaning of the mosque inside and the courtyards without disturbing worshippers.

Corridors will be opened to allow people with special needs to perform prayers. There are also wheelchairs provided for people with disabilities.

The Civil Defense in Madinah has a plan in place to deal with 13 possible emergencies at the mosque and surrounding areas. The Health Ministry has staff deployed to assist pilgrims in the mosque’s courtyards. It has already conducted several programs to raise awareness about health issues, said Al-Hattab.

Meanwhile, the Haj Ministry’s branch in Madinah has already started to prepare for next year’s Haj, as is customary every year once the pilgrimage concludes.

This includes liaising with the guide organizations in Makkah, traffic and security agencies, and coordinating travel arrangements with officials at Prince Mohammad bin Abdulaziz International Airport, said Al-Hattab.

Recently top officials from the city’s security agencies had a meeting to discuss preparations for next year, which include the deployment of staff at locations in the city and the highways, he said.

Many pilgrims were sleeping in the yards of the Prophet’s Mosque to rest after a tiring Haj. There was a great demand for electric sockets to charge up their phones.

http://www.arabnews.com/saudi-arabia/news/641531

New schedule for women at ‘Holy Rawdah

Female visitors, whether citizens, residents or visitors, should walk
in one direction from the entrance to the exit.

Wednesday 8 October 2014

The Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah has released a schedule for females wanting to visit the Holy Rawdah, or Garden of Paradise, section.

This section extends from the tomb of the Prophet (peace be upon him) to his pulpit, and is normally crowded during the Haj and peak Umrah seasons.
Abdul Wahid Al-Hattab, director of public relations and media at the Prophet’s Mosque, said females can visit from sunrise until before noon prayer, after noon prayer until before Asr, and then after Isha until midnight.

He said they can enter from the east side where a corridor has been prepared for them. There are separate exit and entry points to ease the flow of visitors and ensure their safety.

He said female visitors, whether citizens, residents or visitors, should walk in one direction from the entrance to the exit. They should not wear shoes or take personal belongings with them because of the limited time allowed to visit. They should not raise their voices, cooperate with the guides inside the premises, and worship according to Islamic law.

He said prohibitions for women inside the Garden section include handbags, photography, smoking, begging, selling and sitting down. It is also not allowed to sell or distribute books without the permission of the mosque’s management.

http://www.arabnews.com/saudi-arabia/news/641091

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#4706 [Permalink] Posted on 10th October 2014 16:18

100 towers in SR50bn Madinah
pilgrim city to house 200,000

Thursday 9 October 2014

Work on the first phase of the SR50 billion King Abdullah Pilgrim City in Madinah has begun as part of the government’s efforts to further improve services being extended to the guests of God who come for Haj and Umrah every year.

The massive city covering an area of over 1.6 million square meters will accommodate 200,000 people. It is located 3 km to the west of the Prophet’s Mosque, 3 km from Meeqat, and 900 meters from Quba Mosque.

“Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah has instructed the Finance Ministry to implement the project,” said Madinah Gov. Prince Faisal bin Salman, adding that it would boost pilgrim services in the city.

State-owned Public Investment Fund will finance the project, which includes a 400-bed hospital and a railway and bus station.

“A number of hotels and furnished apartments will be constructed as part of the world-class city to accommodate 200,000 pilgrims,” said Prince Faisal while thanking King Abdullah for approving the vital project.

A source at the Ministry of Finance, said the total cost of the giant project is expected to exceed SR50 billion. The first phase will cost SR3.3 billion while the second phase SR2.7 billion. The project will have 100 administrative and residential towers and 30 hotels apart from the Haj Ministry headquarters, the Haj secretariat, and the Madinah governor’s office.

It would help to provide better services for the guests of God, create thousands of local jobs and contribute to the social and economic development of the city.

The source said the project is one of several that are to be undertaken to develop Madinah, which would compensate for the number of properties demolished.

There would also be suites for businesspeople. Each hotel would have large reception halls with unique architectural designs, in addition to restaurants, coffee shops and business centers.

The city will house offices for the Supreme Haj Committee in Madinah, and administrative offices for Haj operators and Tawafa organizations, as well as offices for the General Syndicate of Cars, travel agents and medical missions with a capacity for 31,000 employees.

Lower floors have been allocated for parking. There would also be a big mosque on the southeastern side of the city to house 15,000 worshippers.
The bus station will have the capacity to transport 84,000 pilgrims to and from the Prophet’s Mosque. The commercial center is made up of three floors over 71,000 square meters, the source said.

http://www.arabnews.com/featured/news/641541

Work starts at new city for pilgrims in Madinah

Thursday, 09 October 2014

MADINAH – Work, at a cost of SR3.3 billion, on the first phase of the project of the new King Abdullah City for Pilgrims here has started.

The project, expected to be up and running in two years, will have a branch for the Ministry of Haj and office for the Haj committee in Madinah as well as an office for the Emir of Madinah. It will also include travel agencies and over 30 hotels.

Ten companies, including three mega ones, are competing to win the second and third phases of the project with offers ranged between SR2.7 billion and SR2.9 billion.

100 residential and business towers

A source in the Ministry of Finance said the total cost of the three phases of the project exceeds SR50 billion, adding that the project will create thousands of job opportunities for Saudis.

This project is one of many that have been proposed to develop Madinah City and enhance its importance as a major destination for visitors and pilgrims, the source said.

The total area of the project, located three kilometers away from the southwest area to the Prophet’s Mosque, is around 1,600,000 square meters. Over 100 residential and commercial towers will be constructed that can accommodate 120,000 persons with four- and five-star hotels and large rooms that can accommodate three families at the same time.

There will be VIP rooms and suites, restaurants, cafes, business centers, and fast elevators that can take guests to the ground in a matter of seconds so that they can perform prayer in the Prophet’s Mosque. There will be offices for the General Car Syndicate, Tawafah establishments, medical missions, and Haj missions with capability to accommodate 31,000 persons.

The ground floors will be used as parking lots while a large area will be dedicated to building a gigantic mosque that can take up to 15,000 persons, a 400-bed hospital, kitchens, washing areas, and luggage transport station. There will be a transport station to provide services to 84,000 pilgrims and visitors who use the train and buses.

A gigantic leap

Dr. Khalid Taher, Madinah Mayor, says the project is one of several strategic projects that Madinah will see in the future. Together with other projects, it seeks to serve pilgrims and visitors alike. Dr. Muhammad Al-Khtrawee, Madinah Chamber of Commerce and Industry Chairman, says the project will definitely reduce crowding in the Central Area surrounding the Prophet’s Mosque and will provide residential units and all necessary services to pilgrims. Farid Al-Maimani, economic expert, said this is King Abdullah’s gift to the guests of Allah.

http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index...20141009220654

THURSDAY 02/10/2014

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#4707 [Permalink] Posted on 10th October 2014 16:22

1,200 new Muslims perform pilgrimage

Thursday 9 October 2014

An estimated 1,200 converts to Islam from across the Kingdom performed Haj this year, according to reports.

Renee, a Filipino convert, returned to Riyadh on Wednesday from his first Haj pilgrimage, an experience that he said made him feel like he was reborn.
Renee, now known as Rayan Balangue, is among nearly 700 converts from different nationalities residing in Riyadh.

They were sponsored by various Cooperative Offices for Call and Guidance, including one based in Batha that sponsored 400 new converts, according to a source from the COCG.

Rayan told Arab News that he feels “completely overhauled spiritually. It was a life-time experience similar to what I have witnessed among several expatriates from different nationalities around the world wearing the same white cloth.”

“I used to think that Muslims are mostly Arabs, but to see all races and colors in one place from all over the world in the same garb, rubbing shoulders with one another, was an amazing experience,” said Rayan.

“It really indicates that we are in a place where there is no differentiation between race, leaders and ordinary people,” he added.

Rayan expressed his gratitude to those who made his journey possible without paying a single riyal.

“I would really like to meet whoever paid for my Haj expenses to pay my respects and thanks. A sum of SR8,000 is a big amount for me and I really could not have afforded that amount on my own,” he said.

Amrullah Diambangan, a graduate from the Islamic University in Madinah who teaches voluntarily at these Islamic centers, was among the preachers who accompanied the group.

He expressed his deep gratitude for the highly organized and professional manner in which this year’s Haj was conducted.

“I am honored and thankful to the COCG for giving me a chance to accompany my Muslim brothers,” he said.

“What made it all the more unique was to be somebody’s guest, enjoying their hospitality from beginning to end for free,” he said. He was also impressed by the bounty, beauty and generosity of the country.

“Imagine, for 400 Haj pilgrims like my group, the organizer paid SR32,00,000, while the 700 pilgrims from Riyadh alone would cost them SR56,00,000, which is a huge amount,” he added.

“Joining the COCG this year was really an awesome and unforgettable experience. For a new Muslim or revert, it was really a milestone and remarkable journey.”

http://www.arabnews.com/saudi-arabia/news/641506

Old Yemenis sell lands, save
sons' remittances to come for Haj

Thursday, 09 October 2014 -

MINA — A number of old Yemeni pilgrims have said some of them sold their lands and others saved the remittances of their sons working in the Kingdom to be able to come to the Haj.

Speaking to Al-Madina newspaper, Saleh Mohammed Saleh Al-Junaid, who is more than 100 years old, said he had been thinking of doing Haj for more than 50 years but his financial conditions never allowed him.

"The income I made from my work barely covered my monthly expenses," he said. Al-Junaid said after he had retired from his job as a farmer, he told his sons about his wish and hoped that they would fulfill it for him.

"I have two sons working in a perfume shop in the Kingdom. They started saving from their monthly salaries for three years until they collected the money needed for my Haj," he said.

Al-Junaid said he used to hear from the pilgrims in the past about the difficulties they faced in the Haj. "When I came here, I did not face any difficulty. Thanks to the consummate services being provided by the Saudi government I performed the pilgrimage in ease and comfort," he said.

Ahmed Muthana Qasim Nahham, who is 90 years old, said in the old times the Yemenis used to come to Haj carrying their coffins with them after writing their wills.

"The Haj was too difficult and many people died while performing the fifth pillar of Islam. The traveling was exhausting. The people who retuned safe from the Haj would be warmly welcomed by every one in the village," he said.

He said all these difficulties had become a thing of the past now. "Haj now has become a easy as a picnic thanks to the great services being provided by the government of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques," he said.

Ahmed Qasim Ghalib, an 80-year-old Yemeni, said the idea of doing Haj came to him for the first time about seven years ago.

"I had three pieces of agricultural and residential lands which I offered for sale to be able to collect the money needed for the Haj. They did not bring the required amount of money until finally a welfare-loving man bought them from me at a good price," he said.

Qasim Mohamed Qasim Al-Amoudi, who is 75 years old, said the Haj cost him about SR20,000. "My son Mohamed was able to save part of this amount and I had to borrow the rest from a friend," he said.

Farie Mohamed Al-Junaid said the idea of coming to Haj haunted him for a long time but he simply did not have the money to finance his trip to Makkah.

He said his son, Khaled, graduated from the college of engineering at a Yemeni university and was employed by a big company in a GCC country.

"Few months later my son gave me a great gift which is the money needed for Haj. I am very thankful to him for this gift," he said.

http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index...20141009220655

Saudi electricians record 30 years of Haj service

Thursday 9 October 2014

Two Saudi electricians have recorded 30 years of service this year at the holy sites for the Haj, during which they had to deal with major challenges including fires and flooding.

Mohammed Ali Rafie and Adel bin Khalil Roas said recently that they are proud to have been able to serve the guests of God in this capacity in Mina, mostly at the operations control center, for the Saudi Electricity Company.

Rafie, the emergency supervisor of medium voltage units, said his job is to supervise the electricity provision systems for Makkah and the holy sites alongside fellow citizens and foreign workers.

He is also involved in training many Saudis, which has helped to ensure that the company has an 85 percent Saudization rate. Many of the technicians and engineers he started out with are now in senior management positions at the company today. He started out as a technician and is now a distribution specialist.

Of the many challenges that he faced with his colleagues over the years, the heavy rain during the Haj of 2004 stands out. The subsequent flooding resulted in major power cuts at the holy sites, especially in the central areas of Makkah.

“I remember all the engineers and field technicians in the operations section coming together to assist because we knew we had to be united to overcome those difficulties,” Rafie recalled with tears in his eyes. By coordinating their actions, they were able to restore the power in less than five hours, despite the difficult conditions, he said.

A positive outcome of that year's flooding saw the company shift its focus more onto safety measures. He said workers are now better trained and equipped to deal with emergency situations.

Rafie said that he is the first person to report to the operations and control room in Mina before the pilgrimage season begins, and is the last to leave after it ends. He said Mina is deserted and it is hard to imagine the place was so crowded a few hours before.

Roas, the emergency supervisor of the low voltage units, who works in the same operations and control center in Mina, also has beautiful memories of the past 30 years of service. He said Saudis have played a critical role in the provision of electricity services over the years at the holy sites.

Roas said that the company does not allow any pilgrim to set foot in Mina or the other holy sites without ensuring the systems are functioning safely and properly. He said teams start working in these areas as early as Shawwal to prepare for the Haj.

He said the most difficult situation for him was the fire in 1996 in Mina, which resulted in about 75 percent of the camps being burnt down and a major part of the company's equipment damaged. He said he distinctly recalls the role of the emergency teams helping to restore electricity within 24 hours.

The two men said that Mina is so quiet after the Haj that they are only left with the sound of the equipment humming in the background. It leaves them with the feeling of a job well done. They are proud to be part of a company that has helped to make the Haj such a success over so many years.

http://www.arabnews.com/saudi-arabia/news/641491

American revert stands in awe before Kaaba

Thursday, 09 October 2014

HOLY SITES — A New Jersey lawyer, who reverted to Islam after his wife convinced him to do so, stood in awe and admiration when he saw the Holy Kaaba for the first time this Haj.

John Crow could not describe his happiness the time he entered the Grand Mosque and saw Mina.

“This is the first time I perform Haj. When I saw the Kaaba, I was speechless. It was a truly spiritual experience,” Crow, who is proud to have performed Haj this year, said. He was impressed with the fact that all pilgrims were happy all the time and were smiling to one another.

Reversion to Islam

In 2002, his Indonesian wife called him to embrace Islam while he was trying to call her to embrace Christianity. Eventually, his wife convinced him that Islam was the righteous path he should have taken long time ago.

“Religion is important. I can’t see myself living in this life without a religion,” Crow said. Islam is so filled with great values and things that make one embrace this great religion.

In his opinion, Crow said, there should be some effective dialogue between Muslims and non-Muslims in order for the world to be peaceful. Blaming others for mistakes will take no one nowhere. It is ineffective and destructive, he said.

http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index...20141009220657

Saudi barbers’ 4-day earning during Haj: SR750,000

Thursday 9 October 2014

A total of 150 Saudi barbers trained by the Technical and Vocational Training Corporation (TVTC) made a combined SR750,000 during the Haj this year.

Barbers Mohammed from Jazan and Khaled from Makkah said they were happy to have been given work as part of Makkah Municipality’s efforts to provide safe services for pilgrims.

Mohammed said the Saudi barbers made SR750,000. “It enabled us to receive SR5,000 each for just four days of work,” he said.

The TVTC has been sending Saudi barbers to Mina for the last five years. The municipality provides them with all the facilities to do their work efficiently. The young barbers were given a location west of the Jamrat Bridge. Faisal bin Kadsa, a TVTC official in Makkah, commended the barbers.

http://www.arabnews.com/saudi-arabia/news/641501

Child pilgrims: Noticeable phenomenon this Haj

Thursday, 09 October 2014

MAKKAH — A noticeable phenomenon in this year’s Haj is the large number of child pilgrims accompanying their parents in their journey of a lifetime.

Sources of the special Haj statistical committees estimated the number of children to be above 7,000. They said the majority of the children are with domestic pilgrims.

Saudi Gazette’s tour of the pilgrims’ tents in Mina and Arafat revealed that the children were infants and young boys and girls who are up to 13 years of age.

Ahmed Abdul Samad, an Egyptian expatriate accountant, said he brought his three children with him to Haj because he could not keep them away from their mother who is with him for Haj.

“My children are between 18 months and six years of age. I cannot leave them alone at home or wait until they grow up to do the Haj,” he said.

Samad also said he did not know if his stay in the Kingdom would be long enough for him to perform Haj.

Saeed Al-Marzouqi, a Yemeni expatriate, said he brought his three young daughters with him to Haj because he could not leave them alone. “My daughters are a blessing as they help their mother take the diabetes and high blood pressure medicines on time,” he said.

He said this was his first Haj. “I was encouraged by the services of accommodation, food and transport being provided by the Haj campaign to bring my daughters with me,” he added.

Saud Al-Thimali, a Saudi in his 40s from Taif, said he brought his children with him to teach them the correct methods of doing the Haj.

He said he learned from his friend’s experience in last year’s Haj. He had performed Haj with his children and taught them the correct way to do Haj and also asked them to observe all doing the rituals.

Abdulaziz Abu Mansour, 11-year-old Saudi, said he had insisted to come for Haj. “I told my father to take me for Haj after seeing children — much younger than me —doing Haj in previous years.”

“I went with my father to Arafat and Muzdalifah. I encountered no difficulties. I am now in Mina getting ready to go to Makkah for Tawaf Al-Ifadha,” he said.

Abu Mansour, his father, said he was keen to bring Abdulaziz, his only son, with him for Haj so as to imbibe in him the knowledge of Haj rites and to mix with the pilgrims hailing from more than 160 countries.

He said his son was most impressed by different colors, looks and languages of the pilgrims. “My son can now easily identify the nationality of every pilgrim,” he added.

Mohammed Zeeshan, a Pakistani expatriate and an engineer in a contracting company, said he brought his two and a half years old daughter with him because he has no relatives to take care of her during his absence.

His wife, however, said, “I had to carry her most of the time, and I am exhausted. I hope to repeat Haj in my life when the child grows up. But I’m happy that I performed Haj this year as I have been dreaming to perform Haj from the time I have been in the Kingdom.”

http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index...20141009220652

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#4708 [Permalink] Posted on 10th October 2014 16:27

VIP lodging: Haj Ministry

upset with Tawafa firms

Thursday, 09 October 2014

MINA — The Ministry of Haj has accused some Tawafa establishments of ignoring rules pertaining to accommodation of pilgrims in the Holy Sites.

The ministry guidelines stipulate that each tent should be 4x4 square meters and that a minimum of 10 pilgrims should be accommodated in a tent.

According to a Makkah daily report on Wednesday, some Tawafa establishments had disregarded the rules and accommodated a single VIP pilgrim in a tent thus depriving other pilgrims of their accommodation rights.

Every year, the ministry directs all Tawafa establishments to adhere to the laid-down rules and warns the violators of strict action. The ministry also closely supervises the tents to ensure that each one has the required 10 pilgrims.

“There should not be any disparity between the poor and rich pilgrims. They are all guests of God and should therefore be treated equally,” a ministry official was quoted as saying.

Badar Al-Qurashi, owner of a domestic Haj campaign, said a Tawafa establishment for Arab pilgrims charges as much as SR100,000 per VIP pilgrim while another for the GCC pilgrims takes as high as SR250,000.

“We received many requests this year for VIP Haj services but we apologized to them,” he said.

Al-Qurashi suggested that some camps be specified next year for pilgrims requesting VIP Haj services.

Hatim Qadi, the ministry’s spokesman, reiterated that the ministry would not allow Tawafa establishments to misuse areas in Mina to accommodate VIP pilgrims each in a separate tent.

“Each tent should accommodate 10 pilgrims. The violators will be punished,” he said.

Punishment, the spokesman said, may include reducing the number of pilgrims allotted to the Haj campaign or decreasing the area assigned to it in the Holy Sites.

He said the ministry has supervisory committees inspecting the tents to look for any violation.

Abdul Wahab Burhan, chairman of the coordination committee of the Tawafa establishments, said the ministry’s rules and regulations about the accommodation of pilgrims should be strictly followed.

“The geographical area of Mina is small and the number of pilgrims is big. So there is no need to take part of the area to accommodate one pilgrim all by himself in a tent,” he said.

http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index...20141009220673

‘Sponsor poor for Haj instead of repeating it’

Thursday, 09 October 2014

JEDDAH — Many Egyptian pilgrims, who were not able to perform Haj this year, called on the authorities in Cairo to limit Haj for a person once every five years — similar to the rule in Saudi Arabia for domestic pilgrims — or once every ten years. This, they said, would give others who have previously not done Haj a chance to perform the fifth pillar of Islam at least once in their lifetime.

As for those who have performed Haj many times and would like to do it again, they could consider the option of sponsoring a poor person to perform Haj instead of him/her. It would be more rewarding. Many pilgrims believe that the government should launch a campaign to educate people, who have performed Umrah or Haj more than once, to donate the cost of travel to someone who has not, especially the poor.

Saudi Gazette spoke to Egyptians who were not able to perform Haj this year over the phone. All of them were of the view that Haj permission should be granted once every five years in order for others to be given a chance. They said those who had already done Haj should not apply for permits, and as it is a once in a lifetime duty, should donate the cost to those who are less fortunate if they can afford it.

Ahmed El Sheriea, an Egyptian pharmacist, believes that there will be a greater reward when a man who is able and has performed Haj before, donates the cost of Haj to someone who has not or could not perform it.

“My parents went to Umrah every year, and they performed Haj seven times, and it’s surprising that they never took me or any of my three brothers even once to any of these rituals. We asked them many times but they just ignored our requests. It’s a selfish act in my opinion,” he said.

El Sheriea added, “We are well off when it comes to money in our family. Some of our relatives are very poor. I’m wondering why my parents did not donate the cost of Umrah or Haj to any of these relatives. I had requested them many times to sponsor others financially and give them a chance to go to the holy place and that the reward would be greater and even equal to someone who has performed Haj,” he said.

“I call on authorities to restrict people going to Haj or Umrah every year. Visas should be given once every five years just like in Saudi Arabia,” added El Sheriea.

Rawda El Sayaad, an Egyptian female, said it is selfish of others to perform Haj and Umrah every year, and blocking others who could afford to make the trip by taking up seats that could have gone to those who have not performed it.

“Despite the government’s warnings about the slipping economy, especially in the last three years, I know personally people, who travel to the Kingdom for Umrah every year, and the cost of this trip is not less than 15,000 Egyptian Pounds, and the Haj trip cost not less than 27,000 Egyptian Pounds. I wish the Egyptian authorities issue a rule banning these pilgrims from traveling every year,” she said.

She added, “Permission to do Haj and Umrah should be granted once every five or ten years. Haj is required once in a lifetime. If you do it twice even that is fine. But to do it ten times when others have not performed it once, is unfair.”

Mohammed El Okaby, an Egyptian customer relation representative working in a private company, said that every year he debates with members of his family, who were able to travel to Haj, to donate the money to others to perform Haj instead. “They do not know that the reward is greater from God and sometimes I feel they are selfish and do not want to do it. I think there should be more awareness. There should be a campaign to convince Egyptian pilgrims who travel every year to donate the cost of the trip to help a poor person to perform Haj or Umrah, and also a rule of giving permits to people every five to ten years,” he said.

“I know that Islam asks Muslims to help poor people, I did Haj and Umrah once, and since I have done those duties, I’m donating money annually, for the last three years, to support some poor people financially in my neighborhood to travel for Umrah, because sponsoring a person’s Haj is expensive for me,” he said.

http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index...20141009220651

Muttawifs ask govt to reconsider age limit

Thursday 9 October 2014

Muttawifs are calling on the Haj Ministry to reconsider the decision of restricting the work of muttawifs to those below the age of 60 only. They argue that the decision taken earlier this year has prevented hundreds of muttawifs from carrying out their businesses, despite having decades of experience in the field.

According to Khaleel Bahadar, a member of the private Tawafa Institution of Arab pilgrims and head of the field group of the Egyptian pilgrims, it was a hasty decision but it has prevented many muttawifs above the age of sixty with valuable experience and expertise from providing services this year. He said the decision was made without discussing the matter with the muttawifs, who are the concerned party.

The decision comes in line with a process of evaluation being undertaken to improve services to pilgrims by the Haj Research Center which is conducting a study concerning the development of the tawafa business and its regulatory organizations.

Bahadar said a better approach would be to evaluate the work of muttawifs at the end of each season instead of excluding them on the basis of age, because such services need years of cumulative experience.

Bahadur said the plan of the Haj Ministry to keep a large number of the pilgrims for a third day in order to decrease the congestion at the Holy Mosque, describing the plan as wise and effective. He said the organization received an overwhelming response by the pilgrimage affairs offices to keep pilgrims in Mina, especially those from Egypt, Tunisia, Morocco, Algeria and Sudan.

He said 40 percent of Arab pilgrims coming from abroad remained for a third day in Mina, while 60 percent left early after the second day.

He said the institution is seriously considering, in cooperation with the Ministry of Haj, to provide benefits and advantages to pilgrimage affairs offices that keep the largest number of pilgrims in Mina for the third day.

He stressed that there is always coordination and cooperation with pilgrimage affairs offices regarding the plans and programs for pilgrimage movement, as well as a range of training courses and workshops.

Movement schedules to Al-Jamrat Bridge take into account the requirements of the pilgrims’ departure times, he said, pointing out that these schedules were issued since the beginning of Dul Qadah to allow the pilgrimage affairs offices and muttawifs to alert pilgrims in advance about these schedules.

He denied claims that some pilgrims are left without housing in the holy sites camps, pointing out that the decision to reduce the number of pilgrims by 20 percent has contributed to the availability of suitable space for the pilgrims, and that there are no recorded cases of over-congestion or squatting at camps.

The institution is particularly interested in providing highly developed services to pilgrims, said Bahadur, as well as increasing coordination with the pilgrimage affairs offices and all relevant authorities to improve services.

http://www.arabnews.com/saudi-arabia/news/641516

3 pilgrims killed, 11 others
injured in road accident

Google map showing the general area where a vehicle accident along
the Makkah-Riyadh Highway killed three Pakistani pilgrims on Oct. 7, 2014.

Thursday 9 October 2014

Three Pakistani Haj pilgrims were tragically killed and eleven injured in a traffic accident on Tuesday near Afif on the Riyadh-Makkah highway.

“We came to know of the accident late on Tuesday and found that the deceased were Pakistani expatriates whose bodies were charred beyond recognition,” Shaji, a social worker in Afif, told Arab News on Wednesday.

He added that more than 10 people, mostly Pakistani nationals were among the injured and had been checked into a hospital for treatment with a few of them fighting for their life. The accident occurred when the car in which the pilgrims were traveling collided with an incoming vehicle.

In another accident, eight Asian nationals were injured on the Madinah-Qassim highway on Tuesday night, according to the Saudi Red Crescent Society.

“A minibus carrying Haj pilgrims rammed into a car on Tuesday night resulting in nine people suffering injuries of varying degrees from moderate to critical. The injured also included the African driver of the other car,” said Khalid Al-Harbi, spokesperson of the Saudi Red Crescent Society in Madinah in a statement.

He added that in addition to the regular fleet of ambulances, a helicopter was also dispatched to move the injured pilgrims to a hospital from the accident site.

The victims were transferred to the general hospital in Hanakia and the maternity hospital in Madinah.

Ministry of Health sources said that health facilities along the highways departing from Makkah are fully equipped to deal with emergency cases especially in Taif and Madinah regions.

Domestic pilgrims, particularly those traveling by road, in a hurry to get home as soon as possible after the Haj or Umrah pilgrimages are often subject to road accidents resulting in serious injuries and sometimes, death owing to over-speeding vehicles on the Kingdom’s roads.

http://www.arabnews.com/saudi-arabia/news/641576

900,000 meat parcels sent to 23 countries

Thursday 9 October 2014

Meat of 900,000 sacrificial animals are being distributed among beneficiaries within the Kingdom and 23 other countries, according to a high-ranking official at the Islamic Development Bank (IDB).

Ahmad Mohammad Ali, IDB president, said that the Kingdom’s Adahi project has completed rituals on behalf of pilgrims who signed up for the program this year.

“This is in addition to 1,500 heads of cows and camels, which were distributed after being examined by veterinarians and ensuring that rituals were Shariah-compliant,” he said.

The distribution of sacrificial meat to the less fortunate began on the first day of Eid Al-Adha in Mina and the holy sites and continued around the Grand Mosque on the second day, according to Ali.

“The rest will be distributed to charities inside the Kingdom and frozen meat will be shipped by land and sea to 23 countries in accordance with this year’s Haj plan,” he said.

He said Muslims all over the world were able to apply through the website to offer sacrifice during Eid.

http://www.arabnews.com/featured/news/641546

Illegal pilgrims caught sleeping in shopping mall

Pilgrims on their way to the Jamrat in Mina is shown in this picture taken on Oct. 5, 2014, the fourth day of Haj 2014.
A recent video showing illegal pilgrims sleeping between shelves at Makkah’s biggest shopping mall next to
the Jamrat area has prompted action from authorities.

Thursday 9 October 2014

A recent video showing illegal pilgrims sleeping between shelves at Makkah’s biggest shopping mall next to the Jamrat (stone-throwing) area has prompted action from authorities.

The video, which was published on Sunday and which is believed to have been taken in the evening, showed pilgrims eating in the halls while others slept.
Mohammad Al-Sahli, a member of the city’s human rights commission and head of a research and study center at Umm Al-Qura University, blamed several authorities for this phenomenon and security failure.

“The Bureau of Investigation and Public Prosecution should follow up on the situation and take penal action against intruders to deter pilgrims from thinking they can get away with such behavior,” he said.

Sleeping in public areas is still a major cause for concern among Haj authorities despite intensified security checks, which helped stop more than 250,000 illegal pilgrims from entering Makkah ahead of Haj.

http://www.arabnews.com/saudi-arabia/news/641581

Okaz wins Best coverage award for Haj 1434

Friday, 10 October 2014

JEDDAH — The Ministry of Haj will hold Sunday its preparatory meetings for the next Haj season 2015 in order to come up with a comprehensive plan, said Haj Minister Dr. Bandar Hajjar during the annual event for heads of Haj affair offices and guests of the Haj Symposium on Wednesday night.

Hajjar called upon Muslim countries to prepare early for the next Haj season and educate their pilgrims about the Haj rites.

“It has become clear to us that the pilgrims whose countries prepare them early for Haj and offer them educational courses before arriving to the Kingdom perform the Haj rites easily and with great comfort. Besides, they know the regulations and rules and abide by it,” Hajjar said.

“He hoped all countries would educate their pilgrims next year and they can avail the help of the ministry in this regard. The ministry has an e-portal that provides information about Haj in various languages and there are phone numbers for centers that can be contacted for enquiries,” he said.

Next year, the ministry will implement the second phase of the electronic system, which will mark the full launch of the system. It was noticed that this year some Haj companies made use of the system while some did not.

Hajjar also presented Okaz newspaper with the Best Haj Coverage Award for Haj1434 and the award was received by Ali Gharsan Al-Zahrani, assistant to editor-in-chief.

Muhammad Bajunaid, members of the panel for best media work in Haj, said the award is given to the newspaper that showed professional coverage skills for Haj and Umrah activities.

In his speech, Al-Zahrani hoped that the award becomes a global one, stressing that Saudi journalists are capable of competing with the best and make a difference in the field. He lauded the role of the reporters who always exerted great efforts to cover the Haj news at all levels.

He and spoke highly of their sacrifices towards accomplishing this mission. He called upon the Ministry of Culture and Information to adopt an idea of building a tent specifically for all reporters in order to gather all Haj media missions in the same place.

Bakheet Al-Zahrani, from Al-Bilad daily, won the best report award, while Ali Al-Amri and Khairallah Zarban, from Al-Madina daily, won the best feature article award. From Al-Nadi daily, Naeem Al-Hakim wont the best media campaign award and Ahmad Hashad from Eqtisadiah daily won the best photograph award. Cartoonist Mineef Al-Shamari from Al-Riyadh daily won the best cartoon award.

http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index...20141010220699

Makkah - Hajj season 2014

5 October 2014

An aerial view is seen of the Grand Mosque on the second day of Eid al-Adha in the holy city of Makkah, October 5, 2014. (Reuters)

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Survey looks at how
pilgrims view services at holy sites

Friday 10 October 2014

The Civil Tawafa Foundation for Pilgrims of Arab Countries is developing a special program to measure the degree of satisfaction by pilgrims regarding the services provided to them during the Haj pilgrimage.

According to the head of the program, Dr. Suaad bin Hassan Bishara, the aim of the study is to identify the degree of satisfaction of the pilgrims regarding the basic and additional services they received, including transportation and housing services in Makkah and the holy sites, in order to avoid repeating negative issues while developing the services provided by the institution.

Bishara explained that the idea of the program emerged at the end of last year’s pilgrimage season in a bid to develop and improve services to pilgrims, according to “ISO” specifications as part of the quality project sponsored by the foundation.
She said the foundation had hired female muttawifs, who are qualified to distribute the questionnaires to the pilgrims in Makkah and the holy sites, as well as collect and analyze the data.

She declared that the program has passed through several stages. The first phase was determining the targeted clients of the study represented in two sectors: The muttawifs and the pilgrims, with a focus on the pilgrims as they are the direct recipients of the services provided by the institution.

She pointed out that “the foundation then moved into the second phase of the program, which involves contracting experienced experts from “Dahlan Office” to carry out the research.

“We started searching for female trainees to participate in filling out the questionnaires, and selected them from a group of young women who work as muttawifs in the foundation and have post graduate and bachelors degrees,” she said.

She pointed out that the aim of this step is to take advantage of the ideas, energies, and qualifications of the female muttawifs under the guidance and support of the president of the foundation, Faisal bin Muhammad Nuh, and the supervision of the vice president of the foundation, Mohammed bin Hassan Maegeni.

According to Bishara, the foundation carried out two training sessions for the female researchers; one dedicated to the overall quality, and the other for training.

She added that the program moved to the next phase phase which is printing out the questionnaire and organizing a brainstorming session between the supervisors and working round, which consists of 22 young female muttawifs.

The team is composed of three groups, each containing a team of seven researchers and a supervisor, she explained. The work started on the second of Dhu Al-Hijja as a pilot phase, during which trams visited the housing sites of Palestinians, Syrians, Jordanians and Lebanese pilgrims.

“We received significant interaction from the pilgrims and the researchers were able to persuade the pilgrims to answer questions comprehensively,” she said.

“We informed pilgrims of the need to take their time to answer the questions honestly and fairly, and thankfully, the impression was positive.”

She added that the second stage of the field research began on the third day of Eid Al-Adha. Researchers roamed the camps to select a random sample of Arab pilgrims.

The foundation is now in the process of counting the questionnaires and evaluating the performance of female volunteers, as well as excluding the invalid questionnaires. Results will be submitted to the company for analysis, and the results will be delivered to the foundation.

Bishara thanked the Ministry of Haj and the head of the foundation and his deputy for supporting female involvement in the activities of the foundation and contributing to improving the services provided to pilgrims.

http://www.arabnews.com/saudi-arabia/news/641956

Haj — From a strenuous journey to a luxurious vacation

Friday, 10 October 2014

The fifth pillar of Islam, Haj, remains a magnificent opportunity for many Muslims. Those who have performed it would not hesitate to perform it again provided they have the physical strength and financial ability.

Less than a century ago, getting to Makkah was a journey fraught with danger and there was no guarantee whether people who set out to perform Haj would return to their homes. Between battling the harsh desert heat and deadly diseases, it seemed the farther one had to travel to get to Makkah, the more uncertain and dangerous the journey was.

Things gradually began to change at the turn of the century and people began taking carriages instead of walking. Later, cars were introduced, followed by airplanes that made the journey to and from the Arabian Peninsula, a safe and enjoyable one, Al-Riyadh daily reports.

The major changes that took place in the last century can be divided into three phases. The first phase took place before the modern day Kingdom was established at a time when people came by foot or on carriages.

The second phase is when cars were introduced and people used them to cross perilous desert paths. The third phase represents the current period where people use airplanes to get to the Kingdom and high-speed trains to get around the holy sites.

There is undoubtedly a vast difference between a 20th century Haj and 21st century Haj in terms of comfort as people who performed the pilgrimage during the latter period were able to benefit from modern technology and facilities.

Despite technological advancements, there are those who cannot afford modern means of travel and they make the journey on foot like pilgrims did a century ago. These pilgrims, usually from far away countries such as India, Pakistan, Egypt and Morocco, expose themselves to significant dangers such as wild animals, bandits and diseases, to make the journey to Makkah.

The residents of cities and villages that fall on the path to Makkah, often make donations to pilgrims and even set up temporary lodgings made up of two or three bedrooms for the pilgrims to stay in. Well-rested and fed, pilgrims are able to depart for their next destination in good health and on a full stomach.

After the pilgrims reach Makkah and perform their pilgrimage, some stay for a few months to find a job to finance their return trip home. Others decide to stay so they can be near the House of Allah and die on its pure grounds.

Before the dawn of automobiles, pilgrims traveled on camelback through the desert. Men led the camels and women sat on howdahs (carriages placed on the back of a camel) where they were more comfortable.

They would set out on the long journey with animal fat, dates and flour for food in leather pouches and flasks of water. They would travel in groups of up to ten camels to protect themselves from bandits. Such journeys often took more than a month and the road between Riyadh and Jeddah would take 25 days to cross. For pilgrims coming from the Kingdom’s northern-most regions or other Gulf countries, the trip would take significantly longer.

When cars were first introduced, they were nothing like the modern vehicles of today. Cars were first designed for loading and unloading goods and these lorries and trucks are what pilgrims used to travel in. Nevertheless, it shortened the journey to Makkah to only a few days.

One lorry would carry between 20 and 30 people and tickets varied depending on the seats. Since roads were not asphalted, the journey was still a difficult one and passengers were left to cook, clean and keep each other company.

All of this has now changed and performing Haj has become much easier. Highways have been laid out and air-conditioned and comfortable high-speed trains and buses take pilgrims to Makkah and around the Holy Sites.

Those who have the money can enjoy five-star treatment and modern facilities, a far cry from the difficulties faced by previous generations of Muslims on the sacred journey to perform Haj.

http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index...20141010220700

Security officers helping Hajis trending on Twitter

Friday 10 October 2014

Photos and videos of security officers from various military sectors assisting and providing services to pilgrims during the Haj season have been trending across social networking sites, such as Twitter. A number of religious leaders and media personnel have devoted their pages to discussing the positive role of security authorities in Saudi Arabia in the success of this year’s Haj season.

Active users on social networking sites produced various hashtags, notably #thanks_security_men, to express their gratitude and appreciation for their humanitarian efforts and positive representation of Saudi Arabia.

Tweeters from various Arab and Islamic countries tweeted their appreciation for these security authorities.

“The security men’s actions in Saudi Arabia during this year’s pilgrimage has made me reconsider my views on questioning the inclusiveness of Arab security institutions, as these men acted in complete humility and with respect,” tweeted an Algerian writer and human rights activist, and former observer for the Arab League.

Ghassan Alzahrani tweeted, “You must be thanked for leaving your children and family to serve the pilgrims, regardless of how much the media focuses on directing all the praise and appreciation toward top officials only.”

“We are all proud of the success and efforts of the security men who portrayed the finest examples of sacrifice, dedication, patience, and they must be thanked before the whole world,” said Dr. Amira Al-Harbi. Sports media figure Rajaa All Al-Salimy tweeted a photo of a security officer pushing an elderly woman in a wheelchair with the phrase “We and your country are blessed to have you”.

Various users also tweeted about the positive attitudes of security men during their work.

Makkah Gov. Prince Mishaal bin Abdullah, who is also the chairman of the Supreme Haj Committee, honored First Officer Khalid Abdullah Shouq of the special emergencies forces in Arafat for his humanitarian efforts and for servicing pilgrims and visitors of the Grand Mosque.

This came during a reception held at Prince Mishaal’s residence in Arafat in honor of First Officer Shouq, during which the humanitarian efforts of all security men toward their country and pilgrims were also highlighted and praised.

First Officer Shouq, in turn, expressed his deep gratitude and appreciation to His Highness Prince Mishaal for the generous gesture, stressing it is an incentive for him and the rest of his teammates to continue doing their best to serve the pilgrims and visitors to the Kingdom.

http://www.arabnews.com/saudi-arabia/news/641966

Plan to keep Holy Sites clean to start on Friday

Friday, 10 October 2014

MAKKAH – Makkah Mayoralty will start on Friday implementing its operation plan to keep the Holy Sites clean and insect-free until the next Haj season. Muhammad Al-Mourqi, director general of cleaning at the mayoralty, said that the plan will cover Mina, Arafat and Muzdalifah in addition to the neighborhoods and places that witness a big concentration of pilgrims, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Under the plan, all garbage compressors and tanks will be emptied, and their mechanical maintenance carried out. All the toilets, water pools, rainwater passages, streets, plains, and mountains will be cleaned up and insecticides sprayed to free the Holy Sites of flies and insects.

Makkah Mayor Osama Al-Bar said the mayoralty had mobilized 23,050 personnel, including 14,000 street cleaners, to serve the pilgrims and clean up Makkah and the Holy Sites. A total of 22,000 toilets were readied for pilgrims in Mina, Arafat and Muzdalifah. The municipality workers disposed more than half a million tons of garbage left behind by the pilgrims.

http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index...20141010220709

Pilgrims start leaving Kingdom

Friday 10 October 2014

Hundreds of buses and cars left Mina and Makkah, packed with pilgrims heading home after completing their journey of faith. Many pilgrims went to Jeddah to catch flights back home or to the holy city of Madinah to offer prayers at the Prophet’s Mosque.

King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah is once again buzzing with activity as pilgrims prepare to leave the Kingdom after performing Haj.

Most passengers reached the airports 8 hours ahead of their departure schedule and about 10,000 buses are being used to transport pilgrims to the airport from Makkah. Besides having spare buses on standby along the Jeddah-Makkah route, the General Syndicate of Transport has also deployed mobile teams of mechanics to carry out maintenance work on the buses in case of a breakdown.

All departing pilgrims are being provided with more 10 liters of Zamzam water at the airport. This is the first time that all departing pilgrims get water at the airport. The move is aimed at reducing luggage hassles for pilgrims at the airport.

GCC pilgrims are the first to leave the Kingdom, followed by pilgrims from other countries. In all, 808,000 foreign pilgrims will be exiting from King Abdulaziz International Airport through 50,000 flights to various destinations across the globe.

Meanwhile, Director of Passport Services for Pilgrims, Maj. Gen. Ayad Al-Harbi has advised all pilgrims to leave the Kingdom according to their schedules and also urged residents not to provide any shelter to pilgrims overstaying their visas.

“I pray to God to give every Muslim a chance to do this. It has been even better than I expected,” said Sudanese pilgrim Mohammed Tahir. Nigerian pilgrim Muhammad Ahmed said: “I thank God. It has been a great religious experience for me. It gets better and better each time.”

“The two million faithful who gather every year at the holy sites for the pilgrimage hope to have the honor of being buried in this sacred soil,” said Libyan pilgrim, Muhammad Al-Haj.

As most pilgrims begin their journeys home, a sense of fulfilment gripped many though others were sad at the thought of departing the holy land.
“I feel that I have been totally purified,” said Haya Al-Alam from Pakistan. “I am so happy that I got the chance to come here in the first place,” she said.

But for Egyptian Ahlam Abdul Ghany the thought of leaving the holy land left him sad. “It is hard to leave the holy land. We have almost finished the stoning and our group will be heading to Makkah to bid farewell to God’s House.” Once back in Makkah, the pilgrims perform the Tawaf Al-Wida of the Holy Kaaba that ends the Haj.

http://www.arabnews.com/saudi-arabia/news/641941

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