Pilgrims Grouping Control Center launched

His Highness the Minister of Hajj in Saudi Arabia, Dr Bandar ibn Muhammad Hajjar, inaugurated the Pilgrims Grouping Control Center on the Makkah-Jeddah Road on 26 September. The inauguration was attended by the deputy Ministers of Hajj, assistant deputies, and a number of the Ministry’s officials.

The Center has been implemented according to the latest technology and will be used during this year’s Hajj season (year 1435). The heart of the new Center is a building for administrative services which uses six e-tracks to inspect buses. The building facilitates pilgrim management and to finalises their procedures in three minutes per bus, or less.

 
The building also hosts a number of facilities, including a mosque with the capacity to accommodate approximately 500 worshippers, a place for prayer for women, and washrooms. The National Tawafa Establishments, the Zamazemah United Office, the Executive Committee for Controlling the Pilgrims Transport, and the General Syndicate of Vehicles will participate in working in this Center on an annual basis. The Center also features an office for Saudi Airlines, a clinic staffed by doctors from the Ministry of Health, and the Hadiyyat Al-Hajj wal Mu`tamir Association which presents gifts to the guests of Allah. 

Eid Al Adha holidays in Oman, UAE announced

The Diwan of the Royal Court in Oman has announced the Eid Al Adha holidays for 2014, the Oman News Agency has reported.

Sayyid Khalid bin Hilal al-Busaidi, Minister of the Diwan of Royal Court, Chairman of the Civil Service Council has declared that the Eid Al Adha holiday for the year 1435 for employees at the ministries, public authorities and other departments of the state's administrative apparatus will start from Friday 9 Dhul Hijjah, corresponding to October 3, till Thursday 15 Dhul Hijjah, corresponding to October 9, 2014. Work will resume on Sunday October 12.

Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser al-Bakri, Minister of Manpower, issued a ministerial decision stating that Eid Al Adha holiday for the private sector will be for a corresponding period, from 9 to 15 Dhul Hijjah.

Eid al Adha holidays for the UAE were announced the same day. The Emirates News Agency (WAM) said that Hussein Ibrahim Al Hammadi, Minister of Education and Chairman of the Federal Authority for Government Human Resources, had issued a circular to the effect that the Eid Al Adha holiday for Federal Ministries and Departments is to start on October 3, and end on Monday, October 6. Normal Federal Government business hours will resume on October 7.

WAM further reported that the private sector in institutions and private sector companies in the country will receive a paid Eid Al Adha holiday from October 3 to 5. The news came in a circular issued by Saqr bin Ghobash, Minister of Labour, in accordance with Federal Law, which states that the Eid Al Adha holiday and Arafa Day will be three days.

Update: On September 29, the Central Bank of Bahrain announced that Eid Al Adha holidays run from October 4 to 7, with work resuming on October 8. The Banking Operations Directorates will however be open from October 7.

Eid Al Fitr most likely on 28 July for most countries: Makkah Calendar

Makkah Calendar, a website dedicated to using modern astronomical methods* to forecast the Islamic calendar, has stated that Eid Al Fitr is most likely to fall on Monday, 28 July for most countries.

The site says that North, Central and South America, all of Africa, all of Europe, and almost all of Asia except Japan, North Korea and a few countries of Oceania will be able to celebrate Eid Al Fitr 2014 (Hijri year 1435) on 28 July 2014. The rest of the countries as well as some parts of Russia and China will celebrate Eid Al Fitr on Tuesday, 29 July 2014.

The people behind the site have projected that the new moon occur on Saturday, 26 July 2014 at 22:41 UTC, which is likely too late to be observed on the same day. Sunday, 27 July is when the new moon is expected to be visible in most parts of the world, marking the start of the month of Shawwal** on Monday, 28 July 2014. A part of China to the east of Siping (Jilin province) and a part of Russia to the east of the Yakutsak are not in the zone of observation, which means that these areas will celebrate Eid Al Fitr 2014 on 29 July instead, the site said.

*According to the people behind Makkah Calendar, the new month will start next day in any location if the crescent moon can be observed there at sunset, or if it can be observed to the west before the fajr (dawn) prayer in the location. Read about the method here.

**Shawwal follows Ramadhan.

Employees at Indonesia's Ministry of Finance reminded not to accept gratuities over Eid

The Indonesian Secretary General of the Ministry of Finance, Kiagus Ahmad Badaruddin, has sent a circular requesting that all civil servants from the Ministry of Finance avoid receiving any kind of gratuities ahead of Idul Fitri Day (Eid).

“Civil servants of the Ministry of Finance should become role models for the society and avoid any gratuity requests or acceptance in the form of cash, parcels, facilities, and other kinds of gifts from business partners, businesses, and civil society,” said the Secretary General in an official statement in Bahasa Indonesia.

He further cited Law (UU) Number 21 of 2001 jo. Law Number 31 of 1999 concerning corruption, noting that acceptance of gratuities by the civil servants of the Ministry of Finance is contrary to their obligations and duties and puts them at risk of criminal sanction.

He reminded civil servants in the Ministry of Finance to refuse gratuities, and said that those who are forced to accept gratuities should report it to the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) within 30 working days after the date of acceptance.

India allotted Hajj pilgrimage quota of nearly 99,000

The Indian government has announced that the allotment of quota for Hajj pilgrimages this year is available on the official website of the Haj Committee of India. 

Specific priority has been allowed for the pilgrimage this year for the following categories:

Reserved Category A: 70+ applicants: applicants who have completed 70 years or more as on 31 January 2014 (i.e. applicants born on or before 1st February 1944), along with one companion.

Reserved Category B: Fourth timer applicants: An applicant who has applied in each of the last three years, 2011, 2012, 2013 but was not selected in Qurrah or was selected, but could not proceed for Hajj.

Individual state quotas are as follows: 

1435 / 2014

No.	STATE	TOTAL    QUOTA
1	ANDAMAN & NICOBAR	123
2	ANDHRA PRADESH	5,580
3	ASSAM	3,781
4	BIHAR	6,667
5	CHANDIGARH	55
6	CHHATTISGARH	328
7	DADRA & NAGAR HAVELI	28
8	DAMAN & DIU	41
9	DELHI	1,297
10	GOA	154
11	GUJARAT	3,668
12	HARYANA	977
13	HIMACHAL PRADESH	81
14	JAMMU & KASHMIR	6,925
15	JHARKHAND	2,980
16	KARNATAKA	5,162
17	KERALA	6,280
18	LAKSHADWEEP	296
19	MADHYA PRADESH	3,067
20	MAHARASTRA	8,202
21	MANIPUR	302
22	ORISSA	608
23	PONDICHERRY	135
24	PUNJAB	305
25	RAJASTHAN	3,823
26	TAMIL NADU	2,772
27	TRIPURA	85
28	UTTAR PRADESH	24,550
29	UTTARAKHAND	809
30	WEST BENGAL	9,906
	TOTAL	98,987