Hajj 2024 ends

The KSA Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has celebrated the completion of the Hajj season for 2024 (1445) at an event honouring distinguished Hajj Offices and award recipients. The government also shared a blueprint and timeline for the 2025 (1446) Hajj season.

According to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA), the KSA Minister of Health, Fahd Al-Jalajel, announced 465,000 medical services were conducted for pilgrims, including 141,000 services provided to unauthorised pilgrims. The official death toll is 1,301, of which 83% were unauthorised to perform Hajj and thus unable to take advantage of facilities available to authorised pilgrims. Many of the unauthorised pilgrims would have walked long distances during a heatwave.

Al-Jalajel disclosed that all of the dead had been identified and their families notified.

The SPA separately reported that the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has begun issuing umrah visas. The move traditionally begins immediately after the Hajj season.

Hashtags: #1445_AH_Hajj, #Khitamuhu_Misk

Minister of Haj and Umra, KSA, inspects umrah facilities

Source: Ministry of Haj and Umra, KSA.

HE the Minister of Haj and Umra, KSA, Dr Mohammed Saleh Bentin, inspected umrah pilgrims' service centers in both Makkah and Madinah in mid-June. 

The tours aimed to examine the procedures adopted by the ministry's sectors on implementation of operational plans for umrah this year, and to improve the services provided to both pilgrims and visitors.

After the tours he stressed the goal of ongoing performance enhancement, and of increasing cooperation between the agencies associated with umrah services.

In Madinah, the Ministry of Haj and Umra's umrah pilgrims' service centers are in the central area around Al-Masjid an-Nabawi (the Prophet's Mosque). ​​​​Since the beginning of umrah season, these umrah service centres have guided 30,000 lost umrah pilgrims and responded to 12,000 e-queries around the clock. In Makkah, over 43,000 services have been carried out for umrah pilgrims and visitors.

On June 20, (15 Ramadhan 1437), the Ministry of Haj and Umra announced that the number of umrah pilgrims who have arrived in the kingdom has reached 5,888,986. An analysis has shown that the pilgrims have been able to follow the rituals with ease despite higher umrah pilgrim numbers this year. This number is expected to reach over six million by the end June going by the number of visas issued.

According to the ministry, the following countries have sent the most umrah pilgrims for the Islamic year 1436. KSA targets to host a million umrah pilgrims every Islamic month from Safar, the second month of the year, to Ramadhan, the ninth month of the year. There are 12 months in the Islamic year.

Country ​	Umrah pilgrim numbers
Egypt	1,151,142
Pakistan	761,327
Indonesia	635,993
Turkey	450,427
Iran	404,114
India	391,242
Jordan	316,300
Iraq	268,063
Algeria	261,791
Malaysia	195,844

Pakistan makes Hajj 2015 guide in Urdu available

The Ministry of Religious Affairs, Pakistan has prepared a 100-page guide for pilgrims going on Hajj 2015, in Urdu.

Interested?

Download Rehnuma-e-Hajj Guide Book for Hujjaj for Hajj 2015

Pakistan extends Hajj application deadline

Pakistan's Ministry of Religious Affairs & Interfaith Harmony has announced that the date for submission of Hajj application forms has been extended to 17 July 2015.

It was previously 6 July.

Prince Mohammed Bin Abdul Aziz International Airport opens new terminal

The General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) and Tibah Airports Development Company have announced the opening of a new terminal at Prince Mohammed Bin Abdul Aziz International Airport (PMIA) in Madinah Al-Munawarah, KSA.

This public-private partnership (PPP) and fast-track engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) project was completed in 30 months. It is both the first US Green Building Council (USGBC) Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certified airport terminal outside of the US and the first in the MENA region.

The General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) contracted with Tibah through a build operate and transfer agreement in the first airport privatisation in KSA. The contract is valued at approximately US$1.2 billion. The Tibah Consortium, which comprises Turkey's TAV Airports with Al Rajhi Holding Group and Saudi Oger, appointed a contractor consortium comprising TAV Airports and Al Arrab Contracting Company (ACC) to design and construct phase 1 facilities. CH2M, an engineering consultancy with over 40 years of transportation infrastructure experience in KSA, was appointed jointly by GACA and Tibah to be the independent engineer for the project.

Joe Stratford, CH2M's Project Director, said: "This iconic infrastructure project will facilitate increasing growth in passenger numbers and aircraft movements through provision of world-class modern airport airfield, passenger terminal and landside infrastructure. We are proud to have had the opportunity to play a significant role in the successful and timely delivery of these new facilities."

The new terminal and airfield are built to the highest international standards and allow for an initial operating capacity of 8 million passengers per year. The terminal is modular to allow for expansion in phase 2 to suit the expected future increases in passenger and aircraft traffic, with state-of-the-art facilities affirming PMIA's current and future role as a major gateway for scheduled passengers as well as Hajj and umrah pilgrims to Madinah and Saudi Arabia.

This new terminal takes up 156,940 sq m on three floors, and has 16 aircraft stands served by passenger boarding bridges and 20 remote apron stands. The project also includes the implementation of a widened and extended runway, with 10 km of taxiways capable of accommodating A380 size aircraft.

The project includes a mosque for 1,000 worshippers, and 20 support buildings including dedicated Hajj facilities plus a new Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting Building.

posted from Bloggeroid

Ministry of Hajj reveals long-term initiatives to accommodate more pilgrims

Source: Ministry of Hajj, KSA.

Saudi Arabia expects to host many more pilgrims than over the next five years and is preparing to make the umrah and Hajj experiences as smooth as possible, revealed His Highness Dr Bandar ibn Muhammad Hajjar, the Minister of Hajj of Saudi Arabia. According to Dr Bandar, an estimated 8 million umrah pilgrims and 3 million Hajj pilgrims will visit this year, and the numbers will grow over the next five years.

Dr Bandar reported that the umrah and Hajj experiences are being enhanced on many fronts, including e-tracking for foreign pilgrims, crowd control (tafwij) during all stages of the Hajj journey, accommodation, health services, transportation, communications services, and project management. Other initiatives include the welcome and farewell ceremonies for umrah pilgrims, development of a Pilgrim City in Yanbu, and operating rest-houses along the Makkah-Madinah road.

The Ministry of Hajj is conducting studies on accommodating more pilgrims, including estimating water and electricity requirements, health, and transportation services, Dr Bandar said. The studies also cover the housing capacities in Makkah and Madinah, estimating local movement, and the accommodation of large numbers at the Mataf* (tawaf area), Mas`a** (sa`y area) and Al-Haramain Al-Sharifain***.

His Highness Dr Bandar further noted that the state has made the development of Al-Haramayn Al-Sharifayn and care of its visitors a top priority. Recent achievements to this purpose include the expansions of Al-Haramain Al-Sharifain, the Mas`a and the Mataf areas have all been expanded; established a Jamaraat**** facility, railway services in Mashair and Al-Haramain Al-Sharifain; built the King Abdul Aziz International Airport in Jeddah and the Prince Mohammad bin Abdul Aziz International Airport in Madinah, and also opened a Pilgrims Rest Hall with a 2,400-man capacity. 

*The mataf is the area where pilgrims circumambulate the Ka'abah as part of the ritual called the tawaf

**The Sa'y area is where pilgrims go seven times between the hills of As-Safa and Al Marwah

***Referring to the two holy cities of Makkah and Madinah

****A ritual where pebbles are thrown at pillars called jamaraat occurs as part of the pilgrimage

Over 300,000 pilgrims participated in umrah for 1436 to date

According to the Ministry of Hajj in Saudi Arabia, 318,080 mu'tamirs, or pilgrims involved in the 'umrah pilgrimage, have participated in 1436 'umrah season. The figure is correct as of midnight of the 29th of the hijri month of Safar, which corresponds to 21 December 2014.

Al Rajhi Bank launches Musafir Prepaid Card-i for withdrawals during Hajj and umrah

Source: Al Rajhi Bank website.

Al Rajhi Bank Malaysia has launched the Musafir Prepaid Card-i, the first and only Saudi rial-denominated cash card in the market. The launch was made during the Road2Haramain Festival 2014, which brings together members of the travel and tourism industry in Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, Thailand and China to increase Hajj and umrah business ties and develop Islamic tourism in the Asian region and across the world.

Sponsored by Al Rajhi Bank Malaysia, a subsidiary of world’s biggest Islamic banking service provider, Al Rajhi Bank of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the festival was held on 25 and 26 November in Kuala Lumpur and on 27 November at the Renaissance Johor Bahru Hotel. 

With 14 participating companies, Road2Haramain 2014 sets the stage for the first Asian Road2Haramain Mahrajan in 2015. The high point of this festival would be presentation of awards of appreciation to companies that have contributed immensely to Hajj and umrah services in Malaysia.

Both Al Rajhi and Road2Haramain are synonymous with strong Islamic values. “Al Rajhi aims to collaborate with the big players in the Muslim travel and tourism industry to intensively promote the benefits of the Musafir Prepaid Card as well as other Al Rajhi Bank shari'ah-compliant financial products and services to the Muslim ummah,” said Selamat Haji Sirat, Acting Chief Executive Officer of Al Rajhi Bank. 

“At the same time Al Rajhi strives to promote and advocate ‘purity’ in the aspects of ‘muamalat’ of the pilgirms while performing umrah and Hajj."

“Our relationship with Al Rajhi Bank started many years ago in Saudi Arabia and continued here in Kuala Lumpur. We are happy to work together with Al Rajhi Bank and to continue banking with the biggest Islamic bank in the world which shares noble values with us for the good of the ummah,” said Haji Rahim, the Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Al Haramain Resource.

The Musafir Prepaid Card-i is the first Saudi rial Prepaid traveller’s card and provides access to cash at over 3,800 ATMs in the Al Rajhi network in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The card offers instant cash convenience and advantages to the pilgrims such as a low per-withdrawal fee, secure PIN-based activated transaction and competitive Saudi rial exchange rates.

Over 20 MOUs were signed between Al Rajhi Bank and travel agents at the Festival, for the Al Rajhi Musafir Prepaid Card-i. The Musafir card follows the launch of Al Rajhi Bank's Hijrah Priority Card in July 2013. 

At the time of the Hijrah Priority Card launch, the bank noted that withdrawal fees are waived for card-holders during the Hajj season at Al Rajhi ATMs in Saudi Arabia, and offers discounted ATM withdrawal fees at Al Rajhi ATMs in the kingdom during the off-Hajj season.

Omantel introduces Hajj bundle

Omantel has launched Hajj Jawazak bundles for all Mada (postpaid) and Hayyak (prepaid) subscribers while they are performing their Hajj.

The standard roaming bundle costs 10OR for ten days and the unlimited package is 20OR for a month.

The Hayyak roaming bundles cover outgoing calls and data whereas Mada roaming bundles include both incoming and outgoing calls, SMS and data for the same price.

As the packages are meant for pilgrims to keep in touch with their families, incoming calls must originate in Oman for Mada while outgoing calls can only be made to Oman for all subscribers. Similarly the outgoing SMS messages for the Mada packages include local SMSes, SMSes to Oman and SMSes to GCC only.

The offer is valid until the end of October 2014. Find out more here.

First Hajj flights reach KSA

The Saudi Press Agency has reported that the complex of Hajj and Umrah Terminals at King Abdulaziz International Airport in Saudi Arabia received 20 flights of pilgrims on August 27, with 22 flights expected to arrive on the 28th.

In the coming days, King Abdulaziz International Airport will receive six flights each hour, or 144 hajj flights daily. Prince Mohammed bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Al-Madinah Al-Munawarah has also welcomed this year's first Hajj flights, from Calcutta, India, on August 27.

Ebola outbreak could affect hajj

The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned 8 August that the Ebola outbreak in West Africa is a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC). The announcement, coupled with news that a Saudi man passed away in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia of suspected Ebola on 6 August, is causing some concern about the upcoming hajj pilgrimage.

As of 4 August 2014, there have been 1,711 cases (1,070 confirmed, 436 probable, 205 suspect) of Ebola virus disease (EVD), including 932 deaths. Between 5 and 6 August 2014, a total of 68 new cases of EVD (laboratory-confirmed, probable, and suspect cases) as well as 29 deaths were reported from Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone.

On 6 August, a Saudi man suspected of being infected with the Ebola virus passed away at 8.45am at a specialised hospital in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The patient had been admitted to the intensive care unit late on 4 August after exhibiting symptoms of viral hemorrhagic fever following a business trip to Sierra Leone, Saudi's Ministry of Health said. The cause of the infection is still under investigation, and people who had been in contact with the man are being traced or monitored for symptoms of Ebola.

Gulf Business has also reported that hajj visas are not being issued to pilgrims of the affected countries, while the Minister in charge of Islamic Affairs in Malaysia is quoted in the Malay Mail as stating that the hajj will continue as normal from the country. Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom said only healthy pilgrims would be allowed on the hajj.

At present there are no cases of transmission outside of the affected West African countries, but the situation could change rapidly. The next few weeks will answer questions such as whether Ebola spreads easily in countries which are prepared for epidemics, and whether a cure can be made available quickly. 

View the latest FAQ on EVD here. There are currently no registered medicines or vaccines against the virus, though several experimental options are currently under development.