Hajis arrive from Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, S. Africa
MOHAMMED RASOOLDEEN & FOUZIA KHAN | Published — Thursday 4 August 2016 RIYADH/JEDDAH: The first batch of Hajis from Pakistan, Bangladesh, South Africa and India arrived at Jeddah and […]
Pilgrims consume 35,000 tons of Zamzam water
ARAB NEWS | Published — Monday 4 July 2016 A report revealed that the amount of Zamzam water consumed reached 35,000 tons. (SPA) MAKKAH: Makkah Gov. Prince Khaled Al-Faisal, who is also chairman of the Central Haj Committee, reviewed a report presented by the adviser to the province, Hisham Al-Faleh, […]
The untold story of the deaths at Hajj
Iranian diplomat Ghadanfar Rokonabadi disappeared after being caught up in the mass panic on last year’s Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca Robert Fisk @indyvoices He was smart, occasionally humorous and detailed in his replies to my questions. Officially, he was an attaché at Iran’s high-walled, black-painted embassy in Beirut, but back in 1996 I […]
Performed Umrah? Stay home
ARAB NEWS | Published — Friday 10 June 2016 JEDDAH: Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdul Aziz Al-Asheikh, who heads the Council of Senior Scholars, has urged Muslims who have undertaken many Umrah trips to refrain for entering Makkah, so that others have a chance to perform the rituals. Al-Asheikh said it […]
Iran says its pilgrims will not attend Hajj in Saudi Arabia
By Reuters – May 30,2016 -JORDAN TIMES DUBAI — Iran said on Sunday its pilgrims would not attend the annual Hajj, blaming regional rival Saudi Arabia for “sabotage” and failing to guarantee the safety of pilgrims. Saudi Arabia, which oversees the greater pilgrimage to Mecca by more than 2 […]
5% rise in Umrah pilgrims
SAUDI ARABIA ARAB NEWS | Published — Sunday 29 May 2016 Seen through a decoration window, Muslim pilgrims circumambulate the Kaaba, the cubic building at the Grand Mosque, during the minor pilgrimage, known as Umrah, in the Muslim holy city of Makkah, Saudi Arabia, in this March 10, 2016 photo. […]
Mataf expansion speaks volumes about Kingdom’s efforts, say pilgrims
ARAB NEWS | Published — Wednesday 18 May 2016 GOOD WORK: Umrah pilgrims hailed the Saudi government for mataf expansion in Makkah. MAKKAH: Umrah pilgrims have hailed the mataf expansion in Makkah as “distinguished” and “amazing,” saying that the achievement speaks a lot about the attention the Saudi government […]
KSA: Iran blocking its own Haj pilgrims
ARAB NEWS | Published — Tuesday 17 May 2016 JEDDAH: The Council of Ministers said Iran is attempting to politicize the Haj by refusing to sign an agreement mandatory for all countries seeking to send pilgrims on the holy journey. The Cabinet meeting, chaired by Custodian of the Two Holy […]
Iranian Muslims to miss Hajj amid rift with Saudi Arabia
WEATHER, AMMAN Today, May 13, 2016 By Reuters – May 12,2016 -JORDAN TIMES ANKARA — Iranian Muslims will miss the annual Hajj (the greater Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca) in September, media reported on Thursday, as Tehran and Riyadh traded blame over a failure to agree organisational details. The […]
Saudi council urges more space at Hajj stampede site
By AFP – Jan 12,2016 – JORDAN TIMES RIYADH — Saudi Arabia’s shura council recommended Monday an expansion of roads leading to the site of a ritual in the annual Hajj pilgrimage where more than 2,000 pilgrims died in a stampede last year. Muslim pilgrims blamed the stampede on […]
‘Our goal is to make the pilgrims’ trip outstanding and memorable’
ARAB NEWS Published — Tuesday 8 December 2015 JEDDAH: Haj Minister Bandar Hajjar confirmed that the number of Umrah performers is expected to be consistent with the policy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which allows Muslims from all over the world to perform the pilgrimage. In an exclusive interview, […]
In Mecca I saw little of Islam’s compassion, but a lot of Saudi Arabia’s neglect
Sabreena Razaq Hussain I am grateful to be alive after a distressing Hajj experience – and urge all Muslims to protest about the inhumane treatment of pilgrims. Radical change is needed ‘Much of the poor management of the hajj stems from the actual functioning of Saudi Arabia itself.’ Photograph: Ahmad […]
The Haj journey of black Americans 50 years after Malcolm X
American Muslims Zainab Nasir, left, Shahidah Sharif, Jamila Rashid, second left, and an unidentified friend walk outside the Grand Mosque, Makkah. (AP) AYA BATRAWY | AP Published — Friday […]
As insults fly, Iran-Saudi haj row aggravates regional rifts
Reuters International SEP 28, 2015 – 12:56 By Bozorgmehr Sharafedin and Noah Browning DUBAI (Reuters) – For regional adversaries at loggerheads over the crises in Iraq, Syria and Yemen, the disaster at the haj is unlikely to be a game changer in the contest between Iran and Saudi Arabia, merely […]
(Saudi) Citizen offers free use of taxis to Hajis
SERVING PILGRIMS: One of the taxi units in Makkah which is offering free rides to pilgrims. (Sabq) RODOLFO C. ESTIMO JR. Published — Saturday 26 September 2015 ARABNEWS.COM RIYADH: A concerned Saudi citizen has joined collective efforts of both the government and private sectors in rendering service to […]
Mecca stampede Live: Nearly 717 Haj pilgrims killed in Mina, 863 injured
Mecca stampede Live: Nearly 717 Haj pilgrims killed in Mina, 863 injured [ Photos+Video] By Johnlee Varghese September 24, 2015 Bodies are removed after a hajj stampede in Mena, outside Mecca.Reuters File Muslim pilgrims holding umbrellas to shelter from the heat walk on a […]
Being a sincere pilgrim
HEART OF UMMAH: During Haj some three million Muslims travel to the Holy Sites in Makkah to seek repentance for their sins and ask the Creator for the innermost desires of their hearts. Dr. Saleh As-Saleh Published — Friday 18 September 2015 This is a journey that was taken […]
Haj: Make it convenient by better preparation
Arab News Published — Friday 11 September 2015 Since Haj is once-in-a-lifetime experience for most people, the importance of early and adequate preparation cannot be over-emphasized. In this concluding section of a three-part series, some guidelines have been given to get you started in the right direction. Since individual […]
Getting ready for lifetime journey
ARAB NEWS Published — Friday 28 August 2015 Haj is one of the five pillars of Islam. All Muslims who fulfill certain conditions must perform Haj at least once […]
‘Mecca has been turned into Disneyland’
‘Mecca has been turned into Disneyland’ A new book about Mecca will outrage the hostage-beheading fanatics of ISIL, says Michael Kerr – who talks to the author By Michael Kerr 11:39AM BST 02 Oct 2014 After his fifth pilgrimage to Mecca, Ziauddin Sardar was congratulating himself on having done […]