[PICTURES/VIDEOS] Saudi Arabia receives first foreign Haj pilgrims since before pandemic

[MenInG]

Saudi to gradually resume Umrah from October 4

Saudi Arabia will gradually resume the year-round Umrah pilgrimage for Muslims from October 4, the interior ministry said, seven months after it was suspended because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The kingdom had suspended Umrah in March and later scaled back the annual Haj in a blow to millions of pilgrims around the world amid fears that the coronavirus could spread to Islam's holiest sites.

In the first stage, “6,000 citizens and residents within the kingdom will be allowed to perform Umrah per day from October 4”, the ministry said in a statement published by the official Saudi Press Agency.

Visitors from outside the kingdom will be permitted from November 1, when Umrah's capacity will be raised to 20,000 pilgrims per day, the ministry added.

The ministry said umrah would be allowed to resume at full “natural capacity” once the threat of the pandemic is eliminated, AFP reported.

 

[MenInG]

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia will reopen the holy places for the year-round Umra pilgrimage on Sunday, scaled back and with extensive health precautions, seven months after coronavirus prompted its suspension.

Umra usually attracts millions of Muslims from across the globe each year.

It will be revived in three stages, with the initial phase seeing just 6,000 citizens and residents already within the kingdom allowed to take part each day.

“In the first stage, the Umra will be performed meticulously and within a specified period of time,” Haj Minister Mohammad Benten told state television last week.

He said pilgrims will be divided into groups to ensure social distancing within the Grand Mosque in Makkah.

Visitors from abroad to be permitted from Nov 1

Worshippers will on Sunday be able to perform the ritual of circling the sacred Kaaba along socially distanced paths.

On October 18, the number of pilgrims will be increased to 15,000 per day, with a maximum of 40,000 people allowed to perform prayers at the mosque.

Visitors from abroad will be permitted from November 1, when capacity will be raised to 20,000 pilgrims, with 60,000 people allowed into the mosque.

The decision to resume the pilgrimage was in response to the “aspirations of Muslims at home and abroad” to perform the ritual and visit the holy sites, the interior ministry said last month.

It added that Umra will be allowed to return to full capacity once the threat of the pandemic has abated.

Until then, the health ministry will vet countries from which pilgrims are allowed to enter based on the health risks.

Those wishing to perform Umra must apply through two mobile applications: one to register they are free from the virus, and another from which they can obtain a permit.

Saudi Arabia suspended Umra in March and scaled back the annual Haj over fears that the coronavirus could spread to Islam’s holiest cities.

Haj went ahead in late July, on the smallest scale in modern history, with only up to 10,000 Muslims allowed to take part — a far cry from the 2.5 million who participated last year.

State media have said that a raft of precautions have been adopted to ward off any outbreaks during Umra.

The revered Black Stone in the eastern corner of the holy Kaaba will be out of reach, while the Grand Mosque will be regularly sterilised before each group of worshippers leaves the place.

Each group will be accompanied by a health worker and medical teams will be on the ground in case of an emergency.

The pilgrimages are a massive logistical challenge, with colossal crowds cramming into relatively small holy sites, making them vulnerable to contagion.

https://www.dawn.com/news/1582940/saudi-arabia-to-reopen-holy-sites-for-umra-after-7-month-pause

 

[MenInG]

Some 10,000 foreign pilgrims are arriving in Saudi Arabia to perform Umrah after a seven-month pause because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The pilgrims must isolate for three days after arrival before being transported to religious sites, according to Amr Al-Maddah, deputy minister of Hajj and Umrah.

They will be allowed a 10-day stay in the kingdom.

Al-Maddah said the testing of pilgrims – who are all 50 years old or younger – for COVID-19 will be continuous and any cases detected will be closely monitored.

Millions of Muslims from around the world usually travel to Saudi Arabia for the Umrah and Hajj pilgrimages. The two share common rites but the Hajj, held once a year, is a lengthier ritual that a once-in-a-lifetime duty for Muslims.

Saudi Arabia, which held a largely symbolic Hajj earlier this year limited to domestic worshippers, began allowing citizens and residents to perform the Umrah last month at 30-percent capacity, or 6,000 pilgrims a day.

Last year the Gulf state drew 19 million Umrah visitors.

Before the pandemic, more than 1,300 hotels and hundreds of stores buzzed around the clock to cater to pilgrims visiting the holy cities of Mecca and Medina. Those have been largely empty in recent months.

Worshippers are no longer allowed to touch the Kaaba – a stone structure draped in black cloth embroidered in gold with verses from the Quran. The Kaaba is the most sacred structure in Islam and the direction that Muslims face to pray; touching it is considered a great honour that pilgrims treasured in the past.

Pilgrimage is the backbone of a plan to expand tourism under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s drive to diversify the economy of the world’s top oil exporter. It aimed to boost Umrah visitors to 15 million by 2020, a plan disrupted by the coronavirus pandemic, and to 30 million by 2030.

The religious pilgrimage generates $12bn in revenues from worshippers’ lodging, transport, gifts, food and fees, according to official data.

Saudi Arabia hosted a drastically reduced Hajj in late July for the first time in modern history, with a few thousand domestic pilgrims instead of the usual white-clad sea of some three million Muslims.

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/11/1/saudi-arabia-allows-foreign-pilgrims-to-enter-for-umrah

 

[MenInG]

RIYADH: Authorities said on Tuesday that 150,000 people would be allowed to perform Umrah or prayers daily at Makkah’s Grand Mosque during Ramadan, which starts next week.

The General Presidency for the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques said up to 100,000 worshippers would be allowed to pray at the Grand Mosque and that 50,000 pilgrims will be allowed to perform Umrah, as part of its plan to increase operational capacity.
The Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Guidance and Dawah said that Umrah permits will be given to pilgrims aged 65 and over who had already been vaccinated against coronavirus.

Sheikh Abdulrahman Al-Sudais, head of the Presidency of the Two Holy Mosques, said that inoculation is a requirement for entering the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah.

Minister of Islamic Affairs Dr. Abdullatif Al-Asheikh on Tuesday issued a directive with precautionary measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus during Ramadan.

It said that iftar, suhur and itikaf inside mosques during Ramadan would be suspended, while the number of locations for Eid Al-Fitr prayers would be expanded.

Al-Asheikh said that matters related to holding tarawih and qiyam prayers in mosques would be announced later.

The deputy minister of Hajj and Umrah, Dr. Abdel Fattah Mashat, said people wishing to perform Umrah during Ramadan would have to submit a permit application through the Tawakkalna app not the Eatmarna app, and that there would be an update in the coming days to provide the permits.

Permits will be distributed on a weekly basis during Ramadan for pilgrims and people wishing to pray at the Two Holy Mosques, he added, and new openings would be available with any cancellations.


Saudi Arabia on Tuesday reported 792 new cases of COVID-19, raising the total to 394,169.
There are 6,686 active cases, 846 of which are critical.

The Riyadh region reported the highest number of new infections with 363, the Makkah region reported 154, and the Eastern Province reported 112 cases.

Tuesday’s lowest figures came from the Northern Borders regions with 11 cases followed by Baha, which recorded eight new cases.
The Kingdom’s number of COVID-19 recoveries rose to 380,772, while the death toll rose to 6,711 following a further seven coronavirus-related deaths in the past 24 hours.

There have been 62,432 PCR tests in the past 24 hours, increasing the total carried out so far to more than 15.4 million.
As of Tuesday, more than 5.2 million COVID-19 vaccines had been administered at a rate of 127,115 a day.

 

[OMB]

Sources say Saudi Arabia considering barring overseas Haj pilgrims for second year: Reuters


Saudi Arabia is considering barring overseas pilgrims from the annual Haj for the second year running as Covid-19 cases rise globally and worries grow about the emergence of new variants, two sources familiar with the matter told Reuters on Wednesday.

Such a move would restrict the pilgrimage to Mecca, a once in a lifetime duty for every able-bodied Muslim who can afford it, to Saudi nationals and residents of the kingdom who were vaccinated or have recovered from Covid-19 at least months prior to attending.

While discussions about a possible ban have taken place, there has been no final decision on whether to pursue it, they said.

Before the pandemic enforced social distancing globally, some 2.5 million pilgrims used to visit the holiest sites of Islam in Mecca and Medina for the week-long Haj, and the lesser, year-round Umrah pilgrimage, which altogether earned the kingdom about $12 billion a year, according to official data.

As part of economic reform plans pursued by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the kingdom was hoping to raise the number of Umrah and Haj pilgrims to 15 million and 5 million respectively by 2020, and aimed to double the Umrah number again to 30 million by 2030. It aims to earn 50 billion riyals ($13.32 billion) of revenues from the Haj alone by 2030.

Two sources familiar with the matter said authorities have suspended earlier plans to host pilgrims from overseas, and will only allow domestic pilgrims who have been vaccinated or have recovered from Covid-19 at least six months before the pilgrimage.

Restrictions will be applied on the age of participants as well, one of the sources said.

A second source said the plans were initially to allow some numbers of vaccinated pilgrims from abroad, but confusion over types of vaccines, their efficacy and the emergence of new variants has pushed officials to reconsider.

The government media office did not respond to a request for comment.

Saudi Arabia, which stakes its reputation on its guardianship of Islam’s holiest sites in Mecca and Medina, barred foreigners from the Haj last year due to the pandemic for the first time in the kingdom's modern history, allowing it only to a limited number of Saudi citizens and residents.

Covid-19 infections are still rising in 35 countries globally. There have been at least 153,508,000 reported infections and 3,351,000 reported deaths caused by the new coronavirus so far.

India leads the world in the daily average number of new deaths reported, accounting for one in every four deaths reported worldwide each day.

Crowds of millions of pilgrims from around the world could be a hotbed for virus transmission, and in the past some worshippers have returned to their countries with respiratory and other diseases.

In February, the government suspended entry to the kingdom from 20 countries, with the exception of diplomats, Saudi citizens, medical practitioners and their families, to help curb the spread of the new coronavirus.

The ban, which is still in place to date, includes people arriving from the United Arab Emirates, Germany, the United States, Britain, South Africa, France, Egypt, Lebanon, India and Pakistan.

https://www.dawn.com/news/1622195/sources-say-saudi-arabia-considering-barring-overseas-haj-pilgrims-for-second-year-reuters

 

[MenInG]

FO takes up vaccine issue with Saudi govt

The Foreign Office on Saturday said it had taken up with the Saudi government the issue of the kingdom denying entry to Pakistani Hajj pilgrims, who were vaccinated against Covid-19 with Chinese jabs.

It asked the Saudi authorities to register Chinese vaccines including Sinopharm and Sinovac in their list of approved jabs.

The Foreign Office informed the kingdom that it was difficult to obtain vaccines from countries other than China.

It further said now that a large population of Pakistanis had been administered with the Chinese vaccine, doctors did not recommend giving them another jab.

The Pakistani authorities requested the Saudi health ministry to recognise the Chinese vaccines as they had also been approved by the World Health Organisation.

 

[MenInG]

Minister for Religious Affairs Noorul Haq Qadri said on Sunday that the Saudi Arabia government has allowed 60,000 pilgrims to perform Haj this year under strict Covid-19 standard operating procedures (SOPs).

In a statement, he said that 15,000 of the pilgrims will be local while the remaining 45,000 will be allowed from different parts of the world. The minister hoped that Pakistan would also get a quota in the 45,000 international pilgrims.

"In addition to making the announcement, the Saudi government has also issued a nine-page [document] regarding precautionary measures and conditions."

He said that pilgrims between 18 to 60 years of age will be allowed to perform Haj and will also have to present a fitness certificate. Qadri also urged those wishing to perform Haj to continue their preparations according to the directions issued by the Saudi government.

"A negative PCR test and a Covid vaccination certificate will be mandatory," he said.

Saudi Arabia, which stakes its reputation on its guardianship of Islam’s holiest sites, barred foreigners from the Haj last year due to the pandemic for the first time in the kingdom's modern history, allowing it only to a limited number of Saudi citizens and residents.

Before the pandemic enforced social distancing globally, some 2.5 million pilgrims used to visit the holiest sites of Islam in Makkah and Madina for the week-long Haj, and the lesser, year-round Umrah pilgrimage, which altogether earned the kingdom about $12 billion a year, according to official data.

As part of economic reform plans pursued by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the kingdom was hoping to raise the number of Umrah and Haj pilgrims to 15 million and 5 million respectively by 2020, and aimed to double the Umrah number again to 30 million by 2030. It aims to earn 50 billion riyals ($13.32 billion) of revenues from the Haj alone by 2030.

DAWN

 

[MenInG]

Saudi Arabia ‘yet to decide’ number of Hajj pilgrims from Pakistan

Minister for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony Pir Noorul Haq Qadri has said the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has not yet taken a final decision about the number of pilgrims and SOPs (standard operating procedures) for Hajj 2021 owing to pandemic.

In a video statement on Sunday, he said that Saudi Minister for Hajj and Umrah in a telephonic conversation with him had confirmed that Hajj policy 2021 had not been finalised and media reports about the number of pilgrims were mere recommendations from the Saudi Ministry of Health.

The Saudi authorities have not yet taken a final decision on these suggestions.

 

[MenInG]

Minister for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony Noorul Haq Qadri has said that Hajj this year would be a bit costlier, however, the exact estimation could only be made after final announcement by the Saudi authorities regarding the standard operating procedures (SOPs) and number of pilgrims for the religious practice.

In an interview with a TV channel, he said that Saudi Arabia had not announced the Hajj policy yet but Pakistan had completed the arrangements to send limited pilgrims to the kingdom.

“This year's Hajj would be a bit costlier as compared to the expenses incurred on the pilgrimage previously due to adequate coronavirus SOPs.”

The minister maintained that it would not be possible for Saudi Arabia to make normal arrangements as little time is left for Hajj.

Qadri explained that the Pakistan government was in contact with Saudi Arabia and the kingdom also wanted to take major Muslim countries into confidence before making a final decision.

“Saudi Arabia is formulating strict SOPs to counter coronavirus during Hajj and Pakistan would be ensuring implementation on them,” he said.

“All pilgrims will have to take negative coronavirus test before departure and will have to be in quarantine for three days upon arrival in Saudi Arabia,” he added.

“Covid test will also be mandatory on arrival in Madina from Makkah and on returning back to Makkah.”

According to the minister, there will be a specific time for every country to perform Tawaf-e-Ziarat and Umrah to avoid rush.

As Saudi Arabia has banned people who have received vaccines other than the prescribed ones, Qadri said "Pakistan will convince Saudi Arabia to recognise Chinese vaccine as WHO has approved Sinopharm and most of Pakistanis have been administered this vaccine."

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony has urged the intending pilgrims not to book their slot for the upcoming hajj pilgrimage before the announcement of Hajj Policy.

A spokesman of the ministry said in a statement that some unscrupulous elements could inflict pecuniary losses to the intending pilgrims by wrongly promising them the share from the Hajj quota.

He said the booking agents did not have Hajj quota at the moment as the Saudi government had not yet announced the allocation for any country.

The spokesman asked the intending pilgrims to remain cautious and wait for the Hajj policy announcement as all such bookings shall be considered illegal before the ministry's announcement.

He said the ministry would announce Hajj Policy on receiving Hajj quota from the Saudi government.


Express Tribune

 

[MenInG]

Saudi Arabia to allow 60,000 vaccinated residents to perform Hajj

Saudi Arabia announced Saturday it will allow 60,000 vaccinated residents of the kingdom to perform the annual Hajj, state media reported.

The Hajj ministry said this year's pilgrimage would be "open for nationals and residents of the kingdom, limited to 60,000 pilgrims", according to the official Saudi Press Agency.

The pilgrimage, scheduled to be held at the end of July, would be limited to those who have been vaccinated and are below 65 years of age with no chronic illnesses, it said.

It will be the second year in a row that the kingdom hosts a downscaled Hajj amid the coronavirus pandemic.

 

[Last Monetarist]

https://www.dawn.com/news/1628971/in-telephone-call-saudi-fm-informs-qureshi-about-challenges-of-organising-haj

Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Saturday received a telephone call from his Saudi counterpart, Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, according to the Foreign Office (FO).

In a statement, the FO said that the Saudi minister apprised FM Qureshi about the challenges of organising Haj in 2021 and the policy measures taken by the kingdom in the interest of public health.

"Qureshi conveyed his understanding of the situation and expressed confidence in the decisions taken in public interest by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques," the statement said.

Earlier today, Saudi Arabia announced it will allow 60,000 vaccinated residents of the kingdom to perform the annual Haj.

The Haj ministry said this year's pilgrimage would be “open for nationals and residents of the kingdom, limited to 60,000 pilgrims”, according to the official Saudi Press Agency.

During the phone call, the two ministers reaffirmed the longstanding and fraternal ties between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. On behalf of Pakistan's leadership, Qureshi conveyed best wishes to King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.

The two also reviewed the outcomes of Prime Minister Imran Khan's recent visit to the kingdom and agreed to work together towards early and effective implementation of the decisions taken by the leadership of the two countries, the statement said.

"Qureshi also reaffirmed Pakistan's support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the kingdom," it added.

The foreign ministers also discussed bilateral cooperation in various fields, as well as cooperation in multilateral organisations. They also exchanged views on global and regional issues of mutual interest, the FO statement said.

It added that the foreign ministers of both countries hold frequent consultations on diverse issues. The two ministers met twice in May 2021; first, during PM Imran's visit to Saudi Arabia, and then on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly meeting on Palestine in New York, the statement said.

 

[MenInG]

Saudi Arabia has allowed women to register for the annual Hajj pilgrimage without a male guardian.

“Those wishing to perform Hajj will have to register individually. Women can register without a mahram [male guardian] along with other women,” Al Arabiya News quoted the Saudi Hajj ministry as saying.

Last week, Saudi Arabia had announced that it would allow 60,000 residents, vaccinated against Covid-19, to perform Hajj this year, as the kingdom bars Muslims from abroad from entering the country for the annual ritual for a second straight year.

The Hajj – a must for able-bodied Muslims at least once in their lives – typically packs millions of pilgrims into the holiest sites of Islam.

Because of the coronavirus pandemic, only up to 10,000 pilgrims took part in the Hajj in July last year, a far cry from the 2.5 million who participated in 2019.

This year’s pilgrimage, scheduled to be held in July, would be limited to those who have been vaccinated and are aged 18-65 with no chronic illnesses, the Hajj ministry said.

The Hajj would be “open for nationals and residents of the kingdom, limited to 60,000 pilgrims”, the ministry added.

“In light of what the whole world is witnessing with the coronavirus pandemic... and the emergence of new variants, the relevant authorities have continued to monitor the global health situation,” said the health ministry in a separate statement.

“Considering the large crowds that perform Hajj, spending long periods of time in multiple and specific places... requires the highest levels of health precautions,” the statement added, according to the official Saudi Press Agency (SPA).

 

[MenInG]

Immunised pilgrims gather for haj as Covid restrictions limit numbers

Muslim pilgrims vaccinated against Covid-19 gathered on Sunday for the annual haj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia, which has barred worshippers from abroad for a second year running due to the pandemic and has also restricted entry from inside the kingdom.

Clad in white and carrying umbrellas against the blistering summer sun, 60,000 Saudi citizens and residents are performing the rite, a once-in-a-lifetime duty for every able-bodied Muslim who can afford it, compared with some 2.5 million in 2019.

 

[MenInG]

Saudi Arabia will gradually begin receiving Umrah pilgrimage requests from abroad for vaccinated pilgrims starting August 9 after about a year and a half of not receiving overseas worshippers due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the state news agency, SPA, reported early on Sunday.

With a capacity that would rise to 2 million pilgrims from 60,000 pilgrims per month, Mecca and Medina will start welcoming visitors from abroad to their mosques while maintaining Covid-19 precautionary measures.

An official in the Hajj and Umrah Ministry said domestic and overseas pilgrims will have to include authorised Covid-19 vaccination certificates along with their Umrah request.

Vaccinated pilgrims from countries that Saudi Arabia includes on its entry-ban list will have to be institutionally quarantined upon arrival, the report added.

The Kingdom also decided to allow entry to foreign travellers fully vaccinated with either Sinopharm or Sinovac vaccines, provided that they also receive a booster shot of either of the four vaccines approved by the Kingdom, according to the country's e-visa portal.

"Guests who have completed two doses of the Sinopharm or Sinovac vaccines will be accepted if they have received an additional dose of one of the four vaccines approved in the Kingdom," one of the guidelines for travellers on the portal says. The four approved vaccines are Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson.

 

[Kroll]

Saudi Arabia will gradually begin receiving Umrah pilgrimage requests from abroad for vaccinated pilgrims starting August 9 after about a year and a half of not receiving overseas worshippers due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the state news agency, SPA, reported early on Sunday.

With a capacity that would rise to 2 million pilgrims from 60,000 pilgrims per month, Mecca and Medina will start welcoming visitors from abroad to their mosques while maintaining Covid-19 precautionary measures.

An official in the Hajj and Umrah Ministry said domestic and overseas pilgrims will have to include authorised Covid-19 vaccination certificates along with their Umrah request.

Vaccinated pilgrims from countries that Saudi Arabia includes on its entry-ban list will have to be institutionally quarantined upon arrival, the report added.

The Kingdom also decided to allow entry to foreign travellers fully vaccinated with either Sinopharm or Sinovac vaccines, provided that they also receive a booster shot of either of the four vaccines approved by the Kingdom, according to the country's e-visa portal.

"Guests who have completed two doses of the Sinopharm or Sinovac vaccines will be accepted if they have received an additional dose of one of the four vaccines approved in the Kingdom," one of the guidelines for travellers on the portal says. The four approved vaccines are Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson.

This is disgraceful from the Saudis. Preventing people who choose not to take the vaccine the opportunity to go and pray at the home of their Lord and make dua's and give blessings at the resting place of the Holy Prophet PBUH.

 

[Halaribo]

This is disgraceful from the Saudis. Preventing people who choose not to take the vaccine the opportunity to go and pray at the home of their Lord and make dua's and give blessings at the resting place of the Holy Prophet PBUH.

Why is it disgraceful? You think this is the first vaccine Saudi has said is mandatory?

You'd be okay with Yellow Fever and Polio breaking out during Hajj?

 

[Kroll]

Why is it disgraceful? You think this is the first vaccine Saudi has said is mandatory?

You'd be okay with Yellow Fever and Polio breaking out during Hajj?

There's bit of a difference as regards to these other vaccines. Yellow Fever relates to countries mostly in Africa and the Polio one is mandatory to only three countries.

There is still a significant minority who do not or are sceptical about taking the Covid vaccine and that is their basic human right. However, the Saudis have put a blanket requirement on this knowing the vaccine still doesn't prevent Covid infection and transmission.

I'm not pro or against, I'm just saying the Saudis should acknowledge the concerns of some people. They should at least explore additional options instead forcing Muslims to take a vaccine to exercise their fundamental right to visit their holy places.

 

[Halaribo]

There's bit of a difference as regards to these other vaccines. Yellow Fever relates to countries mostly in Africa and the Polio one is mandatory to only three countries.

There is still a significant minority who do not or are sceptical about taking the Covid vaccine and that is their basic human right. However, the Saudis have put a blanket requirement on this knowing the vaccine still doesn't prevent Covid infection and transmission.

I'm not pro or against, I'm just saying the Saudis should acknowledge the concerns of some people. They should at least explore additional options instead forcing Muslims to take a vaccine to exercise their fundamental right to visit their holy places.

The rights of our deen is not limited by geography. The case for those people originating from the country's afflicted by the above diseases, by your logic, should be as valid as anyone who feels they have barriers to attending hajj/umrah due to Covid vaccine.

It's also everyone elses human right to be protected from a disease when they come to worship and knowing that everything has been done to make their experience as safe as possible.

Islamically, I would be confident in arguing that Saudi's position is the logical one. Not only do we have the concept of quarantine clearly established within hadith, we also have the etiquette of consideration for others and the commonsense around medicine and treating illnesses.

Nowhere in Islam is there an expectation to potentially harm the masses for the sake of worship. The more significant form of worship would be the saving of lives.

Obviously, I say the above in the context of a global pandemic and infectious diseases amongst large gatherings, before people start accusing me of saying that hajj/umrah/salat is some minor thing.

We should be giving thanks that Allah has blessed us to even have the opportunity to attend in some way. InshaAllah, things will get better in future.

 

[Kroll]

The rights of our deen is not limited by geography. The case for those people originating from the country's afflicted by the above diseases, by your logic, should be as valid as anyone who feels they have barriers to attending hajj/umrah due to Covid vaccine.

It's also everyone elses human right to be protected from a disease when they come to worship and knowing that everything has been done to make their experience as safe as possible.

Islamically, I would be confident in arguing that Saudi's position is the logical one. Not only do we have the concept of quarantine clearly established within hadith, we also have the etiquette of consideration for others and the commonsense around medicine and treating illnesses.

Nowhere in Islam is there an expectation to potentially harm the masses for the sake of worship. The more significant form of worship would be the saving of lives.

Obviously, I say the above in the context of a global pandemic and infectious diseases amongst large gatherings, before people start accusing me of saying that hajj/umrah/salat is some minor thing.

We should be giving thanks that Allah has blessed us to even have the opportunity to attend in some way. InshaAllah, things will get better in future.

I'm not talking about other vaccines. My point was this vaccine is new and some people are rightly concerned about taking it as its full effects are yet to be established in the long run.

Other countries are allowing in visitors with negative Covid test results etc. If they have to force people to quarantine, then those that openly against the vaccine would probably be happy to take that option.

 

[MenInG]

ISLAMABAD:Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has confirmed that local pilgrims aged from 12 to 18 can obtain Umrah permits if they have received two vaccine doses.

The announcement follows the inauguration of the 2021 Umrah season on August 10.

More than 13,000 permits were issued for this age group, allowing them to perform Umrah and visit the Prophet’s (PBUH) Mosque.

Deputy Minister of Hajj and Umrah Dr Abdul-Fattah bin Suleiman Mashat said that Umrah permits are issued through the Eatmarna and Tawakkalna applications, with an integrated system of services and preventive measures ensuring the safety and health of those wishing to perform Umrah rituals, Arab News reported.

Mashat said that the ministry worked with other authorities before this year’s Umrah season to establish executive mechanisms and create a safe environment for pilgrims.

He highlighted the need to adhere to health procedures established by the ministry to ensure the safety of pilgrims and those serving them, and to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

Umrah permits must be obtained through the Eatmarna and Tawakkalna applications, the deputy minister added.

Also read: Saudi Arabia opens Umrah to vaccinated foreign pilgrims

On Sunday, the kingdom's state news agency, SPA, said that Saudi Arabia would gradually begin receiving Umrah pilgrimage requests from abroad for vaccinated pilgrims starting August 9 after about a year and a half of not receiving overseas worshippers due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

With a capacity that would rise to 2 million pilgrims from 60,000 pilgrims per month, Mecca and Medina will start welcoming visitors from abroad to their mosques while maintaining Covid-19 precautionary measures.

An official in the Hajj and Umrah Ministry said domestic and overseas pilgrims will have to include authorised Covid-19 vaccination certificates along with their Umrah request.

Vaccinated pilgrims from countries that Saudi Arabia includes on its entry-ban list will have to be institutionally quarantined upon arrival, the report added.

 

[MenInG]

Saudi Arabia will ease Covid-19 curbs from October 17, the interior ministry said on Friday, in response to a sharp drop in daily infections and a considerable development in vaccinations.

The government will lift social distancing measures and will allow full-capacity attendance at the country's two Holy Mosques in Makkah and Madina for those who have taken the full dose of vaccines, the ministry added.

The authorities also cancelled curbs on fully vaccinated people at closed venues, gatherings, transportation, restaurants and cinemas.

Masks are no longer mandatory at public open places while still imposed at closed venues, it added.

On Tuesday, Saudi Arabia's General Authority of Civil Aviation issued a circular, stating that work visa and residential permit holders can directly visit the country under the new guidelines.

“All airlines must ensure the proof of confirmed booking at one of the airlines' approved passenger quarantine facilities,” read the circular issued to all airlines. It added that passengers must show the QR Code before boarding the plane.

As per the notification, it is necessary for all airlines to verify the registration of passengers on the arrival platform. “Such passengers will be exempted from institutional quarantine, while legal action will be taken against the violators,” it read.

https://tribune.com.pk/story/232492...nce-at-grand-mosques-in-makkah-madina-allowed

 

[MenInG]

MAKKAH:
The Grand Mosque in the Muslim holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia operated at full capacity Sunday, with worshippers praying shoulder-to-shoulder for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic began.

Workers removed floor markings that guide people to social distance in and around the Grand Mosque, which is built around the Kaaba, the black cubic structure towards which Muslims around the world pray.

“This is in line with the decision to ease precautionary measures and to allow pilgrims and visitors to the Grand Mosque at full capacity,” reported the official Saudi Press Agency.

Pictures and footage on Sunday morning showed people praying side by side, making straight rows of worshippers that are formations revered in performing Muslim prayers, for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic took hold last year.

While social distancing measures were lifted, the authorities said visitors must be fully vaccinated against coronavirus and must continue to wear masks on mosque grounds.

Also, the Kaaba remained cordoned off and out of reach.

Saudi Arabia announced in August it will begin accepting vaccinated foreigners wanting to make the umrah pilgrimage.

The umrah can be undertaken at any time and usually draws millions from around the globe, as does the annual hajj, which abled-bodied Muslims who have the means must perform at least once in their lifetime.

In July, only around 60,000 inoculated residents were allowed to take part in a vastly scaled down form of the annual hajj.

The COVID-19 pandemic hugely disrupted both Muslim pilgrimages, which are usually key revenue earners for the kingdom that rake in a combined $12 billion annually.

Hosting the pilgrimages is a matter of prestige for Saudi rulers, for whom the custodianship of Islam’s holiest sites is their most powerful source of political legitimacy.

The once-reclusive kingdom began issuing tourist visas permitting foreign visitors to undertake more than just the pilgrimages for the first time in 2019 as part of an ambitious push to revamp its global image and diversify income.

Between September 2019 and March 2020, it issued 400,000 of them—only for the pandemic to crush that momentum as borders were closed.

But the kingdom is slowly opening up, and has started welcoming vaccinated foreign tourists since August 1.

Saudi Arabia also announced that fully-inoculated sports fans will from Sunday be allowed to attend events at all stadiums and other sports facilities, reported SPA.

It has also said that masks in most open spaces are no longer mandatory.

Saudi Arabia has registered over 547,000 coronavirus cases and 8,760 deaths.

 

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The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) has launched a virtual reality (VR) technology initiative that would allow Muslims from around the world to touch Hajr-e-Aswad (sacred Black Stone) of the Holy Ka'aba in Makkah virtually, according to AlArabiya News.

The Saudi publication reported that the initiative, which aims to use VR and digital experiences that simulate reality, was launched by General President for the Affairs of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s (PBUH) Mosque Sheikh Dr Abdulrahman bin Abdulaziz Al-Sudais.

The 'Virtual Black Stone Initiative' would be part of the Kingdom’s Agency for Exhibitions and Museums Affairs represented by the General Administration of Digital Exhibitions. It would be in cooperation with the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Institute for Hajj and Umrah Research at the University of Umm al-Qura.

Earlier in May, for the first time in history, Saudi officials captured crystal clear close-up images of the Hajr-e-Aswad.

Adviser to the Saudi information ministry had said that it took seven hours to take the pictures which are up to 49,000 megapixels.

He said since the Black Stone is a “piece of Jannah and the first-ever high-resolution pictures reflect how beautiful paradise would be...”

Hajr-e-Aswad is situated in the eastern corner of the Ka'aba and is thought to be whole, which can be seen placed in a silver encasement, but it is actually comprised of eight small rocks that are moulded together using Arabic frankincense, according to AlArabiya News.

The smallest stone is no bigger than 1CM, while the biggest does not exceed 2CM. The encasement, made out of pure silver, only serves as a protection mechanism for the sacred stone.

https://tribune.com.pk/story/233435...ables-muslims-to-touch-hajr-e-aswad-virtually

 

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After a gap of two years, Saudi Arabia has decided to resume Aitekaf at the Grand Mosque in Makkah and the Prophet's Mosque in Madina during the holy month of Ramazan, according to a report carried by the Saudi Gazette newspaper on Wednesday.

The announcement was made by Dr Abdul Rahman Al-Sudais, head of the General Presidency for the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques, in an annual meeting held to launch the presidency's plan for this year's Ramazan. He said that the presidency will soon start issuing permits through its official website.

"They will be in line with specific conditions and set criteria," Al-Sudais added. The Covid-19 pandemic has hugely disrupted pilgrimage to the holy land. The development came as Pakistan urged Saudi Arabia for early signing of an agreement for smooth sailing of the Hajj operation during the current year.

The request to the effect was extended by a Pakistani delegation led by Religious Affairs Secretary Sardar Ajaz Ahmad Khan Jaffar in a meeting with Saudi Deputy Minister of Hajj and Umrah Dr Abdelfattah bin Suleiman Mashat on the sidelines of the Conference and Exhibition of Hajj and Umrah Services titled “Transformation toward Innovation” in Jeddah.

It was observed that an early agreement would help the Religious Affairs Ministry frame the Hajj policy, including the timeframe for submission of applications by intending pilgrims and rest of the arrangements in an appropriate manner, according to a press release.

The secretary also discussed the Hajj expenses, quota, SOPs, Road to Makkah Project, Urdu help-lines and development of a mobile App, provision of economical camps in Mina and Arafat for both government and private Hajj schemes, and food hygiene.

Saudi Deputy Minister Dr Abdelfattah said his ministry would apprise the Pakistani officials soon about the Hajj quota and SOPs. He, however, asked Sardar Ajaz to take all anticipatory measures, keeping in view limited, moderate and full-fledged Hajj operation.

https://tribune.com.pk/story/2349387/aitekaf-to-resume-in-makkah

 

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Saudi Arabia expands Haj to 1 million pilgrims, easing Covid curbs

Saudi Arabia will let up to one million people join the Haj this year, greatly expanding the pilgrimage to participants from outside the kingdom after two years of tight Covid restrictions, state media said.

Pilgrims to Makkah this year must be under age 65 and fully vaccinated against the coronavirus, the ministry of Haj and Umrah said in a statement carried by the SPA news agency.

Participants from abroad will be allowed this year but must present a recent negative Covid PCR test, and health precautions will be observed, it said.

 

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Over 80,000 Pakistanis to perform Hajj this year

The Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has allotted a quota of 81,132 pilgrims to Pakistan for Hajj this year.
Hajj expenses, age limit, vaccines and other terms and conditions will be announced soon through Hajj Policy 2022.
The Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony will start receiving Hajj applications in next few days.
ISLAMABAD: The Saudi government has announced the 2022 Hajj quota, allowing 81,132 Pakistanis to perform Hajj this year.

According to official sources, the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony will start receiving the Hajj applications in the next few days through designated branches of the country's scheduled banks.

Hajj expenses, age limit, vaccines and other terms and conditions would be announced soon through the Hajj Policy 2022, it added. The sources said applications submitted by individuals or groups will be decided on through balloting. It said the distribution of Hajj quota between public and private Hajj schemes will be divided at a ratio of 60:40.

Earlier, Federal Minister for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony Mufti Abdul Shakoor said the Ministry’s officials should use their full potential to make the best arrangements for the upcoming Hajj and provide quality services to the pilgrims.

Receiving a detailed briefing on the activities and responsibilities of the ministry, he said Hajj was one of the basic pillars of Islam and to make this sacred obligation a success, we would have to sacrifice our comforts and provide all possible facilities to intending pilgrims.

The minister said the operation of Hajj 2022 was a big task for the ministry as it had a very short time to manage all the prerequisites for its smooth sailing. The minister expressed his determination to discharge his professional obligations in an efficient manner and said he expects the same from all other employees and officers of the ministry.

The briefing was given by the secretary and additional secretary and it was attended by all quarters concerned of the Religious Affairs Ministry.

https://www.geo.tv/latest/413288-over-80000-pakistanis-to-perform-hajj-this-year

 

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Saudi Arabia on Saturday welcomed its first batch of Haj pilgrims since before the coronavirus pandemic, which prompted authorities to sharply restrict the annual ritual.

The group from Indonesia landed in the city of Madina and was set to travel south to the holy city of Makkah in the coming weeks to prepare for the Haj next month, state media reported.

“Today we received the first group of this year's pilgrims from Indonesia, and the flights will continue from Malaysia and India,” Mohammed al-Bijawi of the country's Haj Ministry told the state-run Al-Ekhbariya channel.

“Today we are happy to receive the guests of God from outside the kingdom, after a two-year interruption due to the pandemic,” he added, describing Saudi Arabia as “fully prepared” to accommodate them.

DAWN

 

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The UK hajj travel industry is at risk of collapse after Saudi Arabia announced an overhaul of the pilgrimage entry system this week.

A Twitter account, which routinely issues updates on matters relating to the two holy mosques in Saudi, revealed details of an online government portal where travellers from selected countries, including the UK, can register their interest before being randomly selected to travel.

The hajj is an annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, the holiest city for Muslims.

The new portal cuts out UK-based agents who typically organise the trip for around 25,000 British Muslims each year. Companies that have customers with existing bookings will be obliged by the Package Travel Regulations to refund their customers.

Travel agent and hajj guide Abu Sayed Ansarey described the situation as a "nightmare" and said it threatens to wipe out the estimated £175m industry.

"This is our income and there are many agents who survive on this. We also contribute to the British economy," he told Sky News as he revealed he faced paying back nearly £280,000 in refunds.

Mr Ansarey explained that many of his clients are reluctant to send money overseas without adequate protections.

"I told them they can get their money back but they say it's not about money, they want to go to hajj with someone they know.

"They want to go the way their predecessors went, with hajj guides like myself."

As Sky News set up to film with Mr Ansarey, he received a call from a worried client who expressed concerns about consumer protection with the new system.

"I've heard it's not ATOL protected," the customer said, referring to the UK's financial protection scheme for air package holidays. "I don't want to book using this portal."

Yasmin Qureshi, Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Hajj and Umrah, says she has warned the Saudi government that their packages do not meet UK travel regulations.

"I have written to the Ministry about the whole portal rollout," she told Sky News.

"If something goes wrong, what is the ultimate comeback for the pilgrim? On the old system, you had ATOL protected packages, so if anything went wrong we had compensation."

The Saudi government has not made any public announcements to confirm or deny the reports but the portal, called Motawif, is up and running. When Sky News contacted the company it confirmed the system is designed to tackle fraud and make hajj more accessible. On its website, it says it is the first portal in the sector to revolutionise the direct-to-consumer booking process.

The UK-hajj travel industry does have a history of fraud with some illegitimate operators disappearing with thousands of pounds of pilgrims' money.

One person speaking to Sky News on condition of anonymity said he backs the idea of a universal system for hajj packages but that rolling it out just one month ahead of the pilgrimage has left his family frustrated.

"My wife has been wanting to go for many years and we waited for the pandemic to make way and then booked it straight away. My children skimped and saved for this," he said.

"It's a non-refundable deposit and we stand to lose £6,000. But my real objection is that it's so late to make this announcement and we still haven't really been told anything.

"If it was my own choice, I wouldn't enter the hajj-lottery this year because I'd like to see how it works before I send such a large amount of money internationally. It's not nice being the guinea pig."

The Civil Aviation Authority recommends travel insurance and using appropriate credit cards where possible.

SKY

 

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Israel’s regional cooperation minister said on Thursday that he had asked Saudi Arabia to admit direct flights from Tel Aviv for Muslim pilgrims, pointing to a possible new accommodation by Riyadh ahead of next week’s visit by US President Joe Biden.

Israeli officials have also been seeking expanded permission for their airlines to fly over Saudi soil to Asian destinations.

Saudi Arabia does not recognise Israel and has said nothing of possible bilateral developments during Biden’s visit. Israel has also shied from drawing such links.

But a person in Washington who was familiar with the matter said the new aviation deals sought by Israel could be announced around the time of Biden’s visit, but that details still needed to be worked out and may not be completed in time.

Regional Cooperation Minister Esawi Freij said Israel has been working to bring what he deemed as “under the counter” contacts between the countries — based mostly on commercial interests and shared worries about Iran — more into the open.

“I want to see the day when I can depart from Ben-Gurion (airport near Tel Aviv) to Jeddah to fulfil my religious obligation” of pilgrimage to Makkah, said Freij, a member of Israel’s 18 per cent Muslim minority.

“I took this matter up with Saudi Arabia and I really hope that day will come,” he told Israel’s Army Radio, without expanding on where or when such discussions took place.

Saudi Arabia has long admitted Muslim pilgrims from Israel, but they must travel through third countries. That ends up costing around $11,500 for a week-long stay, Freij said. Pilgrims from neighbouring Arab countries pay around half that.

When the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain established relations with Israel in 2020, Riyadh signalled its assent by providing a Saudi air corridor for Israeli planes headed to those Gulf states.

“We are in talks on getting general [Saudi] over-flight rights for destinations other than Dubai, Abu Dhabi or Manama. This will save significant time for reaching Asian destinations, for example,” an Israeli official told Reuters.

DAWN

 

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The barrier around the Holy Kaaba that was set up at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic has now finally been removed as the pilgrims can once again touch and kiss one of Islam's most revered relics – Hajar al Aswad (the Black Stone).

The General Presidency for the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques has formulated an advanced plan to organise the prayer of pilgrims and worshipers in the Hijr Ismail and kissing of AlHajar al Aswad (the Black Stone) in a safe, spiritual and healthy atmosphere, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

"This is under the guidance and follow-up of Sheikh Abdul Rahman al Sudais, head of the presidency," it added.

The presidency works, in the participation of authorities concerned, to provide the best possible services to the Two Holy Mosques as well as to the pilgrims and worshipers to perform their rituals in ease and comfort.

"This is through an advanced organisational plan that was formulated in fulfilment of the aspirations of the Saudi rulers to provide the finest services to the pilgrims and visitors of the Grand Mosque."

It is noteworthy that Hijr Ismail is considered as part of the Holy Kaaba. It is part of the Hateem, which is the crescent-shaped area immediately adjacent to the Holy Kaaba.

Hijr Ismail was the place where Prophet Ibrahim (May God Be Pleased With Him) constructed a shelter for his son Ismail and his wife Hajrah. It must be noted that an area of approximately three metres adjacent to the wall on the side of the Hateem actually constitutes as being part of the Kaaba while the rest falls outside Islam’s holiest shrine. It is a Sunnah to perform voluntary prayer inside Hijr Ismail.

Earlier, the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah announced that there would be options on the Eatmarna and Tawakkalna applications to book appointments for the rituals of kissing the Black Stone, touching the Yemeni Corner (Al-Rukn Al-Yamaani), and performing prayer at Hijr Ismail. But later, the ministry clarified that there had been no service added to the Eatmarna application to book an appointment for these rituals.

Saudi Arabia dropped most of its stringent Covid-19 restrictions earlier this year, which meant that the Hajj pilgrimage last month was nearly back to normal for the first time since the pandemic started.

In 2020, only 1,000 people were allowed to attend Hajj, which is the holiest of all pilgrimages for Muslims. Only worshippers from Saudi Arabia were allowed to take part, and international pilgrims were banned.

Attendance increased to 60,000 in 2021, and in July this year, there were more than a million pilgrims worshipping in Makkah.

Express Tribune

 

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The government has decided, in principle, to give half of the Hajj quota of its citizens to Pakistanis living abroad aimed at saving the outflow of around $400 million, a move that underscores the implications of economic crisis for all walks of life.

Overseas Pakistanis can themselves perform Hajj or finance the expenses of someone living in Pakistan by availing of the quota, which the government is going to offer due to foreign currency shortage, according to government sources.

The decision was taken in a meeting between Finance Minister Ishaq Dar and Minister for Religious Affairs Mufti Abdul Shakoor. The matter will now be placed before the federal cabinet for approval, including the cost of Hajj, which may this year range from Rs1.2 million to Rs1.3 million per person, according to officials who attended the meeting.

“Because of foreign exchange-related constraints, it has been proposed that half of Pakistan’s Hajj quota may be allocated to overseas Pakistanis,” said Umar Butt, Assistant Director Media of the Ministry of Religious Affairs, after the meeting.

 

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DESIGNATED BANKS TO COLLECT HAJJ APPLICATIONS TODAY

The designated branches of all commercial banks will remain open today from 9 am to 2 pm to collect Hajj applications from the intending pilgrims.

The government has extended the Hajj Sponsorship Scheme till Friday next, whereas the date for receiving applications under the regular Hajj scheme has ended.

According to the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony, the decision to extend the date for Hajj Sponsorship Scheme has been taken due to difficulties faced by overseas Pakistanis in transferring funds for the purpose.

It is pertinent to mention that all applicants under Sponsorship Hajj Scheme will be declared successful without balloting.

The Ministry advised the Hajj applicants to remain in touch with the designated banks for further information and processes.

ARY