25,000 British Pilgrims Arriving
     
        
      JEDDAH, 7 January 2005 - Britain is sending 25,000 pilgrims to Saudi Arabia for this year's Haj which falls in the second half of January, officials said. The figure is 3,000 more than the number of Hajis last year

      The British Haj mission made up of 40 members would have eight doctors, including two female physicians, as well as preachers and social counsel. A staff from the British Consulate in Jeddah will join them. 

      Mike O'Brien, undersecretary for trade and minister in charge of Muslim affairs, praised the contribution of British Muslims in public life stating it helped enrich British society. 

      The continuous dialogue and discussions between British officials and Muslim community leaders have helped create a better understanding between the two.

      O'Brien was speaking in London on Wednesday night at a ceremony held to mark the departure of the official British Haj delegation to the holy land. He commended the support and services Saudi Arabia extends to British pilgrims throughout their stay in the Kingdom. 

      The British Haj mission represents an exemplary cooperation between the British and Saudi governments and the British Muslim community. 

      Around 40,000 Britons come to Saudi Arabia each year, mostly for Haj, and also to perform Umrah (minor pilgrimage). 

      The ceremony was addressed by Muslim Member of British House of Lords, Adam Patel, who will lead the British Haj delegation for the sixth consecutive year who said he was happy to lead the delegation for this season as well. 

      He praised the cooperation of the Saudi Embassy in Britain as well as the assistance provided by the Saudi Ministry of Haj and other departments for British pilgrims.

      The ceremony was attended by representatives of Islamic councils and a number of officials from the Foreign Office as well as representatives of other religious groups.

      Dr. Ahmad ibn Muhammad Al-Debaya, director of the Islamic Cultural Council in London, outlined the services and facilities provided by the center to Muslims wishing to perform Haj. He described the relationship between the center and the Foreign Office as excellent. 

      O'Brien said British Muslims charity societies have joined others in providing assistance to the victims of the earthquake and tsunami that ravaged large areas in Southeast Asia and were among the first to collect donations to assist the victims.

     
        

No Quick End to Squatting During Haj: Abdul Majeed


JEDDAH, 6 January 2005 - Makkah Governor Prince Abdul Majeed admitted that local authorities have been unsuccessful in their attempts to find a solution to the problem of squatting during the Haj season.

Thousands of pilgrims camp outside the sprawling tent city in Mina, and outside the Grand Mosque in Makkah using pavements, bridges and open grounds as shelter throughout Haj, eating and sleeping in the open.

Speaking after touring the holy sites and inspecting the facilities and services readied for Haj, Prince Abdul Majeed admitted that there is no quick solution to the chronic problem that the authorities have for years tried to overcome.

"The situation remains unchanged. We did not find a solution so far, but are working on the problem. God willing, a suitable solution would be found," he said.

Twice a year the Kingdom has to grapple with the problem of squatters; first during the holy month of Ramadan when hundreds of thousands of Muslims come for Umrah (minor pilgrimage) and then during the annual pilgrimage to Makkah which this year falls in the second half of January.

During Ramadan last November, the Ministry of Haj had to move thousands of squatters who occupied the open grounds around the Holy Haram, to hotels in Makkah and held Umrah establishment accountable. Under Umrah rules, local agents are responsible for the accommodation and transport of pilgrims.

Prince Abdul Majeed said new projects have been implemented in Makkah and other holy sites to make Haj easier for the pilgrims.

Another problem facing the government is to ensure that pilgrims are transported from one place to another, he said. In Mina, expansion projects worth SR100 million were carried out this year.

"Transporting pilgrims remains an issue of concern. It is a process that requires strict monitoring and supervision. Some drivers just leave their buses causing delays to the pilgrims who are left stranded," he said, adding that any one found negligent of their duty would be held accountable.

"The individuals entrusted with providing services to the pilgrims should take pride in the work they do," he said.

Meanwhile, more than 20,000 security personnel have been deployed to keep order during Haj. Half of these would be responsible for organizing vehicular and pedestrian traffic in Makkah, Mina, Arafat and Muzdalifa and the other half to maintain order, especially at the Jamarat area where pilgrims throng to stone the devil in one of the main rituals of Haj.

Brig. Mansour Al-Turki, the Ministry of Interior spokesman, said he was not aware of any information on attempts to destabilize Haj.

"The main Haj plan is proceeding as usual without major changes and the officers and soldiers are fully aware of their duties and are ready for any eventuality," he said.


 
Pilgrim Traffic Picking Up.

 
JEDDAH, 2 January 2005 - As Haj approaches, traffic at the Kingdom's air and sea ports is rapidly picking up with more pilgrims arriving for the annual pilgrimage scheduled to take place in the last two weeks of January.

By yesterday, nearly half a million pilgrims have already arrived in the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah. The overwhelming majority, over 400,000 pilgrims, arrived through King Abdul Aziz International Airport in Jeddah (273,000) and Prince Muhammad ibn Abdul Aziz Airport in Madinah (157,000), with the remaining coming by ship through Jeddah Islamic Seaport and by land through the Kingdom's crossing points bordering Iraq, Jordan and Yemen.

All adult able-bodied and financially sound Muslims are required to make Haj, one of the five pillars of Islam, at least once in a lifetime, on condition they have the means to do so.

Some two million pilgrims are expected to perform Haj this year. The figure last year was 1.9 million, of whom 1.5 million came from abroad.

The fist batch of Iraqi pilgrims arrived yesterday by air landing at the Haj Terminal at Jeddah airport. They were received by Haj Minister Iyad Madani and senior ministry officials. The head of the Iraqi Haj mission, Nouri Abdullah, thanked the Saudi government for the welcome accorded to pilgrims from all over the world and for facilitating the arrival and stay in the Kingdom of Iraqi pilgrims.

Iraq will this year send 30,000 pilgrims who will arrive by air. Few Iraqi pilgrims have been coming for Haj since the early 1990s as a result of armed conflicts and the subsequent sanctions imposed on the country by the United Nations following Iraq's invasion of neighboring Kuwait.

Under a quota system approved by the 55-nation Organization of the Islamic Conference, Muslim states are required to send 1,000 pilgrims for every one million of their population. The quota was introduced to reduce congestion at the holy sites as well as the pressure this causes on the services and infrastructure. The Saudi government a few years ago began implementing a system whereby both Saudis and expatriates are allowed to go for Haj only once every five years. Violators are turned back when caught at the checkpoints mounted outside Makkah.

The Kingdom is taking extra safety measures to ensure this year's Haj is accident free and also to avoid the kind of stampede during the ritual of stoning the devil that over the past years has claimed the lives of hundreds of pilgrims.

Under a new plan that comes into effect this Haj season, special emphasis would be given to the safety of pilgrims in the sprawling tent city of Mina outside Makkah. Extra safety measures will especially apply during the stone throwing ritual. Known as "Rami Al-Jamarat", or the stoning of the devil, it is considered one of the most important rituals of Haj. Stampedes usually happen along the bridge leading to the stoning areas where as many as two million pilgrims would be on the move round the clock. Last year, some 250 pilgrims were crushed to death and an equal number injured in a stampede during the devil-stoning ritual.

Pilgrims are warned against indulging in any form of political propaganda during Haj. The government says anyone caught violating the country's laws will be prosecuted. The Ministry of Haj issues rules and guidelines governing the pilgrims' movement, stay and departure. The guidelines include arrival and departure dates as well as safety guidelines the pilgrims are required to follow to ensure a smooth and safe Haj.

The staging of political rallies are strictly prohibited and pilgrims are cautioned against carrying any pamphlets or pictures of political nature.


   Fahd Welcomes Pilgrims, Calls for Peaceful Haj. 
        
      JEDDAH, 28 December 2004 - Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd urged pilgrims coming for next month's Haj to refrain from any acts that might disturb the pilgrimage or cause inconvenience to their fellow Muslims and to concentrate instead on prayer and supplication.

      Speaking at the weekly Cabinet session which he chaired yesterday at Yamamah Palace in Riyadh, the king welcomed the pilgrims and urged government agencies to double their efforts to ensure that pilgrims perform their duty in peace and comfort.

      Pilgrims have already started arriving in Makkah where an estimated two million Muslims from all over the world are expected to perform Haj which will climax on Jan. 20.

      "Saudi Arabia will spare no effort and will mobilize its human and material resources to provide all that the pilgrims need during their stay in the Kingdom. Serving the pilgrims is an honor as it is a responsibility that our country takes pride in fulfilling," King Fahd said.

      Minister of Culture and Information Dr. Fouad Al-Farsy said King Fahd expressed his sorrow at the disaster that struck the Asian states of Indonesia, India, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Thailand and Bangladesh and conveyed to the leaders and peoples of those nations the condolences and sympathies of the Saudi government and people.

      The minister said the Cabinet expressed appreciation for the king's efforts in developing and expanding the industrial cities of Jubail and Yanbu, especially the multi-billion mega projects in Jubail inaugurated during the past few days by Crown Prince Abdullah. 

      The Cabinet reviewed the achievements and progress made at Jubail Industrial City which it said was made possible by King Fahd's unlimited support while he chaired the board of the Royal Commission for Jubail and Yanbu, steering the two to become the Kingdom's industrial hub and reach such level of progress.

      Meanwhile, Crown Prince Abdullah received in Dammam yesterday Bahrain's King Hamad and discussed with him developments in the region, including Iraq, Palestine and other Arab and Islamic issues as well as the outcome of the recent Gulf Cooperation Council summit in Manama.

      The two also reviewed bilateral relations and means of consolidating ties in all areas.

      The Saudi Press Agency said the Bahraini king expressed pride in the role played by the Kingdom under the leadership of King Fahd and Crown Prince Abdullah in serving the GCC causes and its progress as well as serving Arab and Islamic causes.

      The meeting was attended by Prince Miqren, minister of municipal and rural affairs, Prince Muhammad ibn Fahd, governor of the Eastern Province and his assistant Prince Jalawi ibn Abdul Aziz ibn Musaad and the delegation accompanying the Bahraini king.



            Abdul Majeed Performs Kaaba Washing
           
              
            MAKKAH, 28 December 2004 - Makkah Governor Prince Abdul Majeed yesterday oversaw the ritual washing of the Holy Kaaba ahead of the annual Haj, which will reach its peak on Jan. 20. 

            The Kaaba is traditionally washed with water from the nearby Zamzam spring, mixed with rose water. The ritual was attended by royal princes, senior government officials and members of the Islamic diplomatic missions accredited to the Kingdom as well as pilgrims. 

            Speaking after the occasion, Prince Abdul Majeed said the Kingdom will spare no effort to provide the best possible service for the pilgrims and will continue to implement infrastructure projects at the holy sites to ensure better conditions for the faithful.

            The Kaaba is washed twice a year, once in the holy fasting month of Ramadan and once for Haj. The Kaaba is covered by a black cloth known as kiswa which is replaced every year. The kiswa is produced at a special factory built and run by the government in Makkah. 

            Some 450 kilograms of silk and 15 kilograms of gold thread is used to make the 658-square meter kiswa.

                  Some Haj Flights From Asian Countries May Be Canceled
                 
                    
                  JEDDAH, 29 December 2004 - The consulates of some Southeast Asian countries which were devastated by the recent powerful earthquake and giant tidal wave said yesterday that there might be a reduction in the number of Haj pilgrims. Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India and Thailand are among the countries anticipating lower than expected numbers of Haj pilgrims.

                  "There were many casualties in the eastern part of Sri Lanka which is a predominantly Muslim area, and there will be few pilgrims coming from that part," Sri Lankan Consul General A.M.J. Sadiq told Arab News. "So far only about 600 pilgrims have come on three flights. The groups registered from the eastern area may not come now," he said. A total of 6,370 Sri Lankan pilgrims were expected to perform Haj this year.

                  Indonesian Consul Sabilillah Maqom said Aceh was one of the worst-affected areas. "Of the 17 flights scheduled to arrive from Aceh, only seven have come so far. The others may not come at all."

                  Of the 8,000 Thais expected for Haj, only 2,000 have come, said an official at the Thai Consulate General. "We're waiting for word from our ministry in Bangkok about the arrival of the remaining pilgrims," he said.

                  Indian Consul General Dr. Ausaf Sayeed said most of the pilgrims coming through the Central Haj Committee, especially from Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh had already come. "But we're not sure about those coming through private travel operators from those states," he said.

                  Many South Asians in Saudi Arabia have been making frantic efforts to reach their friends and relatives by phone. "We're able to get calls from our relatives at home, but we're not able to establish telephone contacts from here," said the Sri Lankan consul general.

                  Muhammad Haris of Addalaichenai, near Kalamunai, in southern Sri Lanka, said his sister's seven-year-old daughter and five-year-old son were missing after the giant waves hit the small town where they lived. "The whole village was under water," he said. 

                        Indonesian Pilgrim Dies Aboard Flight. 
                          
                        RIYADH, 25 December 2004 - An Indonesian Haj pilgrim died following a heart attack aboard a Saudi Arabian Airlines flight heading to Madinah.

                        The Indonesian Consulate in Jeddah identified the pilgrim as Muhammad Nisan ibn Nikam, 62. He complained of chest pain three hours after Flight SV 5195 took off from Jakarta at 10 p.m. on Wednesday.

                        "Each Haj charter carries a doctor and two paramedics on board to attend to the medical needs of pilgrims. The medical team did its best to save Nikam's life but unfortunately they could not succeed," said Sabilillah Maqom, consul-information at the Indonesian Consulate in Jeddah.

                        Nikam's funeral took place in the presence of a large number of Indonesian pilgrims, volunteers and officials from the Indonesian government at the burial grounds located in the vicinity of the Prophet's Mosque.

                        Nikam's daughter Maysitoh was quoted by the Indonesian Religious Affairs Ministry's official website as saying that her father might have suffered a heart attack. She said her father once received treatment at the Harapan Kita Heart Hospital in West Jakarta. "But he looked healthy before departure and he was determined to go on the pilgrimage," she said.

                              Haj Guidelines Through SMS Planned.
                             
                                
                              JEDDAH, 24 December 2004 - The Ministry of Islamic Affairs will take over direct supervision of new Haj programs this coming year, according to the President of the King Fahd Holy Qur'an Gift Committee, Talal Al-Akeel. The programs were sponsored last year by Makkah Governor Prince Abdul Majeed.

                              Al-Akeel said that under the new programs guidelines will be provided to all pilgrims arriving with their mobile phones by means of SMS messages. A welcoming SMS message will be sent in the first instance followed by some of the Prophet's sayings in the second message. 

                              He said that more than two million books and audiotapes will be distributed among pilgrims at the airport and seaport in 23 languages such as English, Arabic, French, Dutch, German, Persian, Chinese and Urdu. Also, more than two million copies of the Holy Qur'an will be given away to pilgrims when they leave the country.

                              He added that more than 1,000 distribution points would be set up on the streets of Makkah and 50 along the highway.

                                Kingdom to Take Extra Safety Measures for Coming Haj.
                                 
                                  
                                JEDDAH, 19 December 2004 - Saudi Arabia is taking extra safety measures to ensure this year's Haj, which begins in earnest next month, is accident free and also to avoid the kind of stampede during the ritual of stoning the devil that over the past years has claimed the lives of hundreds of pilgrims.

                                Under a new plan that comes into effect this Haj season, special emphasis would be given to the safety of pilgrims in the sprawling tent city of Mina outside the holy city of Makkah. Extra safety measures will especially apply during the stone throwing ritual. Known as "rami al-jamarat", or the stoning of the devil, it is considered one of the most important rituals of the Haj. 

                                The stampede accidents usually happen along the bridge leading to the stoning areas where as many as two million pilgrims would be on the move round the clock.

                                Last year, some 250 pilgrims were crushed to death and an equal number injured in a stampede during the devil-stoning ritual. Panic spread rapidly after some people in the crowd collapsed as many of the two million white-robed pilgrims, chanting "God is Greatest", surged toward the Jamarat Bridge in Mina.

                                The government spent over SR100 million this year on temporary projects aimed at improving the situation on the bridge and announced plans for a major SR4 billion project in a bid to end the problem. The expansion of the Jamarat Bridge project has been referred to the higher authorities, and construction could start soon, said Prince Miteb ibn Abdul Aziz, minister of municipal and rural affairs and chairman of the Authority for the Development of Makkah, Madinah and the Holy Sites. The ministry built the fire-proof tent city of Mina.

                                Following a tour in Mina and other holy sites over the past days, the minister said giant television screens would be mounted along the roads leading to Jamarat Bridge to monitor the movement of pilgrims and control the traffic. The electronic monitoring system would be linked with the tent city to help pilgrims know before leaving their camps the density of the crowds at the stoning area and choose the right time to move to the site. Special lifts will be mounted on the towers overlooking the bridge to expedite rescue operations in case of an emergency. 

                                One problem associated with rescue efforts is that these are hampered by the presence of huge number of people in the jamarat area, transforming the bridge into disaster zone within minutes of the tragedy striking. 

                                A series of recommendations to ensure the safety of pilgrims, especially in the jamarat area, were finalized under a joint effort incorporating the Authority for the Development of Makkah and Madinah and the Holy Sites, the Ministry of Haj and Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Institute for Haj Research. 

                                Among these is the one calling for encouraging pilgrims to deputize other pilgrims to do the stoning for them to avoid congestion and accidents. The recommendations also call for organizing the movement of pilgrims when descending from Arafat by directing them to their camps instead of having them head straight to the jamarat area. 
                                 





                                205,000 Indonesian Pilgrims to Perform Haj.
                                 
                                  
                                JEDDAH, 19 December 2004 - Fifteen flights will bring a total of 5,675 Indonesian pilgrims today. They are part of 205,000 pilgrims - the same as last year - who will be coming from Indonesia for the upcoming Haj.

                                The first group of pilgrims will be received at the Haj Terminal by Indonesian Consul General Tajuddin Noor and those flying direct to Madinah will be given a reception by Mohammed Fouzi Ekonugroho, charge d'affaires at the Indonesian Embassy in Riyadh.

                                The first flight will land at 2:45 p.m. at the Haj Terminal, followed by nine more during the day. Five other flights will land in Madinah airport. While Saudi Arabian Airlines will operate two of the day's flights, Garuda Indonesia is operating the day's remaining 13 flights.

                                In all 480 flights will be operated in the first phase - 376 flights arriving at the Haj Terminal and 104 others in Madinah.

                                The country's four-member official Haj delegation will be led by Tolhah Hassan, former minister of religious affairs. The delegation will arrive a few days before the commencement of the pilgrimage.

                                Of 205,000 pilgrims coming this time, 8,000 are coming through the tour operators. This means a majority of them are coming through the official committee under the Indonesian Ministry of Religious Affairs.

                                Five hundred Indonesian pilgrims died during the last Haj, including 56 in the stampede during the stoning ritual in Jamrat. "The Kingdom is financing the pilgrimage of three relatives of each of the 56 pilgrims killed in the stampede," a consulate official said, adding that the arrival of these relatives is being finalized with the cooperation of the Kingdom.
                                 
                             

                       
                 

           

     

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