Holy Makkah is fully ready to receive Guests of Almighty Allah

Holy Makkah is fully ready to

receive Guests of Almighty Allah

Dr. Mozammel Haque

For the last four weeks I have been writing in this column about Hajj and what the British intending pilgrims have to do before going for Hajj. I think, now the time has come to inform the intending pilgrims about the rules and regulations, the facilities and arrangement on the ground in Makkah, Saudi Arabia.

Arrival of Pilgrims
All the preparation has been made in Makkah al-Mukarramah to receive millions of pilgrims in this year’s Hajj. Hajj flights started reaching in Saudi Arabia on 29 September and will continue until the end of October. The departure flights are supposed to start from 10th of November and end on 10th of December 2011.

The first batch of pilgrims for this year’s Hajj reached at King Abdul Aziz International Airport, Jeddah, on Wednesday, 28th of September. The batch consisted of two groups of South African pilgrims. The first flight carrying Indian pilgrims for Hajj reached Madinah al-Munawwarah on Thursday, 29th of September. A total of 170,491 pilgrims from India will perform Hajj this year. On the same day, the first batch of pilgrims, 284 in number, from the southern provinces of Thailand reached Jeddah. Some 13,000 pilgrims from Thailand will be coming for Hajj this year.

On Friday, 30th of September, the first batch of pilgrims, 205 in number from Pakistan reached Jeddah. A total of 180,000 Pakistani pilgrims will be going for Hajj this year. On the same day, the first batch of Chinese pilgrims reached Jeddah. A total of 13,800 pilgrims will leave China this year and they are expected to reach Saudi Arabia by 23 October.

All Hajj Pilgrims need to have vaccinated
The Saudi Ministry of Health has asked pilgrims to make sure that they are vaccinated against meningitis, cholera, yellow fever and dengue fever. It is learnt that disease-detection equipment has been deployed at the health centres of King Abdul Aziz International Airport and Jeddah Islamic Port. Specialised team will review the health certificates of passengers to see what vaccinations they have had. All the 16 entry points of the pilgrims into the Kingdom will be strictly monitored against any contagious disease.

All Hajj Pilgrims to be fingerprinted
It is also reported that all Hajj Pilgrims will be fingerprinted on their arrival in Saudi Arabia. Hajj plans are being implemented at King Abdul Aziz International Airport in Jeddah, Prince Muhammad Bin Abdul Aziz Airport in Madinah, Jeddah Islamic Port and other Makkah entrances.

Smart Cards for Pilgrims this year
Every pilgrim, on arrival at any of the Kingdom’s airports, seaports or border posts, will receive a digital smart card with all information of the pilgrim saved on it, it is reported in the press.

Shabab Book Satellite Programme
A satellite programme, titled, “Shabab Book” that is aired every Tuesday on Iqra Channel will be used this season to educate the youth about Hajj and its rites. This programme will be transmitted on 30 satellite channels. The Ministry is publishing information in 22 languages to reach Muslims around the world.

No cooking gas in Holy Sites
The Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Prince Naif bin Abdul Aziz, the former Second Deputy Premier and Interior Minister, has banned the use of liquefied gas for cooking at the Holy Sites during Hajj for the second consecutive season. The ban would not cause any inconvenience to pilgrims as a number of safe kitchens with access to all pilgrims are set up in the holy sites.

Hajj Campaign
Prince Khaled Al-Faisal, Governor of Makkah region, launched a Hajj Campaign under the motto “Hajj is Worship and Civilized Behaviour” has pinpointed the problems which should be dealt with, in particular the phenomenon of sleeping in the open in Makkah and the Holy Sites and the cases of those performing Hajj without a permit. The campaign aimed at educating pilgrims about how to perform the rituals properly and how to avoid behaviour that is not allowed in Islam.

The major objective of the campaign, according to Prince al-Faisal, is to make certain that pilgrims follow rules and instructions during Hajj. The Makkah Governor said the Kingdom wants to ensure that there is no overcrowding at the Holy Sites, stop pilgrims from sleeping in the open, and reduce pressure on the Grand Mosque and Jamarat Bridge. He said people who perform Hajj without a permit, sleep on the roads and litter at the Holy Sites are transgressing the laws of Almighty Allah. All these malpractices make it more difficult for the government to serve pilgrims effectively.

The Governor of Makkah said the campaign is meant to make pilgrims aware of negative and incorrect behaviour. This includes travelling without permits, sleeping in places that hamper the movement of pedestrians, machinery and cars, and littering.

Breaking the law for Hajj is a sin
Sheikh Saleh Aal Al-Sheikh, Saudi Minister of Islamic Affairs, said the campaign is meant to inform pilgrims about the importance of sticking to the rules made by the government and it is aimed at providing the best services to the Guests of Allah.

The Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia said the Hajj Campaign launched by Chairman of the Hajj Central Committee, Prince Khaled Al-Faisal, is part of the government’s plan to make sure all pilgrims can perform the rituals like the Prophet (peace be upon him) did.

Health Hotline service for Hajj Pilgrims
The Saudi Ministry of Health will start a phone-in-service for Hajj pilgrims to obtain Health advice instantly. This service, known as “Saha Ziyufur Ar-Rahman” (Health for the Guests of Allah) is running for the seventh consecutive year, has proven successful in the past. This service will be available on the toll-free number 8002494444 and will greet the caller with ‘Allah Humma Labaik’ before diverting him or her to a medical officer. The medical team comprises consultants, cardiologists, medical specialists, pharmacists and dentists. The programme is handled by a group of Saudi women who work in the ministry and its city hospitals.

Signal Alerts for Availability of Space
The Grand Mosque has 176 gates. Now if there is space in the Grand Mosque, then a green light by the door will be lit but if there is none a red light will show. This arrangement is put in place to let pilgrims know if there was space for them inside the Haram or not so that they can pray outside in the plazas. These gates, which will remain open around the clock, were being manned by 800 men and women guards.

20 gates have been designated for people with special needs including the King Abdul Aziz Gate. The Grand Mosque has been supplied with a number of escalators to ensure the easy movement of pilgrims coming in or going out of the mosque.

Transportation
This year it is learnt that the General Syndicate of Cars has a new transport plan to ensure pilgrims perform their Hajj rites with ease, comfort and peace of mind. The Syndicate plans to operate 120,000 trips for pilgrims between the Holy Sites and Makkah and Madinah during the pilgrimage season. The plan will be put into operation by nearly 30,000 supervisors, members of administrative and technical committees, drivers and maintenance workers. For this reason, the Syndicate has secured 20,000 buses to transport pilgrims between Makkah and Madinah’s Holy Sites. 17 transport companies will provide 20,000 buses during this Hajj season.

Saudi women volunteer to serve female pilgrims
Over 25 female volunteers at the Tawafa Establishment of South Asia will look after 250,000 women pilgrims from South Asia. The volunteers will carry out activities and visit residences to educate pilgrims on the performance of Hajj and will also guide them at the Holy Sites. The volunteer will also ‘distribute tens of thousands of awareness brochures to pilgrims printed in different languages along with CDs that focus on Hajj rituals, it is learnt.

Toilets and service centres at Jamarat
It is also reported that there are plans to set up toilets and service centres in the towers of the Jamarat Bridge for emergency cases. The emergency forces presented a working paper on plans for crowd management at the Jamarat Bridge and other emergencies.

Last minute reminder for the British Pilgrims
The Foreign Office is urging Hajj pilgrims to get comprehensive travel insurance and essential vaccinations before embarking on their journey: The Foreign Office said:
- it is compulsory for travellers to the Hajj to have a Meningococcal Meningitis vaccination certificate in order to obtain a Hajj visa
- we strongly recommend that you have a seasonal influenza vaccination prior to embarking on your trip
-you should take out fully comprehensive travel insurance in advance
-check the Foreign Office travel advice for the latest on the situation in Saudi Arabia.

The Foreign Office will provide the full range of consular services and will be sending a delegation of consular staff. Pilgrims should ensure they look after personal belongings and should take particular care with travel documents, tickets and other valuables.

The delegation will be located at the Elaf Al Khalil Hotel, Makkah. You can find contact details and information on what the delegation can and can’t do in our travel advice for Hajj pilgrims. Ms. Nagina Akhtar, an experienced Consular Officer from the Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) will be leading this year British Hajj Consular Delegation.

Please visit the following websites as a last minute :
http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/travel-and-living-abroad/your-trip/hajj-pilgrims

Launch of Hajj Awareness Week 2011 at House of Lords

Launch of Hajj Awareness Week 2011

at the House of Lords

Dr. Mozammel Haque

The National Hajj and Umrah (Health & Safety) Awareness Week was launched on Wednesday, 14th of September, 2011 at the House of Lords by the Association of British Hujjaj (Pilgrims) UK (ABH). The purpose of this launch was to raise awareness of the health & safety issues amongst the 25,000 prospective British pilgrims who will start travelling soon to join over 2 million other pilgrims in Makkah to perform Hajj. Members of the House of Lords, Members of Parliament, Government officials, Diplomats and community dignitaries were present to support this prestigious launch event.

Haramain Expansion
During this Hajj session, people were not only discussing the health and safety issues but also debating about the spirituality of Hajj, raising concerns about the expansion of Haramain and the historic sites and also talking about the skyscrapers hotels and shopping malls.

With the ever increasing number of pilgrims there is no doubt about the need of expansion of the Haramain. This Haramain expansion programme has been going on for centuries. Whenever there is a necessity for the welfare and comfort of the pilgrims, expansion programme was undertaken. During the last ten days of the blessed month of Ramadan, especially on the last Friday of the Holy month of Ramadan and on the Lailatul Qadr (the Night of Power), the Grand Mosque in Makkah al-Mukarramah was filled to the brim with worshippers, as more than four million pilgrims came from all over the world to perform Umrah, attend Taraweeh and Qiyam-ul-Lail prayers, seeking the blessings of Lailat-al-Qadr (the Night of Power). I have already mentioned about this in my previous column.

King Abdullah ordered the new expansion to accommodate the increasing number of pilgrims who come from different parts of the world. Such a measure was essential to meet the requirements of the tremendous increase in the number of worshippers who was expected to exceed more than four million in the last odd nights of Ramadan.

King Abdullah officially launched on 19th of August, 2011, the largest expansion of the Grand Mosque in history, which will increase the Mosque’s capacity to more than 2.5 million worshippers and cost 13 billion pound sterling.

King Abdullah, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, said it is his religious duty to spend “whatever wealth and effort” were necessary to improve facilities for Muslims going on the Islamic pilgrimage.

Writing in The Guardian, London, Ms. Riazat Butt mentioned “some organisations, such as the Islamic Heritage Research Foundation, have repeatedly expressed alarm over the destruction of historic sites to make way for skyscraper hotels and shopping malls.”

Ms. Butt pointed out, “Pilgrims, who fail to secure a spot in the Grand Mosque or in its immediate courtyard, worship in the streets and tunnels leading up to it, especially on a Friday when pilgrims will arrive in the early hours to ensure a place for the afternoon prayers. Currently, the maximum numbers performing the Hajj hover around the 4 million mark, with millions more visiting Makkah throughout the year.”

King Abdullah said, “We are proceeding on the kingdom’s religious responsibility; subsequently, we have laid down the foundation stone for expanding the Grand Mosque [and] inaugurated a number of improvement projects in the Two Holy Mosques. That also is only a duty we owe to Allah.”

As I mentioned in previous paragraphs, last Ramadan, King Abdullah inaugurated the historic 13 billion Pound Sterling Haramain expansion project which covers 400,000 square metres and will accommodate an additional 1.2 million worshippers at a time.

Without Haramain expansion, pilgrims will not only suffer uneasiness and discomfort but large number of intending worshippers will be deprived of performing their fifth pillar of Islam due to restricted capacity of Makkah. As Ms. Butt rightly observed in The Guardian, “The restricted capacity of Mecca means that the majority of the world’s Muslims will never be able to perform the Hajj.” (The Guardian, London, 28 September, 2011)

Foreign Office Minister Jeremy Browne, MP
Now, coming back to the launching of the Hajj Awareness Week, The Foreign Office Minister Jeremy Browne MP, in his message at this occasion said, “I wanted to extend my support and endorse the work that the Association of British Hujjaj UK does in helping prepare pilgrims for Hajj. This event provides an excellent opportunity to inform British pilgrims of the health and safety issues and precautionary measures to take, ensuring that what will be the journey of a lifetime is a safe and fulfilling one.” He also outlined his plans to provide necessary comfort to British pilgrims, he stated, “the delegation will be on hand to provide consular assistance to any British pilgrim who requires help. I wish all those undertaking Hajj this year a peaceful, successful and rewarding pilgrimage”.

Lord Ahmed
In his welcoming remarks, Lord Ahmed of Rotherham went on to highlight the importance of this event, saying, “by launching this awareness week will enhance Hajj related health & safety awareness amongst British pilgrims. It is important that pilgrims must be aware of all aspects of Hajj to enable them to perform Hajj in the safest and best possible manner”.

Lord Ahmed also mentioned about the tour operators, majority of them have been providing excellent services; but he cautioned, “be careful of bogus tour operators and travel agents.”

Lord Ahmed said during the tenure of Labour government a doctors’ delegation was sent at the government’s expenses but due to budget cuts the government has not yet announced to send such a delegation this year while the health and safety of Hajjis is the responsibility of the government. He said Hajj delegation would have saved hundreds of thousands of pounds of the NHS while it would have contributed towards communal harmony as well.

Lord Ahmed praised the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for providing admirable facilitates for pilgrims. He reminded that health advice issued by the Saudi government for vaccination and other necessary precautions should be strictly followed. This orientation week would ensure necessary information to those departing on this great sacred journey he said and suggested that such programmes should also be introduced in all mosques across the UK.

Lord Phil Hunt
Lord Phil Hunt, Leader of the Labour Group in the House of Lords, praised the hard work and continuous efforts made by the Association of British Hujjaj (Pilgrims) U.K. to help and protect the British Hajj pilgrims from hardship, difficulties and he assured his full support towards this noble and humanitarian cause.

“It is amazing to see how much progress has been made over those intervening years as a result of the work of ABH. Thousands of thousands of fellow citizens have got safely and have got encouragement as a result of their experience,” said Lord Hunt and added, “The message for health and safety is as important today as it was in 1999 when we started.”

Lord Hunt also mentioned about tour operators. “I remember two years ago when you held a meeting I was struck by the experience given by the pilgrims about unscrupulousness of some tour operators. It is very unfair to charge all tour operators with harsh because many of them are very good people. But still that remains a major problem.”

Lord Hunt said that the Hajj delegation also sent a positive message to other communities too and it is deplorable that decision has not been taken about it as yet as the Hajjis would be facing problems in its absence.

Members of the House of Parliament, John Hemming, Anas Sarwar, Yasmin Qureshi, also assured their help and support towards the prospective Hajj pilgrims and stressed the importance of the awareness of health & safety and other issues related to performing hajj amongst pilgrims and urged the relevant government departments to provide help and assistance to them.

Announcement of First-ever ABH Special Award
For the first time in 12 years the Association of British Hujjaj has decided to present its special Award for the community services and for the noble cause of Hajj. While announcing the Award, Dr. Syed Raza Hussain, senior doctor from the Association of British Hujjaj, UK, said: ABH is totally dedicated and committed to provide up to date knowledge and information to British Hajj and Umrah pilgrims.

“This cannot be fully achieved without dedicated voluntary help and support by our countrymen up and down the country. We at the ABH most gratefully acknowledge them as “Friend of the Association of British Hujjaj UK”. In recognition of their magnificent services the ABH has decided to present a special award to such friends each year on ongoing basis, Insha Allah.

Dr. Hussain said, “Today’s selected “Friends of the Association of British Hujjaj, UK are both well-respected in the community for their integrity, sincerity, loyalty, reliability and upright dedication to their community voluntary services and the noble cause of the ABH.” Today’s chosen two Friends of ABH are Mr. Sarbuland and Dr. Mozammel Haque, declared Dr. Hussain..

Lord Ahmed, the Patron of the ABH (UK), presented the Award to Dr. Mozammel Haque, Media Advisor of the Islamic Cultural Centre, London, on behalf the Association of British Hujjaj (ABH), UK, at the House of Lords, in recognition of his community services and the noble cause of Hujjaj. While accepting the Award from the ABH, Dr. Haque said, “All praise goes to Allah the Almighty. I am humbled and honoured by this Award. I am a very humble person. I am trying to do whatever is possible for me for the cause of Islam and Muslims. It is my duty to inform and educate Muslims who are going for Hajj. And that is what I am doing.”

MP Anas Sarwar
Anas Sarwar told me in an interview that he had the good fortune to perform Umrah for three times. “British Hajj delegation was a very positive development by the previous governments which gives consular support, moral support, health support and advice to the thousands of British Hajjis that went to Saudi Arabia.”

Referring to the British Hajj Delegation, MP Sarwar repeated his call for the service “the medical support, consular support and advice in difficult times to thousands of pilgrims during Hajj. I think the government should start the service.”

Yasmin Qureshi, MP
Yasmin Qureshi, MP, told me in an interview that she performed Hajj in 1994 when there was stampede and falling on the ground in throwing stones at Jamarat but such incidents have become very rare thanks to measures taken by the Saudi government. “I had not been for Hajj thereafter; but I did say whatever the Saudi government or the Saudi Embassy has been doing, it is not easy to look after three million people for few days, within a few spaces, it is a very challenging task for them to do this. Surprisingly no more incidents have happened. That is indeed a credit of Saudi Government and their hard work,” MP Qureshi told me.

Speaking about British Hajj Delegation, she mentioned when Labour came to power it supported the Hajj Delegation but that has been taken away by the Conservatives now. “I tried to ask them to continue to support Hajj Delegation. I have written about this, I have raised this issue, but what we need now is to campaign more,” said MP Qureshi.

Mr. Nazir Ali
Mr. Nazir Ali of the Trading Standard Service of Tower Hamlet Borough spoke on consumers and traders’ duties and responsibilities. He also mentioned how they advice the British Hajj pilgrims. He advised the British pilgrims especially to visit the following two websites in order to know about their rights and responsibilities:
www.berr.gov.uk ©Crown Copyright. URN 07/1166
http://www.tradingstandards.gov.uk/towerhamlets/haj%20travel%20organsiers%20advice.pdf

Ms. Batool Al-Toma from New Muslim Project spoke on women and Hajj. Ms. Shabana Subhan Begum presented her undergraduate Historical Research Dissertation 2011 on “The Modern Hajj: 1924-2010” conducted at Queen Mary, University of London, presented to Lord Ahmed. Ms. Qaisra M. Khan briefed about an exhibition on Hajj to be held under the auspices of British Museum in January 2012.

The Blessed month of Ramadan in the Holy City of Makkah in 2010

The Blessed month of Ramadan
in the Holy City of Makkah in 2010

Dr. Mozammel Haque

Makkah al-Mukarramah: In Ramadan, the Holy city has taken a different colour. It is learnt that Saudi Arabia has issued for the first time many Umrah visas just in nine months. The Holy site of Makkah and Madina has attracted a record high of more than four million pilgrims from outside Saudi Arabia. Authorities have prepared to take a special measure in different areas, such as security, health, cleaning etc. But let us start first with the sighting of the Moon.

With the sighting of the Crescent moon of the holy month of Ramadan, the start of the holy month of Ramadan was marked by Sergeant Mastour Al-Nahari firing seven bullets from the “Ramadan Canon” situated on top of Al-Medf’a Mountain in Makkah. The firing of the canon is an annual event every Ramadan. Muslims all over the country gather together to congratulate each other and share their happiness, and to prepare for the voluntary work that will take place in almost every mosque in Saudi Arabia.

Just a few hours after the announcement of the sighting of the Crescent moon, both the Haramain in Makkah and Madina turned into beehive of activity as hundreds of thousands of visitors started pouring into the Grand Mosque in Makkah and the Prophet’s Mosque in Madina to attend the first night of Al-Taraweeh prayers.

During the holy month of Ramadan the holy city of Makkah comes alive in a way that does not happen in other places in the country. It is a city that does not sleep during this time. Makkah’s people start preparing for this special time during the last week of Sha’ban.

Iftar and Suhour
The start of Iftar and Suhour is marked by the firing of the canons. The canons all over the country are shot when the sun sets and at breakfast time to coincide with the Adhan. In addition two capsules are shot at 2 A.M. to inform people in Makkah to take their Suhoor and before the dawn Adhan another two capsules are shot marking the end of Suhoor time. Each bullet contains 1.5 kg of ammunition powder.

Makkah’s people prepare food for Ramadan like vegetables, sambosa and sweets. In the old days, soup, beans and sambosa were the main dishes for breaking the fast in Ramadan. Sobia has been the favorite drink of Makkah’s people throughout the years. The sweets are the favorites of Makkah’s people. The Suhoor table was not complete without sweets such as muhallabia, al-almasia, and kuchaf al-zabib. For Iftar, Makkah’s people cooked vegetables or meat in various forms such as kabob.

Multicultural gathering of millions at Iftar
What a wonderful scene! Millions of people, men, women, children, young and old, black and white, of different cultural backgrounds of all the continents, almost of all the countries, are united under one platform, within the precincts of Masjid al-Haram in Makkah, inside and outside, sitting with delicious food in front of them, waiting for the call to break the fast. Not a single person, boys or girls, men or women, did touch the food to eat without the permission of Allah the Almighty. What a wonderful scene of discipline! What a marvelous sight of belief and faith! In Islam there is no distinction, whether you are poor or rich, black or white, because all people are the same in the eyes of God. This is the philosophy reflected when millions of people gathered together inside and outside of Masjid al-Haram in Makkah in the evening of every day of the blessed month of Ramadan to break their fast.

It’s a crowd of disciplined, faithful, God-fearing people, who are united, not to show their strength of power, but to show and demonstrate the humbleness, humility, commitment and dedication to abide by the Orders of the Creator, Allah the Almighty. There is no arrogance, no haughtiness.

Even in the women’s pockets of the gathering, females of different cultural backgrounds of various countries, wearing Hijabs of different shades, colours and styles, but all are showing their modesty in dress and behavour, no vulgarity, no indecency and rudeness.

Taraweeh
There are twenty rak’ats prayed in Taraweeh in Haramain. In the Masjid al-Haram in Makkah, four Imams, such as Sheikh Abdur Rahman al-Sudais, Sheikh Saud al-Shuraim, Sheikh Maher al-Mu’aqily and Sheikh Abdullah al-Johani led the Taraweeh prayers. The first ten rak’at prayers are led by one imam and the second ten rak’at Taraweeh are led by another Imam.

Qiyam al-Lail
The Qiyam al-Lail prayers (night prayer) of the last ten nights have already started with the first chapter of the Holy Qur’an. The ten rak'ats Qiyam al-Lail prayers led by two Imams, first six rak’ats by Sheikh Saud al-Shuraim and the second four rak’ats by Sheikh Abdur Rahman al-Sudais who also made dua (supplication) after the Bitr prayer.

Friday prayer
Last Friday, on 27 August, 2010, over two million people offered Jumah prayers in the Grand Mosque in Makkah and the Prophet’s Mosque in Madina. At the Prophet’s Mosque, more than half a million worshippers performed Friday prayer. Here the authorities are introducing a set of integrated services with the efforts of about 15,000 cadres from security bodies.

I’tikaf
There is I’tikaf in the last ten days. 40,000 Mutakifs are expected by the Prophet’s Mosque Affairs, to be sitting in seclusion (I’tikaf) in Haram for the rest of holy month. The authorities said a program for Mutakifs has been completed.

Preparation of Haram for Ramadan
Last Thursday 26th of August 2010 International Airport received 39 international flights carrying tens of thousands of visitors who are being offered round-the-clock medical services through 10 health facilities. The authorities have drawn up integrated plans to provide the highest standard of services to Umrah pilgrims so that they can perform their rituals in ease and comfort. Over 50,000 security officers from various agencies and from the General Presidency for the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques, Makkah Mayoralty and other government bodies have been deployed to ensure safety and security for up to 1.5 million visitors and pilgrims to the holy city during Ramadan.

Healthcare
An intensive healthcare systems plan was in place at the Grand Mosque for the millions of pilgrims coming here during Ramadan. Five dispensaries inside the Grand Mosque have been fully equipped to offer full medical services. Health centres have been established in the Haram. There are five health centers on the second floor of the Holy Haram which provides medical services all day. The centers are located on lower Bab Ajyad, the upper Bab Ajyad, Gate 94 in the new expansion, Gate 64 at King Fahd Expansion and Bab Al-Nadwa. These centers provide first aid and emergency services in addition to 29 permanent health centers in different parts of the holy city including those around the Grand Mosque to offer prompt medical services to pilgrims.

Clean-up
The Makkah Mayoralty has assigned 8,500 cleaners with 810 cleaning machines and equipment for clean-up operations. There are also seven temporary stations for the collection of waste and garbage to keep the holy city clean around the clock.

Women team
For the first time, the Ministry of Health in collaboration with the authorities at the Holy Haram has teams of women who will be available to help critically-ill women pilgrims at the Mosque’s health centers.

Women officials
The General Presidency of Two Holy Mosques Affairs has appointed 300 women officials to cope with the increasing number of women pilgrims and visitors to the Grand Mosque in Ramadan. They instruct the visitors on how the visitors should conduct themselves in the mosque. They also take the women entering the mosque to the place reserved for women.

151 women guides were working in four shifts at various locations in the mosque including the courtyards. They checked the women visitors at the gates both day and night. While 20 guides supervised the cleaning operations in the women’s area including the toilets in two shifts, 10 guides took care of the copies of the Holy Qur’an kept in the women’s section. Another 20 guides worked in the courtyards to see that women did not pray on passages and walkways, it is reported.

Makkah Clock
"The Makkah Clock started with the order of King Abdullah ... one minute after midnight on the first day of the holy month of Ramadan," the Saudi Press Agency said. A giant clock on a skyscraper in Islam's holiest city Makkah began ticking on Wednesday, 11th of August, 2010, at the start of the fasting month of Ramadan, amid hopes it will become the Muslim world's official timekeeper. The Makkah Clock, which Riyadh says is the world's largest, has four faces measuring 43 meters in diameter. It sits 400 meters up what will be the world's second-tallest skyscraper and largest hotel, overlooking the city's Holy Grand Mosque, which Muslims around the world turn to five times a day for prayer. Over 90 million pieces of colored glass mosaic embellish the sides of the clock, which has four faces each bearing a large inscription of the name "Allah". It is visible from all corners of the city, the state news agency said.

The clock is positioned on a 601-meter tower, which will become the second tallest inhabited building in the world when it is completed in three months' time.

The clock tower is the landmark feature of the seven-tower King Abdulaziz Endowment hotel complex, being built by the Saudi Binladin Group, which will have the largest floor area of any building in the world when it is complete. Local media have said the clock tower project cost $3 billion. Around 2 million Muslims visit the holy city each year for the annual Hajj pilgrimage, a once-in-a-lifetime requirement for able-bodied Muslims, and 3.5 million pilgrims visit Makkah at other times of the year.

Makkah al-Mukarramah
5th September 2010

Shahid Malik-First West European Minister Performs Hajj

Shahid Malik: The First West European
Government Minister Performs Hajj this year

Dr. Mozammel Haque

Shahid Malik, the first West European Government Minister, who, along with his parents, wife and little brother went this year to perform Hajj. He left for Makkah on 22nd and returned back after performing Hajj on 30th of November, 2009. While he was in Saudi Arabia, Minister Shahid Malik, the Minister for Communities and Local Government was Saudi Government guest. Minister Shahid was telling me his experience of First Hajj after returning back from Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, the 8th of December 2009 at his office.

Makah becomes the most diverse place
Speaking about Makkah and the surrounding areas, the Minister said, “It was very crowded; Hajj is obviously much more demanding. The Umrah gave a very good idea of what you expect with three million-plus people there of all different colours, all different backgrounds, different persuasions, different languages, different races, different ethnicities and different nationalities etc. Makkah becomes the most diverse place anywhere in the world for that one week. So it is amazing to see that diverse community that the world Muslim community is.”

Lots of spaces and wheel chairs
Speaking about Saie between Safa and Marwah, the Minister said, “To be honest, the Saudi authorities make it much lot easier, each year there are improvements and developments, different new layers now. So there are lots of spaces between safa and Marwah and there are much more friendly people with wheel chairs. I took my mum, dad, wife and little brother.”

Walking through the camps just like
going around the world
In Mina, Minister Shahid stayed in the Government Guest House. Speaking about his experience in Mina, the Minister said,. “Saudi government looked after me while I was in the Guest House. I walked many hours in the camps looking for the European camps and the British camps. On the first day I went out and after four hours I gave up. I could not find the camp after four hours of walking. I thought, it may be, I cannot speak Arabic; so the next day I took two Arabic speakers with me. Still it took three and half hours to get there. It is a long way from where we were. Mina is a very small place but very congested with three million-plus pilgrims. So you cannot walk quickly. Again in the camps there are distinctively people of different countries with Indian flag, Bangladeshi flag, Pakistani flag, Indonesian flag, Malaysian flag, Nigerian flag etc. While you are walking through the camps with different flags it is almost like you are going around the world.”

“In Mina, there was rain and also Stoning rain in Jeddah. The weather was unbelievably good. I don’t mind warm weather. It was particularly warm; suddenly it became cold. That was certainly perfect. I walked quite a bit with Mohamed Ali from Islam Channel. We had eight hours walk I think. I visited some of the British camps in Mina,” mentioned Minister Shahid.

Stoning in Jamarat safe and painless
Speaking about the stoning in Jamarat, the Minister Shahid said, “We did the stoning on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. It is very safe now. It used to be very dangerous. Now there are different levels. It is actually painless.”

While appreciating the improvements done in Mina, the Minister said, “Camp facilities are getting better year after year. Credit to be attributed to the Saudi Government: to be able to manage over three million people moving around the very short time and in the very small space and putting on all facilities, whether it is medical facilities, whether it is camp facilities, tents facilities, the transport facilities were required. Each year these are getting better.”

Monorail system to be introduced in Mina
Speaking about the Monorail system to be introduced in Mina, the Minister Shahid mentioned, “Now when I was there, they were developing a monorail system which will link Mina with Muzdalifah, with Arafah. So people will actually be able to go on the sky on the monorail which will help Hajjis tremendously. Transport is very big challenge. It’s a monorail system on the sky; it’s nothing comparable with the UK system. I think in Japan they have got this system. They are developing that system; they got all pillars in place; they will now put on truck there and then concrete.”

Undoubtedly life-changing experience
Speaking about his impression of Hajj, the Minister Shahid said, “Well, it’s very very powerful I think. For me and for the whole family it’s a very powerful experience. It is undoubtedly a life-changing experience for one who goes and performs Hajj. It was an honour and privilege for me to be able to stay with mum and dad and obviously my wife and brother also. It is an experience shared with those who are nearest and dearest to me. It’s very very powerful.”

Translate lesson into practice
“First time I saw the Ka’aba. Obviously that is something, which you are in awe about long long time. It’s a very powerful, very striking and many people quite emotional as well. All those things I think but one thing which struck me that one point of time the Makkah was the most diverse place in the world. But this diversity which united by virtue of performing Hajj. I saw it would be nice when they will go back to their countries of origin, and the countries they live, if they just think about being united in those countries and also think about being harmonious of those countries as well,” said Minister Shahid.

Saudis committed to improving facilities
Speaking about the facilities Saudi government is providing during Hajj, Minister Shahid mentioned, “By all accounts each year the facilities get better; Saudis are really committed to improving the facilities to offer to the Hajiis. It’s lot easier than it used to be. It’s a lot safer than it used to be. They feel that it is lot of respect for them to serve Hajjis.”

Need to clamp down on some of the abuses
Speaking about some missellng of goods in this country, Minister Shahid mentioned, “There are some misselling of goods going on in this country. I think this kind of abuse is taking place for a long time. We tried to clamp down on some of the abuses through my friend and colleague Garrard Thomas, Consumers Welfare Minister. Hajj or Umrah tour operators promise the earth and when people arrived there, it’s not what is expected. One thing I noticed that lots of people when they get there; they are grateful to be there. They think we are for Hajj, we just forgive and forget and move on. I can understand that. But I would rather prefer they come back and complain so that we can put the tour operators straight. But the majority of them are doing good job but some of them are pretty unscrupulous, I think.”

British Hajj Delegation Brilliant
Speaking about the British Hajj Delegation in Makkah, Minister Shahid said, “The British Hajj Delegation is very good. When I was there, some one from Birmingham rank me; his mother was very ill; she was in hospital there. So I rang Lord Patel and I think the British Hajj Delegation gave the support which is required there. I think it’s brilliant. You know the only government in Europe that provides this Hajj Delegation is the UK government which is a great comfort, I think, to the British Hajjis. We are very proud of this support we give. We recognize the people, our citizens, came from all different backgrounds and our job is to make each one of them, the Jews, Muslims, Christians, Sikhs.”

Meeting with King Abdullah
Speaking about the lunch in Mina, Minister Shahid said, “I had the chance to meet King Abdullah. There was a big lunch in Mina. I met King Abdullah, had a few words and shook hands. He looks to be in good health.”.

Live interview by Islam Channel from Mina
Minister Shahid was interviewed Live on Islam Channel from Mina by Barrister Rizwan. Shahid mentioned a story about Barrister Rizwan. Minister said, “When I went to Bangladesh in June 2008; a little earlier Barrister Rizwan was beaten very badly there in airport. So when I met General Moin; who was factually running the country at that time, I raised the issue of Barrister Rizwan as well as the democratic elections. He promised me two things: we will have democratic elections by December and those people who are responsible I will find them and I will put them in jail. Barrister Rizwan said to me that you know those people they are still in jail today. So I have established a very good news story from that perspective.”

Concluding remarks
Concluding his interview, Minister Shahid said, “Saudis are working on their side. For me, the main frustration is still the way the tour operators work here; the way the visas work through these tour operators here; the kind of packages they sale and the people not being clear about what they are buying some times, that’s the things that need to be improved. The Minister for Consumer Welfare Service, Garrard Thomas, is very much interested to make it sure that the Hajjis get the honest service.”

About Minister Shahid Malik
On 9 June 2009 Shahid Malik was appointed Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government. Shahid was elected as the Member of Parliament for Dewsbury, West Yorkshire at the 2005 General Election. Within a year, Shahid was the only newly elected Labour MP to be appointed to the powerful Home Affairs Select Committee. At the 2005 Parliamentary Oscars, the House Magazine Awards, his Maiden Speech was judged to be the best among the new MPs of 2005 and he received the prestigious House Magazine 'Best Maiden Speech' Award. In February 2006 he was runner-up in the Channel Four News awards in the 'Rising Star' category.

He also served on the Environmental Audit Committee until the Government reshuffle in May 2006 when he was appointed as the Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Schools Minister Jim Knight MP, a position he held till Gordon Brown appointed him as Britain's first Muslim Minister, at the Department for International Development in June 2007.

In October 2008, Shahid was promoted to serve as Minister for Justice and in March 2009 he was subsequently appointed into a dual role as a Home Office Minister.

Prior to entering Parliament he held a number of significant national roles. Following the 'Good Friday' Peace Agreement he was appointed by Mo Mowlam as the only ever Great British Commissioner to the Northern Ireland Equality Commission (1999-2002).

His other main area of work has been in regeneration and the voluntary sector. He was National Chair of the Voluntary Sector body Urban Forum (1999-2002) and was Chief Executive of Haringey Regeneration Agency managing £150 million of programmes.

From 1998-2002 he served as a Commissioner for Racial Equality covering Great Britain and also served as Vice-Chair of UK UNESCO.

He has also been a Fellow of the Institute of Management (FIMgt) and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (FRSA).

Shahid Malik was born and raised in Burnley in one of the most deprived areas in Britain, ranked 8th most deprived out of more than 8,000 wards in the country.

Education and Women in Saudi Arabia

Dr. Mozammel Haque

History was made recently in Saudi Arabia throughany changes that took place. For the first time in the history of the country, a Saudi woman is appointed as deputy minister. While reshuffling the Kingdom’s Cabinet, King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia appointed a Saudi woman, Nora bint Abdullah Al-Fayez, as the deputy education minister for girls’ affairs.

First Saudi Woman Minister
Al-Fayez began her career as a schoolteacher in 1982 working her way up to become in 2001 the director general of the women’s section at the Institute of Public Administration. Her long experience in the educational sector and her husband’s encouragement and support paved the way for her to reach this position.

Nora bint Abdullah Al-Fayez has been serving as director general of the women’s section of the Institute of Public Administration since 1993. She completed her master’s degree in educational techniques from Utah State University in 1982 and bachelor’s degree in social science from King Saud University in 1978.

Accepting the new position, Al-Fayez told Arab News, “This is an honor not only for me, but for all Saudi women. In the presence of a comprehensive operational team, I believe I’ll be able to face challenges and create positive change.”

Commenting on the historic appointment, Ali Al-Twati, a Saudi academic and writer, said having a woman occupy the position of deputy minister is a must. “It is compulsory, not optional, to have women occupy leadership positions. Since the number of schools in Saudi Arabia exceeds 10,000, girls need a reference in the ministry to listen to their issues and understand them,” said Al-Twati.

He also said that segregation makes it easier for women in the Kingdom to reach high leadership positions. There are more women in key positions in the country than in developed countries, he added.

Haifa Jamal Al-Lail, dean of Effat College, expressed her delight, adding that the appointment serves as an impetus for women to get into leading positions to contribute to the development of Saudi society.

“This is not just about having the first woman deputy minister. It’s about having more women in important positions. Al-Fayez’s presence in the Ministry of Education will make women’s voices heard,” said Al-Lail.

Despite optimism for a better future, Khaled Al-Radihan, Assistant Professor of Anthropology at King Saud University in Riyadh, said it would not be easy. “There is a conservative stream of people who won’t accept the situation easily. If the deputy minister proves herself and succeeds, then things might take a different turn. However, it’s a positive change and a good opportunity for a better future,” said Al-Radihan.

Asma Siddiki, Associate Dean for Development at the Dubai School of Government, congratulated Al-Fayez, describing her appointment as a milestone for women in Saudi Arabia.

“Our government is to be commended for recognizing women’s achievements. Given the remarkable progress women are making in the Kingdom, and the investment the government is making in education, I don’t doubt there’ll be many such senior appointments in the future,” said Siddiki.

The Jeddah-based English daily, Arab News, commented editorially on 15 February, 2009, “The Saudi government reshuffle announced yesterday is not just a changing of the guard — new faces replacing old with policies remaining the same. It is a clear sign of major transformation in the Kingdom.

“Most eyes, certainly abroad, will be on the appointment of the country’s first woman minister, Nora Al-Fayez, who takes over as deputy minister for women’s education. An exciting development, it shows the commitment of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah to empower women in society and bring them into the decision-making process. There may be some who are uncomfortable with that,” observed the editorial.

The editorial continued, “They have no reason to be. Saudi women have the same beliefs and values as Saudi men. They are just as capable of standing up for the country’s traditions as men. They are just as well educated as men — indeed in many cases, better — and they have much to contribute to the Kingdom’s future. The appointment is a guide to how Saudi Arabia is evolving.

It should be seen in the same light as that of Fatimah Al-Saleem, the new cultural attaché at the Saudi Embassy in Ottawa — another “first” for a Saudi woman. Both appointments are steps in a process that, one day, will see women heading major ministries and women ambassadors. The Kingdom is reforming, albeit at a pace society can cope with.”

Samar Fatany, a Saudi Radio Journalist, observed in the Arab News, “The appointment of Nora bint Abdullah Al-Fayez, the first woman as deputy education minister, is also a positive development. Women across the Kingdom are celebrating the fact that finally the ban has been lifted on women taking leading posts as decision-makers. For many years, the policy of excluding women and marginalizing their role was one of the major issues that kept the society behind and frustrated many educated and qualified Saudi women who represent 50 percent of the population. This negative policy also has projected a distorted image of Saudi and Muslim women across the globe.”

“Nevertheless, lifting the ban on the employment of women in leadership positions is still a good start that may open the door for more positions to follow. The bold and brave decision to implement major judicial and educational reforms and the appointment of forward-thinking officials has restored public confidence and demonstrated King Abdullah’s will to lead his country to a more prosperous future,” Fatany observed.

Sabria S. Jawhar writing in the Saudi Gazette, Jeddah, observed, “Al-Fayez and her colleagues in the Ministry of Education are faced with the monumental task of bringing Saudi education to a global standard. At the moment nearly 90 percent of the students are receiving an education in Saudi Arabia’s 25,000 public schools.”

Fawziah Al-Bakr, a professor of education at King Saud University reported recently that as much as 75 percent of the curriculum is studies in religion. Studies in math and science, not to mention studies of other cultures, are not a priority.

And Prince Faisal Bin Abdullah told a group of ministers recently that, “We need more efforts in strengthening Saudi Arabia’s position by building brains and investing in humans.”

7.5-billion-riyal campus for women

Saudi Arabia’s education is going through an important phase in its history as a result of the reforms introduced by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah, to improve the country’s educational standard matching with its position in the comity of nations, the new education minister said.

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah launched eight new educational and welfare projects worth more than SR14 billion at King Saud University (KSU), including a 7.5-billion-riyal campus for women, a SR1.8-billion medical city and a SR1.2-billion housing project.

The King Abdullah Project for the Development of Public Education has allocated SR4.2 billion to improve the educational environment and SR3.58 billion for extra-curricular activities. The training and development of teachers is another thrust of the project and for this purpose SR2.94 billion has been set aside. A curriculum development program will receive SR980 million. Academics and other experts are working on the project’s executive plan, which will be ready shortly.

Speaking to top officials at the ministry, Prince Faisal bin Abdullah, who was recently sworn in as the Minister of Education, said no compromise and negligence would be tolerated in the education sector. “We need more efforts in strengthening Saudi Arabia’s position by building brains and investing in humans,” the Saudi Press Agency quoted the Minister as saying.

Speaking about educational reforms, he said King Abdullah has allocated SR9 billion for a new general education development project, which is named after the king. “This project is being supported by Saudi and foreign experts,” he added.

7,200 women to be given Education ministry jobs
The Ministry of Education plans to provide women 7,200 administrative jobs in Girls’ Education at the ministry headquarters and 41 education departments across the country, a ministry source said. Nearly 70 percent of administrative jobs in Girls’ Education are already held by women. The Cabinet also approved measures to increase jobs for women. In the recent Cabinet reshuffle, Norah Al-Faiz was appointed as deputy minister for Girls’ Education. She is the first woman in Saudi Arabia to hold a ministerial post.

Two Smart Schools in Madinah
Another development that took place in the field of education is an agreement signed on 7th of March 2009 between The Knowledge Economic City (KEC) in Madinah with Al-Andalus Private Schools to build two smart schools in the new city. The two schools, one for boys and the other for girls, will be built on separate plots of land covering an area of 50,000 square meters. The schools will provide education to students from the kindergarten up to the 12th grade. “With an investment of around SR150 million, the schools will provide e-learning and the use of the latest technology to enhance the learning experience,” the owner of Al-Andalus Private Schools, Abdulghani El-Khereiji, said.

He said Al-Andalus Smart Schools would benefit from KEC’s modern infrastructure that will facilitate the speedy delivery of information and the optimum application of technology.

Chief executive officer of the KEC, Tahir Mohammed Bawazir, said the development of Al-Andalus Smart School “is a significant first step” toward the educational reforms introduced by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah. “The KEC in Madinah is the new home of knowledge-based industries and Al-Andalus School will benefit tremendously from this location to lay the foundation for preparing our youth for a knowledge-based economy,” he said.

The Knowledge Economic City Company recently completed the design for its smart IT network infrastructure in conjunction with Cisco Systems and has also developed a study on the proposed smart services that will be provided there.

Integration of Saudi women into workplace
In the past three years, there have been fast changes in economy, the integration of women into the workplace, support for women’s issues. The Ministry of Commerce has opened up all fields for women to do business in. Women are said to be having nearly SR45 billion in banks in the Kingdom, more than half of it lying idle. Women can now participate and get license in all fields that are open to men. Many Saudi women are now directly involved in business. There are such Saudi women like Dr. Basmah Mosleh Omair, Chief Executive Officer of the Sayeda Khadijah Bint Khuwailid Center for Businesswomen at the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI), Princess Loulwa Al-Faisal, daughter of late King Faisal, who has either led or been a member of several businesswomen’s delegations abroad, Princess Mashael Bint Faisal Bin Turki Bin Abdul Aziz, president of the Business Women’s Forum of the Eastern Province, and one who is responsible for the establishment of the Gulf Businesswomen’s Committee (GBC), Dr. Lama Abdulaziz Al-Sulaiman, elected JCCI board member and Madawi Abdullah Al-Hassoun, JCCI board member, who has been in business for more than two decades

“Things are moving pretty quickly in Saudi Arabia. It is a booming economy although there is an economic crisis in the world but we are not affected here. Women are now more aware that they have to get involved early on into these investments and they now have the choice. What we have done is given them opportunities and removed as many obstacles as we could to give them the choice and opportunity to participate in the sector they like,” said Omair.

Madawi Abdullah Al-Hassoun, JCCI board member, who has been in business for more than two decades, said, “Most of us are highly educated. We have proved ourselves in many sectors, internationally. We have gained recognition from the government, the society that we are capable of shouldering responsibilities.”

“We have seen more changes as far as women’s workplace is concerned. Now there is nothing in the labour law that says men and women cannot mix in the work place. All it says is that we should work within the Shari’ah, which is fine. So now there is more integration of women in the private sector,” Omair said of the achievements coming out as a result of the recommendations.

Dr. Basmah Mosleh Omair, Chief Executive Officer of the Sayeda Khadijah Bint Khuwailid Center for Businesswomen at the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI), the first women’s forum of its kind formed last year.

Accident-Free Most Successful
This Year’s Hajj

Dr. Mozammel Haque

This year’s Hajj was the accident-free most successful Hajj because the nearly three million pilgrims completed their rituals in a peaceful and secure atmosphere. They stoned Jamarat Al-Aqaba in the City of Tents (Mina), slaughtered sacrificial animals and performed Tawaf Al-Ifadah on Monday, the 10th of Dhul Hijjah (8th of December 2008). This year’s Hajj was free from any disaster. This is mainly due to the newly-built high-tech four-level SR.4-billion Jamarat Bridge which has the capacity to accommodate up to 300,000 people per hour and up to 5 million pilgrims in total and also due to road network inside the Holy sites.

According to the latest statistics from the General Statistics Authority in the Kingdom, 2,408,849 pilgrims, including 1,729,841 from abroad, performed Hajj this year. About 200,000 pilgrims are believed to be from the city of Makkah. Nearly 480,000 illegal local pilgrims, mostly foreigners, were able to sneak through the roads leading to Makkah to perform Hajj this year, official said.

Stoning at Jamarat
The stoning at Jamarat, which began on Monday, the 10th of Dhul Hijjah, is the most potentially perilous aspect of Hajj due to so many people convening at this location. Nearly three million people passed through the Jamarat complex to symbolically throw their stones at the three pillars of Satan. In order to protect the crowd from it, more than 300,000 security personnel were positioned at several places on the bridge and before the entrances to the bridge. Their aim was to ensure one-way flow of foot traffic through the recently renovated and expanded complex, which is still incomplete but considerably larger and more accommodating than last year.

The three-story Jamarat Bridge, which is 1.2 kilometre in length and 100 metres in width, is a magnificent architectural structure. The oval-shaped places for stoning the Jamarat have been designed in such a way as to enable the pilgrims perform the stoning ritual with ease and in comfort. By Wednesday noon, the 12th of Dhul-Hijjah, hundreds of thousands of pilgrims stoned the Jamarat safely.

Nearly three million pilgrims began on Monday the first day of the Eid Al-Adha feast, by stoning the Jamarat Al-Aqaba, followed by sacrificing animal to commemorate the willingness of Prophet Abraham (Ibrahim) to sacrifice his son for God and then shaving the head or trimming the hair. The first step of the ritual went on smoothly and with ease. Monday’s ritual was the first real test for Hajj forces preparations on Al-Jamarat Bridge.

Measures taken to make Hajj Smoothly
All these went smoothly because of the following measures taken by the Saudi authorities to make this year as well as all other years Hajj accident-free successful Hajj. The following measures, such as enforcement of ‘No Permit No Hajj’ law, Traffic movement at Jamarat, Emergency and Evacuation Plans, carrying bags and suitcases not allowed at Jamarat, smooth Vehicular Movement at Holy sites and Crowd Management in Grand Mosque in Makkah.

Enforcement of ‘No Permit, No Hajj’ Law
The enforcement of the ‘No Permit, No Hajj’ Law this year had decreased the number of illegal local pilgrims by 60 percent. Nearly 480,000 illegal local pilgrims, mostly foreigners, were able to sneak through the roads leading to Makkah to perform Hajj this year, reported in the press.

Traffic Movement at Jamarat
To facilitate pilgrims on the first day of Tashreeq especially in the Jamarat area, a large force of newly trained security personnel was assigned to regulate the flow of pilgrims towards the Jamarat Bridge. Civil Defence teams of 5,000 cadets were mobilized to oversee the movement of the pilgrims during the stoning ritual.

Emergency and Evacuation Plan
About 2,000 Civil Defence officers were trained to deal with emergencies and evacuation plans. A section of the force was responsible for ensuring that pilgrims were not carrying any luggage or other belongings while coming for the stoning ritual. About 100,000 Saudi Security personnel oversaw security, traffic and other arrangements in the Holy sites.

Carrying bags and suitcases not allowed at Jamarat
As per order of the Hajj organisers, the pilgrims were not allowed to carry bags and suitcases with them during the stoning ritual. This means that they had to stone the Jamarat after 12.00 p.m. and then return to their tents to collect their luggage before proceeding to Makkah for Tawaf al-Wida – the final duty in Hajj before they return home.

Smooth Vehicular Movement at Holy sites
The increase in the number of Tunnels at the Holy sites had facilitated the traffic flow during this Hajj. Three more Tunnels were added this year to the old five Tunnels through which vehicles transport pilgrims and goods. The new Tunnels were instrumental in ensuring smooth vehicular movement and the special tunnel security force, a task force that monitors patrols and resolve issues exclusively in the tunnels that arise from time to time. The control room was the heart of the operation tracking movement in the Tunnels. They supervised the activities of the tunnel task force.

Crowd Management in Grand Mosque in Makkah
About 1,500 cameras were installed in the Holy sites to monitor the millions of pilgrims coming for completion of their Hajj rituals and some 800 cameras watched pilgrims in the Grand Mosque in Makkah as a way to manage the crowd and avoid congestion that might lead to stampede. These cameras helped to take appropriate decisions for crowd management. 6,000 security men from four security agencies were working together to secure the routes for nearly 2.5 million pilgrims who performed the farewell Tawaf (Tawaf Al-Wada) on Wednesday, the 12th of Dhul-Hijjah. The mass of pilgrims doing Tawaf was transmitted via LCD screens distributed in the courtyards of the Haram.

Introduction of Special facilities
During this year’s Hajj, so many special facilities such as caring those with special needs, setting up pharmacies and ATMs in Mina for Pilgrims benefit, charging points for Mobile Battery, chairs for barbar in Mina, lost pilgrim centre, and Hospital in Mina were introduced.

Caring those with Special Needs
Pilgrims with special needs this year are grateful to King Abdullah who had provided them with special vehicles to the Jamarat Bridge for the ritual of stoning the devil. King Abdullah this year made available 10 small buses to take pilgrims with special needs to Al-Jamarat. The Ministry of Education also sent this year 19 Boy Scouts all of whom were hearing-impaired to work at the hospitals in Mina.

Setting up Pharmacies, ATMs in Mina for Pilgrims benefit
For the first time during a Hajj season, the Municipality of Makkah had set up a special location for pharmacies and ATM machines to help the pilgrims. In Mina, there were six pharmacies and eight ATM machines making it convenient for the pilgrims to find the things they need. The Municipality this year had also earmarked 300 sites for selling goods to pilgrims.

Charging points for Mobile battery
To facilitate pilgrims charging their mobile batteries, authorities had set up several points at various places in Mina.

Chairs for Barbers in Mina
This year the Municipality had allocated 1,100 barber chairs for barbers at different places in the Holy sites and Municipal inspectors made regular tours to guarantee that only new razors were used for shaving pilgrims’ heads.

The Technical and Vocational Training Corporation (TVTC) trained over 100 barbers who were committed to observe health regulations at their centre in Mina. The Centre of Saudi barbers functioned in the midst of chaotic barbershops around the Jamarat.

Lost Pilgrim Centre
The rate of lost pilgrims was much lower than last year. The Lost Pilgrims Centre, which has been in existence for two years, aims to help lost pilgrims who otherwise would spend hours trying to find their way around. There were more than 20 centres around Mina equipped with a computerized system to give the required help to lost pilgrims. Using modern technology, the Saudi Scouts Society (SSS) in cooperation with different ministries including Hajj, Islamic Affairs, Call and Guidance and different security departments was able to guide lost pilgrims to their tents.

There were 4,000 Boy Scouts working this Hajj. About 1,500 of them were representing the Ministry of Education while the remaining was from different Saudi Universities.


Hospital In Mina
Al-Jessar Hospital in Mina is not a small operation. This 122-bed facility has 330 staff members during Hajj including 92 physicians and 140 nurses and Lab assistants. The Hospital also has four intensive care units. The very worst year in the Hajj service was in 1997, the year of the tent fire, in which more than 300 pilgrims were killed. This year the number of patients treated at the Hospital was 50 percent less than last year.

Media coverage of this year’s Hajj
The media’s coverage of this year’s Hajj was greater than ever. As recently as the late 1990’s, there was almost no coverage of Hajj outside the Middle East. Then a decade ago, Riz Khan covered the event for CNN.

For this year’s Hajj, about 300 media representatives from various parts of the world were covering Hajj season this year. They represent Arab, Islamic and international television channels, news agencies, newspapers and broadcasting stations.

Comments by U.S. Congressman
Keith Ellison, a member of the United States Congress from Minnesota, said he was amazed at the beautiful and marvellously designed architecture of the Holy Mosque in Makkah and the Jamarat Bridge in Mina. He also praised the well thought-out and brilliantly-executed Hajj arrangements and the cleanliness and hygienic conditions in Mina, reported in Jeddah-based English daily Saudi Gazette.

Eid-ul-Adha Messages from Two Kingdoms
Next day after Arafat, the 9th of Dhul Hijjah, Monday, the 10th of Dhul-Hijjah, corresponding to 8th of December 2008, when the Pilgrims completed their stoning rituals at Jamarat, sacrificing animals, the Eid-ul-Adha was celebrated throughout the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, in Makkah and Madina as well as in the United Kingdom, on Monday, the 8th of December, 2008. On this occasion of Eid Al-Adha, King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, and Crown Prince Sultan Bin Abdul Aziz, Deputy Premier, Minister of Defence and Aviation and Inspector General, greeted citizens, pilgrims and all Muslims. In their address, the King and the Crown Prince laid stress on promoting the values of truth, goodness and integrity shunning hostility and animosity.

King Abdullah’s Message on Monday
“From this sacred land, Mina, Mount Arafat and the Grand Mosque, to where the pilgrims flocked responding to God’s call and stood in prayers and circumambulated the Kaaba, we congratulate the pilgrims for performing Hajj and related rituals. We also pray the Almighty Allah to accept and bless their Hajj,” King Abdullah and Crown Prince Sultan said in a greeting message read out by Higher Education Minister Khaled Al-Anqari.

“The Hajj rituals bind the pilgrims together with a sense of love and compassion and mutual support cutting across their differences of colour, nationalities and languages,” the king and crown prince said in a joint statement. “By performing Hajj rituals, they (the pilgrims) fill the world, in fact, the entire world with mercy, tolerance, compassion and peace, promoting the values of truth, goodness and integrity while getting rid of all their hatred and animosities. Consequently, they will return to their home countries enriched with this kind of spiritual light which pushes human values to their peaks,” the joint message said.

They also underscored the role of Hajj in promoting the values of truth, virtue and integrity and ending resentment and animosity. “Dear brothers and sisters: The pilgrimage to the Holy Mosque of Makkah is a great occasion for which every Muslim participates with his full heart, mind and soul. As such, you ought to utilize these blessed moments in order to return as if you were just born, pure from sins and misdeeds, and to return to your families enriched with some of the rewards of Hajj, well-guided and ready to guide,” the message said.

“We wish you and all mankind safety and peace,” the King and Crown Prince concluded.

Eid Sermons from Haramain in Makkah and Madina
Eid prayers were offered in hundreds of thousands of prayer places and mosques across the Kingdom. The Eid Al-Adha prayer in the Masjid Al-Haram was led by Sheikh Saleh Bin Muhammad Aal Talib. He said the purpose of Eid was to recognize and thank Allah for the bounties He blessed us with.

Aal Talib reminded that the teachings of the Qur’an and the Sunnah stress moral excellence, good manners and safeguarding society’s and individuals’ rights. People should be kind and obedient to their parents, keep in touch with their relatives, greet people and keep away from harming or annoying others. The Islamic teachings stress the spreading of love and harmony and warn against cheating, envy and backbiting.

Aal Talib said the Ummah is in dire need for ties of brotherhood and unity among them. There is a need that Muslims unite under one message and goal, spreading good faith towards one another. He warned against conflicts and differences and pointed out that the worst kind of discord is to differ on religion. He stressed that Islam came as a mercy for the entire mankind, Muslims and non-Muslims alike.

Not only this, but Islam teaches us to be kind to animals, birds and the natural things. The Prophet (peace be upon him) used to visit the sick among the Jews and accept their invitations. The Shariah has protected the rights of non-Muslims killed by mistake, as blood-money has to be paid.

In the Prophet’s Mosque, Sheikh Ali Bin Abdul Rahman Al-Hudhaifi led the Eid prayers. He said Eid purifies the hearts and brings people together for a good purpose. Sheikh Al-Hudhaifi advised Muslims to be kind and obedient to their parents, visit and maintain ties with their relatives, be kind to their neighbours, and care for their rights. He urged Muslims to have good manners while dealing with people.

Eid-ul-Adha Messages from the United Kingdom
Both the British Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary of the United Kingdom sent their Eid-ul-Adha Messages to the British Muslim Community on the auspicious occasion of the Eid-ul-Adha.

The British Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, M.P. has sent a message to the British Muslim Community, saying his warm best wishes on the auspicious occasion of the Eid ul-Adha. The Prime Minister said, “For me, the inspirational thing about the act of Hajj is the great restlessness it shows in the Ummah – the great stirrings for justice that reside in the Muslim heart. When people are drawn from each corner of the world, inspired by a shared and ancient ideal to act as one in the service of a better world – then it summons in us a truly modern hope that we can build a global society characterised by fairness and cooperation and respect.”

“At this special time for the Muslim community we can also reflect upon and celebrate the tremendous contributions of British Muslims to our national life, said the British Prime Minister.

The Foreign Secretary, David Miliband, M.P. also sent his best wishes on this special occasion of Eid-ul Adha. “As Muslims all over the world, including in Britain, celebrate with their families, it is a good moment to reflect on the message that Eid carries for us all,” said the British Foreign Secretary and added, “Eid Al Adha marks the completion of the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca, one of the five pillars of Islam. It commemorates the sacrifice and steadfastness of the prophet Abraham, forefather of Muslims, Christians and Jews alike. These two qualities, of sacrifice and steadfastness, are ones that must guide what we do - in our families, in our communities, and in how we act in the world.”

King Abdullah at the Interfaith Conference at the United Nations

Dr. Mozammel Haque


Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Abdullah, urged world leaders attending a historic conference on interfaith dialogue at the United Nations to learn lessons from the past and establish justice in order to end violence. “We say today with a single voice that religions through which Almighty God sought to bring happiness to mankind should not be turned into instruments to cause misery,” the king said in his keynote speech at the Culture of Peace Conference organized by the UN General Assembly.

Meeting with Heads of Muslim states
King Abdullah began this journey of his interfaith dialogue three years ago in the Holy City of Makkah, when he called on all 57 Muslim heads of state to meet in Islam’s holiest city to ponder the issues of extremism and call for a Muslim renaissance. The King reiterated that message in words and deed. The King traveled to Vatican and met Pope Benedict offering him peace and friendship on behalf of the Muslim world. Given the long history of the Crusades and bitter relations between the followers of Islam and Christianity, that gesture by Abdullah marked a watershed. The visit heralded a new era in the relations between two Abrahamic faiths that have so much in common yet have seldom been at peace with each other. Abdullah’s mission to Vatican was perhaps the strongest message of peace and good will to emanate from Arabia since the dawn of Islam in Makkah.

Meeting with the Vatican Pope
The King reiterated that message in words and deed. The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques traveled to Vatican and met Pope Benedict offering him peace and friendship on behalf of the Muslim world. The visit heralded a new era in the relations between two Abrahamic faiths that have so much in common yet have seldom been at peace with each other. Abdullah’s mission to Vatican was perhaps the strongest message of peace and good will to emanate from Arabia since the dawn of Islam in Makkah.

Interfaith dialogue at Makkah and Madrid
Earlier this year, in June 2008, King Abdullah hosted a first historic Interfaith dialogue conference of hundreds of Islamic scholars in the holy city of Makkah to discuss ways of promoting tolerance and more robust interfaith dialogue with the outside world. It was followed by a gathering in Madrid that the King hosted alongside King Juan Carlos of Spain. It was attended by representatives from Vatican, Anglican Church, Judaism, Hinduism and other faiths.

And now he has taken his battle of hearts and minds to the global center-stage at the UN. The landmark UN meeting comes on the recommendation of the World Dialogue Conference that was held in Madrid on July 16, which was attended by more than 300 leaders representing Islam, Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism and Buddhism

High-Level Meeting on Culture of Peace at UN
A Two-day interfaith conference titled “High-Level Meeting on Culture of Peace” was held at the UN headquarters from 12-13 November 2008 to promote the culture of peace and dialogue among the followers of various faiths.

UN General Assembly President Miguel d’Escoto Brockmann invited leaders of 192 member countries and observers, including the Vatican, to attend the conference. Many world leaders including US President George W. Bush, Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari, Lebanese President Michel Suleiman, Israeli President Shimon Peres, King Abdallah of Jordan, Philippine President Gloria Arroyo, UAE President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al-Nahyan and Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, secretary-general of the 57-member Organization of the Islamic Conference attended at the conference.

President of the UN General Assembly
Opening the Conference, the President of the UN General Assembly, Miguel d’Escoto Brockmann, warned that the world desperately needs to learn the positive lessons of religion. D’Escoto said all religions included “social responsibility,” but that the world has “become contaminated by the spirit of selfishness and individualism.” “Although social responsibility is a basic law in each of the world’s religions and in all ethical and philosophical traditions, we have allowed ourselves to become contaminated by the spirit of selfishness and individualism, which are the principal values, or rather, anti-values of the globally dominant culture. This culture declares ethics and morals off limits to economic and political activity. It claims that ‘the business of business is business’ and that the concepts of justice and fairness have no place within it. The principles of justice, mercy and compassion are not applicable to economic activities and are deemed to be completely irrelevant,” said D’Escoto.

He hit out at the “unbridled greed” of the “dominant” Western culture. “Unbridled greed and social irresponsibility have thus become the main driving force of the dominant culture. The result is that we have been turned into veritable moral invalids,” said the President of the UN General Assembly.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon
The UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, thanked King Abdullah for his “dynamic role” in making the UN meeting possible, and Saudi Arabia for a “truly inspiring initiative for global harmony and mutual understanding.” “In fact, the world has suffered a lot because of the lack of appreciation, the lack of understanding, and mutual respect and the differences of opinions in religions and faith and culture,” he said. “This is a good start.”

He said similar initiatives made by a number of countries in the United Nations should have “some complementary effect.” “Among them, the Saudi King’s initiative will also be very important. We also have an Alliance of Civilizations.”

“Extremist ideologies are on the rise. Societies are more polarized. Anti-Semitism remains a scourge. Islamophobia has emerged as a new term for an old and terrible form of prejudice,” the UN chief said.

The UN chief praised King Abdullah’s initiative in promoting dialogue between the followers of different religious faiths and cultures. “Dialogue will certainly bring peoples and nations closer,” he told reporters.

“What we need is dialogue that delivers,” the UN chief said. “We need new partnerships that will continue after the last delegate has gone home.” For this to work, we need to involve everyone: Government officials, grass-roots groups, CEOs, philanthropists, academics and the media. “And we especially need the world’s young people. By virtue of their youth, prejudice may not be as ingrained; in a sense, they may have less to unlearn.”

King Abdullah’s Speech at the United Nations
King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, told world leaders on Wednesday, 12 of November 2008 at a UN Conference on Culture of Peace that the time has come to learn from the unjustifiable bloodshed and destruction caused by fanaticism from religious and cultural differences throughout history, and to gather around common values “for a more peaceful, more just, and more tolerant world.”

“We state with a unified voice that religions through which God Almighty sought to bring happiness to mankind should not be turned into instruments to cause misery,” the King said in the first speech by a Saudi monarch to the United Nations in 51 years, which was delivered at the opening session of the General Assembly’s two-day interfaith conference titled “High-level Meeting on Culture of Peace.”

“Human beings were created as equals and partners on this planet. Either they live together in peace and harmony or they will inevitably be consumed by the flames of misunderstanding, malice and hatred,” King Abdullah said.

In his UN speech, King Abdullah said that throughout history, differences between followers of religions and cultures had engendered intolerance, causing devastating wars and bloodshed without any sound logical or ideological justification.

“It is time to learn from the hard lessons of the past and to meet together on the ethics and ideals in which we all believe. What we differ, will be settled by God on the Judgment Day,” he said.
Human denial of justice has led to the world’s misery, the King said.He called for tolerance and a renewal of family ties to overcome the scourge of terrorism and crime. “Terrorism and criminality are the enemies of God and the enemies of every religion and civilization,” he said. “Had not the principle of tolerance and the wonder surrounding the lives of many young people been absent, they would not have emerged.”

The King blamed the decay of family values for the spread of drug abuse and crime. “Drugs and criminality spread only after the collapse of family ties, which God Almighty wanted to remain strong and firm,” he said.

“The humanity is in need of people like you to guide them and make them understand the facts,” the king said and emphasized the need to preserve the family system intact. The participants representing various faiths commended King Abdullah’s efforts to promote interfaith dialogue.

“We would like to emphasize here that our interest in dialogue was inspired by the teachings of Islam and its values and because of our concern for the future of humanity,” the king said. “We’ll stretch our hands to all those who love peace, justice and tolerance.”

“Our dialogue, which will be conducted in a civilized manner, is sure to revive and consolidate noble values, among peoples and nations. There is no doubt that this would represent a magnificent victory for the best in mankind’s character over the worst in him, giving hope for a future where justice, security and noble life prevails over grievance, fear and poverty,” the king said.

The king made this comment while speaking to leaders of different faiths during a special General Assembly session on interfaith dialogue at the United Nations headquarters in New York. “I hope that this dialogue would be a good beginning for humanity ... The days and years that have passed will not come back ... We had enough of killings, enmity and rights violations,” the king said.

The King urged the participants to form a committee on dialogue to continue efforts for years to come toward peaceful coexistence.

King Abdullah lambasted terrorism. “(Those who indulge in) terrorism and (other) crimes are enemies of God and enemies of every religion and culture,” he said. “They would not have appeared in the presence of tolerance.”

King Abdullah aimed at hastening action on some of the most urgent challenges facing the world. “All the tragedies the world witnesses today is the result of its abandoning of a major principle, the principle of justice, promulgated by all religions and cultures,” said King Abdullah, who is the first Saudi king to address the United Nations in 51 years.

“If countries in the world had turned to peace and kept away from wars and conflicts and spent their time and energy to fight poverty and engage in humanitarian work we would not have seen these diseases and poverty,” the king said.

King Abdullah urged world leaders to open a new era of peace, leaving behind the bloody past, and mobilize their resources to fight poverty, provide treatment to patients and boost development.

The King concluded his speech by reminding the audience of this verse from the Holy Qur’an: “O mankind we created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that ye may know each other (not that ye may despise each other). Verily the most honored of you in the sight of Allah is (he who is) the most righteous of you.”

United Nations Declaration
The UN on Thursday, the 13th of November 2008 acknowledged the world interfaith dialogue process initiated by King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, in Madrid earlier this year, and appreciated his proposals made at the General Assembly, Wednesday, to keep the dialogue going, free from any political interference.

A statement issued by the General Assembly at the end of its 63rd session on “Culture of Peace,” which was attended by some 80 world leaders, appreciated King Abdullah’s proposals for forming a steering committee of representatives of all religions and faiths represented in the Madrid conference in July, and for allocating a trust fund to guarantee the autonomy of the dialogue process and its continuation free from any political interference. At the initiative of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Abdullah bin Abdul-Aziz Al-Saud of Saudi Arabia, the General Assembly convened a plenary high level meeting during its sixty-third session on 12 and 13 November 2008 under item 45 Culture of Peace.

The UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-Moon, read out the following UN Declaration:
“At the initiative of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Abdullah bin Abdul-Aziz Al-Saud of Saudi Arabia, the General Assembly convened a plenary high level meeting during its sixty-third session on 12 and 13 November 2008 under item 45 Culture of Peace.

“Concerned about serious instances of intolerance, discrimination, hatred expressions, and harassment of minority religious communities of all faiths, participating states underlined the importance of promoting dialogue, understanding, and tolerance among human beings, as well as respect for all their diverse religions, cultures and beliefs.

“Participating states affirmed their rejection of the use of religion to justify the killing of innocent people and actions of terrorism, violence and coercion, which directly contradict the commitment of all religions to peace, justice and equality.

“Taking note of the initiative of the King of Saudi Arabia and the World Conference on Dialogue held in Madrid between 16 and 18 July 2008 under his patronage and graciously hosted by the King and Government of Spain, the General Assembly reiterated its call for promoting a culture of tolerance and mutual understanding through dialogue, and supporting the initiatives of religious leaders, civil society, and states seeking to entrench the culture of peace, understanding, tolerance, and respect for human rights among the proponents of various faiths, cultures, and civilizations.

“Participating states expressed their commitment to strengthening and supporting existing mechanisms within the United Nations for promoting tolerance and human rights, preserving the institution of the family, protecting the environment, spreading education, eradicating poverty, and fighting drug abuse, crime and terrorism, noting the positive role of religions, beliefs and moral humanitarian principles in tackling these challenges.”


NEW YORK – King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques