Allahu Akbar! Hajj News 1438Hijrah.

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Slain Palestinians’ relatives to perform Hajj as king’s guests

RIYADH: Preparations are complete for the arrival of 1,000 relatives of Palestinians killed by Israeli forces to perform this year’s Hajj as guests of King Salman.
Abdullah Al-Madalj, secretary-general of the King Salman bin Abdul Aziz General Secretariat for Hajj and Umrah, said the arrangements include accommodation, transport and food.
The program, in its ninth year, recognizes the heroism of Palestinians who gave their lives to uphold their rights, he said, adding that hosting their families will ease the pain of losing their loved ones.
“It’s also an extension of support by the Kingdom for the Palestinian cause,” he said.
~News

 

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Saudi Arabia approves emergency plan to safeguard pilgrims.

JEDDAH/RIYADH: A five-point emergency response plan was approved on Thursday to ensure the security and safety of pilgrims during Hajj.
The plan covers risk assessment, the allocation of tasks and responsibilities, technical and administrative support, and the provision of food, fuel and accommodation in the event of a major incident.
Teams of volunteers will assist Civil Defense in implementing the plan if required, along with 32 government agencies. Many young people had expressed an interest in volunteer work because they were keen to help pilgrims, said Lt. Gen. Sulaiman Al-Amr, the director general of Civil Defense.
The aim was to provide the necessary resources for pilgrims to perform their rituals with ease, to guide them through the areas of pilgrimage in Makkah and Madinah and to protect them from accidents, Al-Amr said.
This year’s Hajj pilgrimage will begin in about three weeks.
Hajj infection-free so far: Health Ministry
So far, no infections have been diagnosed among pilgrims who have arrived at Hajj sites from around the world, the Health Ministry said.
Nonetheless, the ministry on its Twitter account urged pilgrims to continue to take adequate preventive measures against infectious diseases and flu, and to cooperate with health officials in the holy areas.
Points of entry by land, sea and air are manned by ministry officials to monitor the health of pilgrims.
The officials have been asked to supplement any vaccines that pilgrims may have failed to take before arrival.
6,015 pharma products, medical equipment cleared for pilgrims
The Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) has cleared 6,015 pharmaceutical products and medical equipment arriving at King Abdul Aziz International Airport in Jeddah and Prince Mohammed bin Abdul Aziz International Airport in Madinah.
“The SFDA did not authorize the release of some of the pilgrims’ food items because of poor storage, expiration or damage,” said Dr. Abdul Rahman Al-Sultan, SFDA executive director of awareness and information.
With the participation of the Madinah municipality, SFDA representatives inspected 341 food establishments, including kitchens, restaurants, fast-food outlets, bakeries and central markets, he added.
They seized 418 technical and health violators, and confiscated and destroyed 7,433 kg of food, including meat, chicken, fish, liver, vegetables, fruit, corn, chocolate and processed food.
The SFDA provided the Madinah secretariat with the establishments’ health and technical violations to implement fines and other penalties.

 

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MAKKAH: Following the annual custom, the lower part of Kaaba garment (kiswa) was raised and tailors covered the exposed part with a white cotton cloth of about two meters across the four sides.
This procedure is carried out every year as a precautionary measure to prevent people from damaging the kiswa, as they tend to touch the cover during their circumambulations, said Dr. Muhammad Bajouda, director of the King Abdul Aziz Complex for the Kaaba.
The covering of the Kaaba is raised each year as a sign of the beginning of the month of the Hajj.
The kiswa was previously raised on the first day of Dhu Al-Hijjah as an announcement of the advent of the rite and an indication of the beginning of the holy days.
According to Bajouda: “With a decrease in the number of pilgrims, the date of raising the kiswa was put forward, as the numbers were very few and it was difficult for many pilgrims to come in those years.” But with the improvement of economic conditions and means of transport, the date was changed to the middle of Dhu’l-Qi’dah.
He pointed out that the number of pilgrims, which exceeds 2 million, is one of the reasons for raising the kiswa — to preserve it.
“The kiswa is raised from the mataf the equivalent of three meters out of the 14-meter height of the Kaaba. Eleven meters remain covered until the 12th of the month of Muharram.” Bajouda said.
This period passes by changing this cover once a year, during the Hajj season, on the morning of the day of Arafah, the ninth of Dhu Al-Hijjah, to return the covering of the Kaaba until the 12th of Muharram.
“On the eighth day of the month of Dhu Al-Hijjah every year, the 52 gilded parts are removed,” he said.
~News

 

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Infection prevention and control
Since July 2012, 1,677 patients have been infected by MERS in all parts of the Kingdom. They included 683 deaths, 987 recoveries and seven patients currently under treatment.
Dr. Shin Young-soo, World Health Organization (WHO) regional director for the Western Pacific, advised continued vigilance for any new cases of MERS through early detection and a rapid-response system.
Health care workers are advised to use stringent infection prevention and control measures when treating patients. This includes washing hands before and after contact with patients, and wearing a mask, eye protection, gown and gloves when treating probable or confirmed MERS cases.
Health care workers should note the travel history of people showing symptoms of the virus.
Most MERS patients develop severe to acute respiratory illness with symptoms of fever, cough and shortness of breath. About four out of every 10 patients reported with MERS have died.
There are three major hospitals in Dammam, Riyadh and Jeddah that have been designated as centers to treat MERS patients. In addition to these facilities, the ministry has assigned 20 additional well-equipped hospitals to deal with infected cases.
The ministry has issued warnings for people to stay away from camels. Those who are working on farms have been advised to take maximum precautions against the virus by wearing face masks, isolating infected animals and following basic hygiene principles.
As a general precaution, anyone visiting farms, markets, barns or other places where animals are present should practice general hygiene measures, including regular hand-washing before and after contact with animals, and avoiding sick animals.
~News

Saudi Health Ministry
MOHAMMED RASOOLDEEN | Published — Saturday 12 August 2017
A senior health official said people should stay away from MERS-infected or suspected patients since it is transmitted via droplets through coughing and sneezing.
People have been advised to wear a protective mask over the nose and mouth in crowded places, and follow basic health etiquette when sneezing or coughing.
Common symptoms of the disease include coughing, shortness of breath, congestion in the nose and throat, and diarrhea.
In advanced cases, the patient can have serious complications such as pneumonia, which may lead to death.
The ministry recommends that people abide by basic health guidelines, including washing hands well with soap or sanitizer, especially after coughing or sneezing.
~News

 

[queenislam]

Please make du'a for the Hujjaj
~May Allah swt make the Hujjaj performing their Haj easy ~Amin!

 

[queenislam]

Saudi Arabia
Serve Hajj pilgrims with a smile: Acting Madinah governor

RIYADH: Acting Madinah Gov. Prince Saud bin Khaled Al-Faisal has told officials to serve Hajj pilgrims with a smile and be proud of the opportunity to serve them.
Following his inspection of facilities providing services to Hajj pilgrims, he urged officials to redouble their efforts to offer them satisfactory services.
He was received by government officials at Prince Mohammed bin Abdul Aziz International Airport, where he was briefed on procedures at its immigration and airline counters.
During his visit to the National Guides Establishment, the prince launched a new service to track missing pilgrims.
He also visited the operations control room that monitors pilgrims’ movement in Madinah.
He was accompanied by the district police chief, Maj. Gen. Abdul Hadi Al-Shahrani; the undersecretary of the Ministry of Hajj branch in Madinah, Mohammed Al-Bejawi; and the director general of the Hajj and Umrah General Administration, Sami Issawi.
Health Ministry increases efforts against heat, sunstroke during Hajj
The Health Ministry has intensified efforts to prevent heat and sunstroke, and treat patients, during the Hajj season.
Prior to the season, the ministry conducted training courses for its health officials on how to treat sun- and heat-affected pilgrims.
Health facilities in the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah are fully equipped to treat patients suffering heat-related symptoms.
The ministry is carrying out awareness programs among arriving pilgrims on how to avoid sun and heatstroke.
Brochures are being distributed in several languages, telling pilgrims to avoid direct sun exposure, use an umbrella or stay in the shade, drink plenty of liquids, and go out during evenings and at night rather than during the day.
Diabetics are advised to carry sweets and biscuits, and ensure they take their medicines at the correct times and eat proper meals.

~news

 

[queenislam]

Saudi Arabia
Madinah

JEDDAH: Madinah governorate has started implementing its plan to serve pilgrims and visitors to the Prophet’s Mosque during this year’s Hajj season, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.
The plan of the governorate and its affiliated municipalities covers environmental health, markets, public hygiene, road safety, lighting and a 24-hour monitoring system throughout the Hajj season.
Mayor of the Madinah region, Mohammed bin Abdulhadi Al-Amri, said the plan will mobilize human and material resources to provide the highest level of service to pilgrims. The plan is being supported and followed up by Madinah Gov. Prince Faisal bin Salman.
It takes into consideration the safety of pilgrims and visitors to the Prophet’s Mosque and its environs.
The plan also takes into account increased commercial activity, the number of pilgrims, speedy delivery of services, intensification of environmental health services, how to face the anticipated waste increase, combating commercial fraud, keeping streets tidy, and ensuring the safety and quality of food and water.
The plan will monitor roads used by pilgrims on a 24-hour basis, and stores’ compliance with required health certificates.
It entails operation of government and private slaughterhouses with strict controls on veterinary measures and air pollutants.
It also entails 24-hour readiness to treat emergencies, respond to police and civil defense requests, transport the dead, and operate and maintain lighting networks, tunnels and other facilities.
More than 356 workers are assigned in the central area on a three-shift system for 75 days. Workers and equipment are distributed in all municipalities to ensure proper implementation of work.
Store owners are under strict instruction to allocate waste compressors that can be transported to designated disposal areas.
The plan includes strict controls on hotels, food-processing plants and restaurants preparing meals for pilgrims.
Environmental health teams are assigned to monitor stations and rest houses located on highways passed by pilgrims on their way to Madinah.
The governorate and government agencies related to Hajj service providers are coordinating to iron out difficulties that may impede the progress of plans and programs, and the mobilization of human and material resources.
~News

 

[queenislam]

Saudi Arabia
29,000 medical practitioners to serve Hajj pilgrims this year .

RIYADH: The Health Ministry has deployed 29,000 medics and paramedics to serve local and foreign Hajj pilgrims this year.
The ministry said it has also launched a campaign to vaccinate all individuals involved in Hajj against meningitis and influenza.
As in the past, the ministry has created an integrated plan to offer the best medical services to Hajj pilgrims.
The health of arriving pilgrims will be monitored in accordance with the standards of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Health centers at Saudi points of entry will work on a 24-hour basis to supply vaccines, preventive drugs and medicines in case pilgrims need them.
The ministry supplied medical guidelines to pilgrims at the time of their visa application at Saudi embassies in their respective countries.
Vaccination against meningitis is mandatory for all pilgrims, and vaccination against influenza is advised.
The ministry has 25 hospitals — in Arafat, Minah, Makkah, Madinah and King Abdullah Medical City — to serve pilgrims, as well as more than 155 seasonal primary health care centers.
These facilities have 5,000 beds, including 500 for intensive-care units and 550 for emergencies, in addition to the Holy Mosque’s hospital for emergency cases.
There are 100 mini-ambulances that will be spread out through the holy cities to transport the sick to the nearest hospitals.
Saudi youths can apply for Hajj-related work
The Ministry of Labor and Social Development has launched a portal for Saudis seeking temporary jobs during this year’s Hajj season.
Those interested can apply via www.ajeer.com.sa. Opportunities include working in Hajj-related offices or worksites, and working during the pilgrimage season.
“The work will be on a contractual term that will be valid only for the season,” said ministry under secretary Ahmed Qattan. “The website will list categories and requirements for the respective jobs.”
Applicants are asked to attach their CVs, and inquiries can be directed to the ministry’s toll-free number: 920002866.

~News

 

[queenislam]

Saudi Arabia
Hajj terminal in Jeddah can handle 175,000 pilgrims at a time .

RIYADH: The Hajj terminal in Jeddah can accommodate 175,000 pilgrims at a time — 91,000 at the arrival lounge and 84,000 in the departure lounge.
These figures were revealed during the visit of Prince Abdullah bin Bandar bin Abdul Aziz, deputy governor of the Makkah region, to the Hajj and Umrah Complex at King Abdul Aziz International Airport on Sunday.
Under new arrangements, the airport facilities and personnel will be able to clear 3,800 arriving pilgrims and 3,500 departing ones in an hour. The waiting areas can accommodate 7,000 pilgrims at a time.
The prince reviewed airport upgrades and operational plans to receive pilgrims. He was received by Sulaiman Al-Hamdan, transport minister and chairman of the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA), among others.
The prince was briefed on government services for receiving pilgrims, including those by the Health Ministry, GACA, and the passports and customs departments.
The Hajj and Umrah Complex covers 510,000 square meters. There are 26 aircraft parking spaces, 10 skyways, 18 travel gates and 143 counters for immigration formalities.
The General Directorate of Passports has issued a warning to those transporting pilgrims without licenses, local media reported.
Penalties include a fine of SR50,000 ($13,333) for every passenger carried, a six-month jail sentence and confiscation of the vehicle transporting the unauthorized pilgrims, Al-Madinah daily reported.
Expatriates violating the rules will be deported after they serve their sentences and pay the fines.
Their vehicles will be confiscated, and they will be banned from re-entering the Kingdom.
During Hajj season last year, the passport authorities issued 101 administrative decisions against 574 violators.
In total, they were fined SR5.8 million with prisons terms of 1,425 days, while 18 vehicles were confiscated.
Performing pilgrimage without a permit is illegal in the Kingdom, and every year authorities launch campaigns for citizens and expatriates about the importance of complying with the regulations.
The aim is to control the number of pilgrims at the holy sites in Makkah and Madinah to enable government agencies and legitimate Hajj firms to provide the best services.

~News

MashaAllah!

 

[queenislam]

Makkah Live HD - قناة القران الكريم

 

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Hajj News:

Click on picture for close-up image ~thank you.

above is route of the main Hajj pilgrimage.

 

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General Guide for Health of Hajj and Umrah Pilgrims
http://www.moh.gov.sa/Hajj/WorkManual/Documents/2017-002.pdf
...please wait for the pages to load ~Thank you

 

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May Allah swt grant us to perform Haj ~Amin!

 

[queenislam]

Makkah’s Jamarat facility to be cooled by 750 water-spray poles throughout Hajj

JEDDAH: Makkah Region Development Authority began cooling project in the western area of the Jamarat facility, in addition to the Jamarat-Mina road, with 750 water-spray poles.
The project covers an area with a length of more than 10,000 meters with water-spray poles supplied through two main stations. The spray-poles, along with other cooling ventilation methods, will operate throughout the Hajj season, which will provide respite from the heat in an attempt to make pilgrims more comfortable.
The project is among a number of projects supervised this year by the Makkah Region Development Authority.
~News

 

[queenislam]

Bismillahirrahmanirrahim:
Saudi Arabia
Distribution of Zamzam water: A success story .
TARIQ AL-THAGAFI | Published — Wednesday 16 August 2017

MAKKAH: Distributing Zamzam water to 2 million pilgrims in Makkah is not an easy task.
It is carried out by institutions established to provide water to pilgrims at their hotels every day.
Abdul Jaleel Zamzami, head of the United Zamzam Office, told Arab News that it will distribute 3 million bottles, or 14 million liters of water, to pilgrims during their stay in Makkah.
“We have a fleet of vehicles to deliver Zamzam water to pilgrims’ hotels throughout 10 service centers, two of which have been dedicated to greeting pilgrims at Makkah’s entrances from the Jeddah and Madinah sides,” he said.
The government provides financial and technical assistance to enable the United Zamzam Office to provide water to each pilgrim, said historical writer Saad Al-Shreef.
Last month, the King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz Project for Zamzam Water supplied the Grand Mosque with 21,229 cubic meters of water, and the Prophet’s Mosque with 11,229 cubic meters.
More than 169,870 beneficiaries were served at the main distribution center in Kaddi with 1.35 million bottles of Zamzam water.
Courses held to ensure food safety among pilgrims
The Institute of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques for Hajj and Umrah Research in Umm Al-Qura University organized a series of training programs to ensure food safety among the 360,000 pilgrims from Arab countries.
The courses were held in cooperation with the General Directorate of Environmental Health and Health Affairs, and the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA). They included programs for safe food, protection of food from pollution, rules of food safety and hygiene in food establishments.
Bassam Mishat, a representative of the institute, said the courses reflect the concept of social responsibility during the Hajj and Umrah seasons, directed at those who supervise food safety in pilgrims’ camps.
Mohammed Khugair, director of the health supervision department at the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture, said the initiative coincided with campaigns to reduce food contaminants.
The courses aimed to provide participants with scientific and practical experiences, and familiarize them with laws relating to food and inspection of kitchens, he added.
Mutawaf Abbas bin Abdul Ghani Qattan, chairman of the board of directors of the National Establishment for Pilgrims of Arab Countries, said cooperation between his organization and relevant government sectors is vital to consolidate the principles of food safety systems.
~News.

~Alhamdulillah!!!

 

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