Page 2 - Hajj Pilgrimage

Centre committed to making Haj inclusive, accessible: Smriti Irani

Minority Affairs Minister Smriti Irani on Tuesday held talks with Saudi Arabia's Minister of Haj and Umrah Tawfiq bin Fawzan Al-Rabiah as both countries vowed to work together to make the Haj process as convenient and as seamless as possible with best provision of services for pilgrims. Irani asserted that the government is committed to making Haj inclusive and accessible towards all segments of society. She made the remarks in a press statement with Tawfiq bin Fawzan Al-Rabiah alongside her. "We today held productive discussions on how to further deepen our engagements and especially our cooperation for Haj. Both nations have agreed to continue to work together to make the Haj process as convenient and as seamless as possible with best provision of services for all Haj pilgrims," Irani said. "We are deeply appreciative of the help that we have received from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for extending special help and cooperation for the smooth conduct of Haj not only every year, but

Hajj pilgrimage starts in Saudi Arabia, with 2 mn expected after Covid

Some 2 million Muslim pilgrims officially began the annual Hajj pilgrimage on Monday, making their way out of Mecca after circling Islam's holiest site, the Kaaba, and converging on a vast tent camp in the nearby desert for a day and night of prayer. One of the largest religious gatherings in the world has returned to full capacity this year for the first time since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic three years ago. The pilgrimage is one of the five pillars of Islam, and all Muslims are required to make the five-day Hajj at least once in their lives if they are physically and financially able to do it. For pilgrims, it is a deeply moving spiritual experience that absolves sins, brings them closer to God and unites the world's more than 1.8 billion Muslims. Some spend years saving up money and waiting for a permit to embark on the journey. The rituals during Hajj largely commemorate the Quran's accounts of Ibrahim, his son Ismail and Ismail's mother Hajar. Pilgrims have been do

1.5 mn foreign pilgrims arrives in Saudi Arabia for annual Hajj pilgrimage

Muslim pilgrims streamed into the holy city of Mecca on Friday ahead of the start of Hajj next week, as the annual pilgrimage returns to its monumental scale after three years of heavy restrictions because of the coronavirus pandemic. Saudi officials say close to 1.5 million foreign pilgrims have arrived in the country so far, the vast majority by air. More are expected, and hundreds of thousands of Saudis and others living in Saudi Arabia will also join them when the pilgrimage officially begins on Monday. Saudi officials have said they expect the number of pilgrims to reach pre-pandemic levels. In 2019, more than 2.4 million Muslims made the pilgrimage. On Friday, pilgrims thronged the Grand Mosque in Mecca to attend weekly communal prayers. Many then did a ritual circuit walking seven times around the Kaaba, the cube-shaped structure inside the Grand Mosque that is Islam's holiest site. On Thursday night, the vast marble court around the Kaaba was packed with the faithful, wal

Tata group's Air India Express operates India's first all-women Haj flight

Tata Group's international budget arm Air India Express (AIXL) on Thursday operated India's first all-women Haj flight, the airline said in a statement. This special flight, carrying 145 women pilgrims, was entirely managed by an all-women crew in all critical flight operations roles, supporting the Haj Committee of India's groundbreaking initiative to have only women passengers on board, it said. The first all-women Haj flight, IX 3025, departed from Kozhikode to Jeddah at 18:45 IST on Thursday, arriving in Jeddah at 22:45 local time, according to the airline. Pilot Kanika Mehra and First Officer Garima Passi were accompanied by cabin crew members Bijitha M B, Sreelakshmi, Sushma Sharma, and Subhangi Biswas, Air India Express said. Besides, the ground operations as well as aircraft maintenance jobs for the flight were also performed by the women personnel, the airline said. The Haj Committee's empowering initiative for women aligns perfectly with Air India Express' core values of

At least 20 Umrah pilgrims killed, 29 injured in Saudi Arabia bus crash

The accident, which occurred due to a brake failure, took place on the road joining Asir province and the city of Abha

First Hajj flight to take off from Kerala on June 7: State Committee

On June 7, the first group of pilgrims from Kerala will begin their hajj journey. The destination of the flights is Jeddah

Pak court dismisses plea of visa to Indian who wants to do Hajj on foot

A Pakistan court on Wednesday dismissed a petition that urged the federal government to issue a visa to a 29-year-old Indian national, who wanted to enter the country so that he could complete a marathon journey on foot to Mecca in Saudi Arabia for Hajj pilgrimage. Shihab Bhai, who hails from Kerala, embarked on a 3,000-km journey on foot from his home state till the Wagah border last month, where he was stopped by Pakistan's immigration authorities as he did not have a visa. On Wednesday, a Lahore High Court division bench comprising Justice Chaudhry Muhammad Iqbal and Justice Muzamil Akhtar Shabbir dismissed an intra-court appeal filed by a local citizen Sarwar Taj on behalf of Shihab. The single bench observed that the "petitioner was not related to the Indian citizen, nor did he hold his power of attorney to approach the court." It also sought "a complete particulars of the Indian citizen," which the petitioner could not furnish. The High Court's division bench on Wednesday up

SC dismisses petitions seeking GST exemption on Haj services for pilgrims

A bench of Justices A M Khanwilkar, A S Oka and C T Ravikumar pronounced the judgment, saying they "dismissed" the petitions on both the grounds of exemption and discrimination

Saudi Arabia expecting 1 million devotees in largest hajj since Covid

One mil Muslim pilgrims were converging on Saudi Arabia's holy city of Mecca on Wednesday for the largest hajj since the coronavirus pandemic severely curtailed access to one of Islam's five pillars.

Saudi Arabia approves Haj security plan, says expecting 1 mn pilgrims

Saudi Arabia has approved the general security plan for the upcoming Haj season

SpiceJet to operate 37 special flights to Saudi Arabia for Haj pilgrims

SpiceJet on Thursday said it will operate 37 special flights between India and Saudi Arabia till July 31 for Indian Haj pilgrims who will visit Islamic pilgrimage sites in Mecca and Medina.

Saudi Arabia to receive 1 million pilgrims in upcoming Hajj season

Foreign pilgrims must submit a negative PCR test taken within 72 hours before their departure to Saudi Arabia

Haj 2022 process in India to be 100% digital: Union minister Naqvi

Union Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi has said the entire Haj 2022 process in India will be 100% digital

Saudi Arabia announces conclusion of Hajj season free from Covid-19

Saudi Arabia announced on Thursday the successful conclusion of this year's Hajj season, free from the Covid-19 and other contagious diseases, the Saudi Press Agency reported

World Covid dispatch: Two athletes test positive in Tokyo Olympic village

Two foreign athletes tested positive for Covid-19 at the Tokyo Olympic Village, the first cases reported among competitors at the village, according to a document

Coronavirus transforms hajj in Mecca and future of the pilgrimage

Tens of thousands of vaccinated Muslim pilgrims circled Islam's holiest site in Mecca, but remained socially distanced and wore masks as coronavirus takes its toll on hajj for a second year running

2021 Hajj will depend on Saudi Arabia govt's decision: Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi

Union Minister for Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi on Saturday said that no decision has been taken by the Central government on the 2021 Hajj pilgrimage yet

Pilgrimage in a pandemic: lessons from Mecca on containing Covid-19

An innovative intervention was the use of mobile apps to record, track and monitor all Covid-19 related personal records including test results and vaccination status

World coronavirus Dispatch: 'Painful' US experience, dubious China figures

From some scary new death toll projections coming from the US to a tobacco maker's bid to produce vaccines and Saudi planning to postpone hajj, read these and more in today's international dispatch

Bustling market for Hajj spells need for greater international governance

Saudi's $50 billion investment in new transport and other infrastructure also aims to double the size of the Hajj by the end of the next decade