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#1 · (Edited)


أخـــبار مــكـة والحج
Mecca & Pilgrimage
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#3 · (Edited)
21,650 hands mobilized for Haj work


By BADEA ABU AL-NAJA | ARAB NEWS

Published: Oct 17, 2010 23:52 Updated: Oct 17, 2010 23:52

MAKKAH: Over 21,000 people have been mobilized to implement Makkah municipality’s plans for Haj 2010 and make the annual event a huge success, said the city’s Mayor Osama Al-Bar.

“We have mobilized around 21,650 people to implement the plan in various fields. In order to keep Makkah’s central area around the Grand Mosque clean and tidy, there will be over 7,000 cleaners who will be provided with equipment to work around the clock,” he said.

Al-Bar said the municipality would implement the plan in coordination and cooperation with all agencies and government departments concerned including the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs, police and the Guides Organization.

“University students and health institutes will be hired to work as temporary health monitors. There will also be central units to deal with emergency situations such as rain, flash floods, rockslides, fires and the like,” he said.

“Some 200 electric compressors will be used to dispose of garbage. During the Haj days, there will be over 6,000 cleaners working round the clock in Mina, Muzdalifah and Arafat,” he said, adding that the cleaners will be strictly monitored and supervised.

The municipality also has some 1,310 rubbish bins with a total capacity to collect more than 1,300 tons of garbage at the holy sites during the Haj. The Haj plan also includes a string of measures to ensure a healthy environment during the annual pilgrimage. “The monitoring and supervision of markets, stores, fast-food outlets and restaurants will also be beefed up,” he said.

There are about 2,300 commercial shops and stores for foodstuffs in Makkah and around 2,229 temporary stores will be set up in the city during the pilgrimage. This is in addition to some 643 temporary shops, stalls, bakeries and barber shops that will be set up in the holy sites.

“The officials concerned will monitor all these places and ensure that they are meeting the required health and safety standards. Samples of all foodstuffs will be tested at the designated laboratories, and the expired foodstuffs will be seized,” he said.

Referring to sacrificial animals, Al-Bar said that a comprehensive plan is in place to monitor all animals brought to slaughterhouses in line with established health and safety standards.

“Some 57 centers have been set up at various entry points to the city to monitor the animals. Moreover, teams of vets will carry out field inspections to prevent outbreaks of any contagious diseases among the animals as well as to ensure that they are fit for consumption,” he said.

He added that the slaughterhouses in the holy sites have a total capacity to slaughter half a million animals.

http://arabnews.com/saudiarabia/article163348.ece


Pilgrims to use 50% of Mashair Railway this year​
By MUHAMMAD HUMAIDAN | ARAB NEWS

Published: Oct 21, 2010 00:06 Updated: Oct 21, 2010 00:21

JEDDAH: About 30 to 50 percent of the Mashair Railway (Makkah Metro) will be used this Haj season, according to Abdullah Al-Khodairy, undersecretary at Makkah governorate and chairman of the Executive Haj Committee.

Speaking about new services being provided to pilgrims this year, he said: “The expansion of masaa (the running area between Safa and Marwah) has been completed and will facilitate the sai'e ritual of pilgrims.”

“The restriction on small vehicles entering Makkah and the holy sites and the measures taken to stop illegal pilgrims from squatting in public places will also contribute to the success of Haj this year,” he said.

Al-Khodairy chaired a meeting on Tuesday to organize a media campaign to inform the public on Haj regulations and instructions.

Makkah Gov. Prince Khaled Al-Faisal will launch another major awareness campaign titled “No Haj Without Permit” on Saturday. The campaign aims at encouraging Saudis and expatriates to obtain Haj permits before proceeding to the holy places for Haj.

Meanwhile, Brig. Ayed Al-Harbi, commander of the Passport Department’s Haj forces, said the awareness campaigns last year were instrumental in helping pilgrims enter the holy places without difficulty.

He stressed the need for translating the content of the campaign into different languages to ensure that the message has been passed on to different nationalities.

He also called for stopping illegal vehicles carrying pilgrims at the first checkpoint to reduce pressure on the main checkpoint.

Al-Harbi referred to the Haj-related information available on the Passport Department’s website, saying that a large number of people from abroad and within the Kingdom have visited the site.

http://arabnews.com/saudiarabia/article165895.ece
 
#4 · (Edited)
Haj influx begins via land, sea, air routes​


King Abdul Aziz International Airport - Hajj Terminal​
By MUHAMMAD HUMAIDAN | ARAB NEWS

Published: Oct 19, 2010 00:52 Updated: Oct 19, 2010 00:52

JEDDAH: Pilgrims have started pouring into Saudi Arabia from all around the world to perform Haj — the fifth pillar of Islam — this year.

They are arriving via 16 land, sea and air inlets, while both the government and private sectors have completed all arrangements to receive and enable them perform their rituals in ease and peace.

So far, at least 62,500 pilgrims have arrived from various Arab and Islamic countries on board 276 flights and immediately proceeded toward Makkah or Madinah.

All organizations providing Haj services are ready now to receive the guests of God. Among them is the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA), which started executing its Haj plan at a very early stage.

It started implementing its strategy by operating the Haj terminals where pilgrims will be received before they are transported either to Makkah or Madinah.

GACA also coordinates with other government departments to make sure that pilgrims are well received and given a pleasant send-off. The first batch of pilgrims arrived on Oct. 9 and will continue to arrive until Nov. 12. They will start departing from Nov. 18 until Dec. 21.

According to GACA, there are six Haj flights every hour and 144 flights every day. The number of Haj flights peak on the second week of November, reaching 200 flights every day.

The Passports Department has completed all its arrangements to receive the pilgrims at the entry points.

Students from the Passport Institute started their posts at King Abdulaziz International Airport (KAIA) in Jeddah, Prince Muhammad ibn Abdul Aziz International Airport in Madinah and the Jeddah Islamic Seaport (JIS), in addition to other inlets.

They were thoroughly trained to handle all passport work, computers, fingerprinting, identifying forged documents and other security matters.

The United Agents' Office also began its work at all entry points. The office has supplied enough manpower and equipment to process pilgrims heading toward one of the two holy cities.

In Jeddah, director of health affairs Dr. Sami Badawood said a total of 589 staff from the Health Ministry, including doctors, nurses, technicians and administrators, will monitor the health of pilgrims at KAIA, while 140 will be stationed at the JIS.

He said the ministry's personnel would ensure that all the pilgrims have adhered to health regulations and that they are free from any contagious diseases.

Badawood said medical staff would provide immediate health care to pilgrims who need it and will transfer critical cases to hospitals in Jeddah, which have completed all arrangements to receive and treat the guests of God.

The number of pilgrims coming from outside is expected to be higher than the 1.7 million that arrived last year, especially as swine flu fears have dissipated.

Meanwhile, the six Tawafa (service providers) establishments have rented out 95 percent of available accommodation for pilgrims in Makkah alone.

The Haj companies and tourist agencies have also had similar success. They are currently authenticating their accommodation contracts with the Haj Ministry.

In contrast to last year, no Arab or Islamic country has so far announced that it will send no pilgrims this year. Between 340,000 and 350,000 Arab pilgrims are expected to perform Haj this year.

The Haj Ministry has employed more than 1,700 qualified Saudis on a temporary basis to help in seven areas, including the Jamarat bridge, emergencies, counting of pilgrims and other administrative assignments.

Makkah Mayor Osama bin Fadl Al-Bar said 21,650 people have been mobilized to implement the Makkah municipality's Haj plan, including more than 7,000 workers with 670 pieces of equipment to clean the Holy City around-the-clock. He said about 200 rubbish compressors been installed to minimize waste.

http://arabnews.com/saudiarabia/article164125.ece
 
#7 ·
Al-Farsi allocates 25 spaces in Mina to domestic Haj firms

By ARAB NEWS

Oct 22, 2010

MAKKAH: Haj Minister Fouad Al-Farsi allocated 25 spaces in Mina to domestic Haj companies to compensate for the space acquired for the ongoing Mashair Railway (Makkah Metro) project.

Undersecretary for Pilgrims affairs in the Haj Ministry Sahl Al-Sabban, made the statement in a meeting with the officials of the Tawafa establishments in Makkah.

He said the new projects for the current Haj season include the Holy Sites Railway and the Frequent Transportation Service for Pilgrims from non-Arab African countries and Iran and also for pilgrims from Turkey, Europe, America and Australia and East Asia.

The total number of pilgrims to receive the frequent transportation service, for which SR320 million has been spent, is estimated at 750,000, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

He said a new SR250-million floodwater drainage project has also been introduced in Arafat.

In another development, Public Relations Director of the General Presidency for Prophet's Mosque Affairs Abdul Wahid Al-Hattab said in Madinah that the new shading project in the court yards of the Prophet's Mosque covered an area of 104,000 square meters on its three sides and will benefit 200,000 worshippers. As part of the expansion project, 888 toilets and 1,823 taps for ablution have been set up with special provisions for visitors with special needs in the eastern side of the mosque. The project also includes 182 umbrellas installed on poles at the height varying between 14.4 meters and 15.3 meters, he said.

http://arabnews.com/saudiarabia/article166851.ece

 
#8 · (Edited)
Distribution center for Zamzam water opens


Water and Electricity Minister Abdullah Al-Hussayen and other officials at the opening ceremony of the Zamzam water distribution center,
which is part of the King Abdullah Zamzam Water Purification Project in Kudai, on Saturday.
By BADEA ABU AL-NAJA | ARAB NEWS - Oct 2, 2010

MAKKAH: Water and Electricity Minister Abdullah Al-Hussayen opened the Zamzam water distribution center, which is part of the King Abdullah Zamzam Water Purification Project in Kudai, on Saturday.

King Abdullah launched the SR700 million project in the last 10 days of Ramadan.

The king is financing the project considered the first of its kind in the history of Zamzam.

In the first phase, 10-liter cans of Zamzam water will be distributed.

There will be 20 outlets for distribution and the center will have a capacity to distribute 37,500 cans daily.

The distribution will be open for 12 hours from 9 am to 9 pm.

Any person intending to buy Zamzam can get it from the center in Kudai. The center’s capacity can be increased to 200,000 cans daily at a later stage.

The lion’s share of Zamzam water will be used to meet the requirements of worshippers at the Two Holy Mosques in Makkah and Madinah.

The project includes two warehouses to store 1.7 million bottles and cans, including a store for daily use with a capacity of 200,000 bottles.

http://www.arabnews.com/saudiarabia?page=5&quicktabs_stat2=1,1



أخبار الأخيرة | وزير المياه والكهرباء السعودي يطلق عملية توزيع ...​
 
#9 · (Edited)
ظاهرة فلكية نادرة : القمر يتعامد على الكعبة المشرفة مرتين خلال اسبوع واحد فقط​

بمشيئة الله تعالى تشهد مكة المكرمة ظاهرة فلكية نادرة حيث يتعامد القمر على الكعبة المشرفة مرتين في أسبوع واحد وخلال أربعة أيام فقط وفق ما أعلنت الجمعية الفلكية بجدة .

وقال رئيس الجمعية الفلكية بجدة المهندس ماجد ابوزاهرة : ان هذا سيكون حدث نادر لانه لم يرصد في وقت قريب حدوث تعامدين للقمر في أسبوع واحد. وقد بينت الحسابات الفلكية لحركة القمر حول الارض ان ميل القمر عند التعامد سيبلغ عرض مكة ومتوسطا على خط زوالها ويكون فوق الكعبة المشرفة
وبين ابوزاهرة أن التعامد الأول سيكون في فجر يوم الاثنين 17 ذو القعدة الموافق 25 أكتوبر حسب تقويم أم القرى عند الساعة 1:26:19 فجرا بالتوقيت المحلي ويكون وجهه مضاء بنسبة 96.5 في المائة.

أما التعامد الثاني سيكون بمشيئة الله تعالى فجر الجمعة 21 ذو القعدة الموافق 29 أكتوبر . وسيتميز هذا التعامد بأنه يحدث قبل أذان الفجر بـ 36 ثانية عند الساعة 5:5:24 فجرا ويكون وجهه مضاء بنسبة 65.5 في لمائة .
وستكون فرصة للمتواجدين داخل المسجد الحرام لرصد تعامد القمر حيث يظهر فوق رؤوسهم تماما. وهذه الظاهرة الفلكية مفيدة في تحديد اتجاه القبلة للمناطق البعيدة عن مكة المكرمة حيث يمكن تحديدا القبلة بالنظر إلى القمر في لحظة التعامد من أي منطقة يرى فيها القمر عند ذلك التوقيت فاتجاه القمر هو نفسه اتجاه القبلة.

pics inside: http://www.burnews.com/news.php?action=show&id=18525


A rare astronomical phenomenon:

the moon is perpendicular to the Kaaba twice during the week and only one

God willing witness Mecca rare astronomical phenomenon where the moon is perpendicular to the Kaaba twice in one week and only four days as announced Astronomical Society in Jeddah.

The head of the Astronomical Society in Jeddah, Al Majid Abuzahrp: This will be a rare event because he did not monitor the soon to occur Tamedin of the moon in one week. The calculations showed the movement of the moon around the earth to the moon at the tendency will be orthogonal view of Mecca and an average extinction on the line and be above the Kaaba
And the orthogonal Abuzahrp that I will be at dawn on Monday, 17 Zul 25 th October as Umm Al-Qura calendar at 1:26:19 am local time and have a face lighted up by 96.5 per cent.

The second will be orthogonal, God willing dawn Friday, 21 was previously approved October 29. And this will be characterized as orthogonal occurs before dawn to 36 seconds at 5:5:24 at dawn and have a face lighted up by 65.5 percent.

It will be an opportunity to present inside the Grand Mosque to monitor perpendicular moon where it appears over their heads completely. This astronomical phenomenon is useful in determining the direction of the Qiblah to areas away from Mecca where they can kiss given specifically to the moon at the moment orthogonal view of any area in which the moon at that time Vatjah the moon is the same direction of Mecca.

translate from/pics inside: http://www.burnews.com/news.php?action=show&id=18525
 
#10 ·
Fifth floor of Jamrat Bridge opens for Haj

By MUHAMMAD AL-SULAMI | ARAB NEWS

Published: Oct 24, 2010 00:37

JEDDAH: The fifth floor of the high tech Jamrat Bridge in Mina will be open to pilgrims this Haj season, the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs said Saturday.

“The opening of the fifth floor will facilitate the stoning ritual at Jamrat,” said Habeeb Zainul Abideen, deputy minister for municipal and rural affairs.

Abideen was addressing a conference on medicine attended by 500 delegates. He described Haj as the largest congregation of people in the world and highlighted the Saudi government’s efforts to avoid stampedes and other accidents during the annual event.

Abideen said the irresponsible behavior of some pilgrims causes problems not only for Saudi Haj managers, but also fellow Hajis. He urged all pilgrims to follow safety instructions.

There are 90 cameras around Jamrat to monitor the movement of pilgrims and prevent possible stampedes. These cameras will also enable Haj managers to assess how many pilgrims each floor of the bridge can hold.

“We have also arranged for vehicles to carry pilgrims with special needs to help them perform the stoning ritual without any difficulty,” he said.

Maj. Gen. Mansour Al-Turki, spokesman for the Interior Ministry, spoke about new plans for crowd management at Jamrat as well as in the mataf, the circling area around the Holy Kaaba where pilgrims perform tawaf, and the masaa, the running area between Safa and Marwa where Hajis perform saie.

Out of the 2.5 million people who come for Haj every year, 700,000 pilgrims walk to the holy sites, he said, adding that 75,000 buses and other vehicles are used to transport the other pilgrims.

The Haram Mosque in Makkah can hold 700,000 worshippers, while the mataf can hold 53,000 and the masaa 118,000.

Dr. Ziyad Maimish, assistant undersecretary at the Health Ministry for preventive medicine, said the ministry would mobilize about 17,000 doctors, nurses and paramedical staff and 39 mobile medical teams for Haj duty.

http://arabnews.com/saudiarabia/article168372.ece
 
#11 ·
Great work Roukaya19 :)


الحج تمنع القنوات الفضائية داخل المخيمات
الرياض – سلطان العثمان
أكدت وزارة الحج ممثلة في الإدارة العامة لشؤون حجاج الداخل على جميع شركات ومؤسسات حجاج الداخل التقيد بلوائح وتعليمات الدليل الصادر من قبلها هذا العام (1431ه)، ومنها عدم عرض القنوات الفضائية للحجاج داخل مخيماتهم. ورأت إذا لزم الأمر ذلك بأن تقتصر قنوات العرض على القنوات المحلية السعودية، واشترطت على الحملات تخصيص خيمة لتقديم الرعاية والخدمات الطبية في كل من مخيم الرجال والنساء مع رفع بيان بأسماء الفريق الطبي، ونسخة من الشهادات المعتمدة من الشؤون الصحية، كما أكدت على ضرورة تأمين عمالة كافية بزي موحد للقيام بواجبات النظافة ومتطلبات الخدمة وذلك بمعدل عامل واحد لكل ( 30) حاج مع التأكد من أن كافة العمالة داخل المخيمات تحمل شهادات صحية من الجهات المعنية قبل السماح لهم بممارسة أي عمل، بالإضافة إلى إلزام الحملات بتقديم خدمات النقل والسكن والإعاشة ورعاية الحجاج بأسعار معقولة وفق ما تم الاتفاق عليه مع الحاج، وأن تكون حافلات النقل صالحة فنياً لنقل الحجاج ومكيفة ومهيأة بوسائل السلامة والراحة للركاب مع توفير مرشد في كل حافلة ملم بمنطقة المشاعر المقدسة، وشددت الوزارة على مسؤولي الحملات بضرورة التقيد بدليل التعليمات العامة والتنظيمات الصادرة من قبلها لضمان تقديم أفضل الخدمات لحجاج بيت الله الحرام، ودعت جميع الحجاج من المواطنين والمقيمين في حالة وجود أي شكوى أو ملاحظة على الحملة التي تعاقد معها التقدم بها إلى وزارة الحج حتى منتصف شهر محرم كآخر يوم لاستقبال الشكاوى.
 
#13 ·
Haj plan being put in place​
By MUHAMMAD HUMAIDAN | ARAB NEWS

Published: Oct 23, 2010 00:02 Updated: Oct 23, 2010 00:02

JEDDAH: The Presidency of the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques will today start implementing its plan for this year's Haj season, aimed at enabling the guests of God to perform their rituals in peace.

The strategy will remain in place until the end of the pilgrimage season, Dul Hijjah 30 (Dec. 6), Deputy President of the Presidency Muhammad ibn Nasser Al-Khuzaim announced Friday.

“The plan is aimed at ensuring an ideal atmosphere for worship inside the Two Holy Mosques and their surrounding plazas and courtyards,” he told Arab News, adding that under the plan, pilgrims will be guided on how to perform the Haj rites correctly.

Al-Khuzaim said the presidency is keen to provide all necessary services and prepare all facilities to be used by the pilgrims.

He said over 5,700 people including official staff, temporary employees and seasonal workers will carry out the plan and added that the number of preachers has also been increased this year.

According to Al-Khuzaim, the President of the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques will hand over the new Kaaba kiswa (dress) to the chief guardian of the Grand Mosque on the first day of Dul Hijjah and said all carpets inside the Grand Mosque will be rolled out to avoid impeding the movement of pilgrims and prevent the spread of any contagious diseases.

He said the blessed Zamzam water would be distributed among Hajis at their accommodation, but urged pilgrims not to take it inside the mosque to avoid spillages on the floor and making it slippery.

Al-Khuzaim said there were 43 locations with 340 taps spread across the ground, first, second and top levels of the Masaa where pilgrims can drink Zamzam water. He said these facilities are not be used for ablution.

He added that four Zamzam water points with 110 fountains were established around the Tawaf area.

Al-Khuzaim said the Masaa has been expanded and all its floors, including the underground, ground, first, second and roof levels, have been made ready for pilgrims.

He said the passages for pilgrims and wheelchairs have been greatly expanded to allow easy movement and said 74 marble lockers have been placed on the ground floor for the storage of shoes.

The deputy president said amplifiers were placed in the courtyards and plazas of the two mosques so that worshippers could easily listen out for prayer calls and added that seven temporary bridges and mobile stairs have been installed to facilitate the easy movement of worshippers.

Al-Khuzaim said 62 bathrooms have been set up near the eastern Al-Fath door with 100 taps for ablution.

http://arabnews.com/saudiarabia/article167580.ece
 
#14 · (Edited)
...............


All-expenses-paid Haj for 50 converts!

By MUHAMMAD HUMAIDAN | ARAB NEWS

Published: Oct 24, 2010 00:40 Updated: Oct 24, 2010 00:40

JEDDAH: Fifty Muslims who recently embraced Islam from Europe and Latin America will perform Haj this year as the guests of the International Association for New Muslims.

"The association, an offshoot of the Makkah-based Muslim World League, will bear the whole cost of their pilgrimage," said Sheikh Khaled Romaih Al-Romaih, secretary-general of the association.

He said the association would host new Muslims from European countries such as Britain, Italy, Belgium and Ukraine in addition to pilgrims from Latin American countries including Brazil.

"The association would arrange for a number of Islamic scholars and preachers in the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah to educate and guide the pilgrims on the rituals of Haj as well as clear their doubts on religious topics. Islamic study classes and lectures will also be delivered on the dos and don'ts of performing the rituals," he said.

According to Al-Romaih, the pilgrims will be selected in coordination with Islamic centers concerned in those countries.

"Priority will be given to those countries with the largest number of new Muslims. Selection will also be made from online applicants at the association's website ([B]www.4newmuslims.org[/B]) fulfilling all criteria and conditions," he said.

Al-Romaih said new Muslims who have already performed Haj would not be considered. "Only those who embraced Islam six to 12 months ago would be entitled to apply. The applications, attached with the certificate showing when the applicant embraced Islam, should be presented to the Islamic centers concerned," he said.

The association meets all expenses of guest pilgrims, including their transportation, accommodation and Haj visa fee.

"Officials of the organization will receive the pilgrims at the airport, and they will be provided with accommodation at hotels in the central Haram areas in Makkah and Madinah," he said. Al-Romaih said that the special Haj program for new Muslims would include conducting cultural competitions and distribution of prizes and souvenir gifts.

"After the performance of their obligatory rituals, they will be taken on a 10-day trip to Madinah. Their tour includes visiting historical Islamic sites and the King Fahd Qur’an Printing Complex during their stay in the city.”

The association is a nonprofit organization mainly concerned with looking after the affairs of new Muslims worldwide, in coordination with various Islamic institutions and establishments working in the same field.

More than 400 new Muslims have so far been benefited from its Haj sponsorship program. They include reverts from Europe, Latin America and Africa, as well as the United States, Japan and Australia.

According to the Central Haj Committee, as many as 300,000 pilgrims have already arrived from abroad for Haj this year. The committee, which met in Makkah on Saturday, discussed the Haj plans of the Health Affairs Department, Makkah police, Civil Defense, Red Crescent Authority and the Presidency of the Two Holy Mosques.

http://arabnews.com/saudiarabia/article168419.ece
 
#16 · (Edited)
Giant Makkah clock to be ready next month

Saturday, October 23, 2010

A giant clock tower constructed in Islam’s holiest city of Makkah as one of the world’s highest towers will be completed next month and will be linked to Coordinated Universal Time (UTC), a Saudi newspaper said Saturday.

The third face of the clock skyscraper, which was launched on a trial basis last month, has been completed while the fourth side will be finished in early November, Sahafaonline Arabic language network reported.

“The fourth side is located south of the Makkah Grand Mosque…it will be finished early next month to mark the end of the project that will be one of the most important hallmarks for Muslims around the world,” it said.

“The clock timing will be linked to UTC after the fourth and last side is completed…a 23-metre crescent on the watch has been constructed and is believed to be the largest man-made crescent in the world….loudspeakers have also been installed on top of the watch to transmit prayers call, which can be heard within a distance of nearly seven km.”

UTC, also referred to as Greenwich Mean Time (GMT), Universal Time (UT), or "Zulu" is an international time scale used in astronomical and aviation publications, weather products, and other documents.

Formerly and still widely called GMT, UTC nominally reflects the mean solar time along the Earth's prime meridian. UTC is expressed using a 24-hour clock but can be converted into a 12-hour clock--AM and PM.

Inaugurating the clock tower last month, Saudi officials said they hoped it would establish Makkah as an alternate time standard to the Greenwich median.

The tower's height will reach 601 metres when it is completed, making it the world's second tallest building -- ahead of Taiwan's 509 metre Taipei 101, but well behind the Burj Khalifa, the 828 metre skyscraper in Dubai.

More than six times larger in diameter than London's famed Big Ben, the clock faces, with the Arabic words "In the Name of Allah" in huge lettering underneath and will be lit with two million LED lights.

The tower, which took two years to construct, is equipped with an elevator to take visitors to the surrounding balcony below the four clocks.

In August, the clock tower triggered panic among Muslim pilgrims when it was shrouded with fog, mistaken for smoke from a fire.

Civil Defence vehicles rushed to the tower site after receiving numerous calls from pilgrims saying that the building is engulfed in smoke.

http://www.emirates247.com/news/region/giant-makkah-clock-to-be-ready-next-month-2010-10-23-1.307663
 
#17 · (Edited)
Fifth floor of Jamrat Bridge opens for Haj

By MUHAMMAD AL-SULAMI | ARAB NEWS

Published: Oct 24, 2010 00:37

JEDDAH: The fifth floor of the high tech Jamrat Bridge in Mina will be open to pilgrims this Haj season, the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs said Saturday.

“The opening of the fifth floor will facilitate the stoning ritual at Jamrat,” said Habeeb Zainul Abideen, deputy minister for municipal and rural affairs.

Abideen was addressing a conference on medicine attended by 500 delegates. He described Haj as the largest congregation of people in the world and highlighted the Saudi government’s efforts to avoid stampedes and other accidents during the annual event.

Abideen said the irresponsible behavior of some pilgrims causes problems not only for Saudi Haj managers, but also fellow Hajis. He urged all pilgrims to follow safety instructions.

There are 90 cameras around Jamrat to monitor the movement of pilgrims and prevent possible stampedes. These cameras will also enable Haj managers to assess how many pilgrims each floor of the bridge can hold.

“We have also arranged for vehicles to carry pilgrims with special needs to help them perform the stoning ritual without any difficulty,” he said.

Maj. Gen. Mansour Al-Turki, spokesman for the Interior Ministry, spoke about new plans for crowd management at Jamrat as well as in the mataf, the circling area around the Holy Kaaba where pilgrims perform tawaf, and the masaa, the running area between Safa and Marwa where Hajis perform saie.

Out of the 2.5 million people who come for Haj every year, 700,000 pilgrims walk to the holy sites, he said, adding that 75,000 buses and other vehicles are used to transport the other pilgrims.

The Haram Mosque in Makkah can hold 700,000 worshippers, while the mataf can hold 53,000 and the masaa 118,000.

Dr. Ziyad Maimish, assistant undersecretary at the Health Ministry for preventive medicine, said the ministry would mobilize about 17,000 doctors, nurses and paramedical staff and 39 mobile medical teams for Haj duty.

http://arabnews.com/saudiarabia/article168372.ece
 
#18 · (Edited)
Abdullah to host 1,300 pilgrims

By P.K. ABDUL GHAFOUR | ARAB NEWS

Published: Oct 25, 2010 00:05 Updated: Oct 25, 2010 00:05

JEDDAH: As many as 1,300 Muslims around the world will perform Haj this year as guests of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah, Islamic Affairs Minister Saleh Al-Asheikh said on Sunday.

He said the guest pilgrims would come from Turkey, Ukraine, Moldavia, Belarus, Georgia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Bulgaria, Romania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Macedonia, Kosovo, Serbia, Slovenia, Croatia, Seychelles, Vietnam, China, Indonesia and North Cyprus.

“Some of the guest pilgrims will be arriving from African and South American countries,” Al-Asheikh said, adding that his ministry has made all preparations to receive them and provide various services.

So far 15,368 Muslims around the globe have performed Haj during the past years as guests of the Kingdom. The program has been managed by the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Endowments, Call and Guidance.

“We have set out a special program for the king’s guests and set up a number of committees to supervise various services rendered to these guests,” Al-Asheikh said.

Earlier, King Abdullah announced his plan to host 2,000 Palestinian pilgrims, including relatives of prisoners serving life sentences, released prisoners as well as relatives of martyrs.

King Abdullah invites thousands of pilgrims from different countries, including leaders of Muslim communities and senior government officials, to perform Haj every year.

Meanwhile, Makkah Gov. Prince Khaled Al-Faisal warned Haj service companies against exploiting pilgrims. “Those who cheat pilgrims will face stiff punishment,” the Saudi Press Agency quoted the governor as saying.

Prince Khaled told everybody to follow the government’s Haj instructions, including a ban on vehicles carrying less than 25 passengers from entering Makkah and other holy places.

http://arabnews.com/saudiarabia/article169131.ece
 
#20 · (Edited)
3,000 hospital beds readied for Haj

By MD HUMAIDAN | ARAB NEWS

Published: Oct 26, 2010

JEDDAH: A number of hospitals, health centers and clinics will be serving the pilgrims during this Haj season with more than 3,000 beds, according to Makkah Health Affairs Director Dr. Khaled bin Obaid Zafar.

“This year's health plan for Haj consists of preventive, curative and emergency services to the guests of God at all air, land and sea inlets. Medical examinations and tests will be conducted on pilgrims at these entry points. Vaccinations will be given to those who have not already taken them. Pilgrims who are sick will get necessary treatment and medicines while critical and emergency cases will be transferred to hospitals,” Zafar told Arab News on Monday.

Zafar said the Health Ministry has already advised Saudi embassies abroad not to grant Haj visas to aspiring pilgrims unless they meet health requirements.

“Pilgrims with no vaccination certificates will be vaccinated at the entry points,” he added.

Zafar said the reports of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will be followed up. The annual Haj provided a rare opportunity for health officials to observe and study the effects of mass congregation of people from all over the world.

He said the Health Ministry has coordinated with the municipalities to combat causes of contagious diseases.

Zafar said in addition to the general hospitals, there are 31 health centers in Makkah that will be providing health care to pilgrims. He added that there will be five health centers inside the Grand Mosque and five others in the plazas surrounding it in addition to five centers at the car parks along the Makkah-Jeddah Expressway.

http://arabnews.com/saudiarabia/article170106.ece
 
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