Saudi Arabia
One million pilgrims begin standing at Arafat, marking climax of Hajj
Marking the climax of the annual pilgrimage of Hajj, around one million pilgrims ascended on Friday the vast plains of Arafat. Pilgrims in seamless white clothes - resembling a white sea of humanity -started their ritual of standing at Arafat, the most important pillar of Hajj, this afternoon.
Chanting “Labbaik Allahumma Labbaik (O God, here I am answering Your call)...,” the pilgrims flocked this morning to Namirah Mosque in Arafat, about 15 km east of Makkah, after spending a night of meditation and introspection in the Tent City of Mina, reports Saudi Gazette.
Read: Muslim pilgrims pray at Mount Arafat as hajj reaches apex
Sheikh Muhammad Al-Issa, member of the Council of Senior Scholars and secretary general of the Muslim World League (MWL), delivered the Arafat sermon at the grand Namirah Mosque. The sermon resembles the famous farewell sermon of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) when he performed his only Hajj.
In the sermon, Sheikh Al-Issa urged all Muslims to obey what God has commanded and avoid what He prohibited in order to attain victory, salvation, and happiness in both this world and the hereafter. “You must realize that hastening to do good things includes being keen to comply with the values taught by Islam; values that soundly mold the conduct of a Muslim and refine them in the best way. Among the values taught by Islam are avoiding all that leads to dissent, animosity, or division; and instead, ensuring that our interactions are dominated by harmony and compassion,” he called on the pilgrims.
After the sermon, Sheikh Al-Issa led the prayers. Retracting the noble tradition of the Prophet (PBUH), he performed noon (Dhuhr) and evening (Asr) prayers, shortened and joined together, with one adhan and two iqamas. Pilgrims joined the prayers at and around Namirah Mosque, and then started performing the Standing (wuqoof) at Arafat.
Wuqoof Arafat, one of the four pillars of Hajj, begins after noon prayers. Pilgrims would engage in prayers and supplications until after sunset. They will seek forgiveness and pleasures of Allah. Many of the worshippers were seen holding umbrellas against the fierce sun while chanting Talbiyah and reciting verses from the Holy Qur’an after ascending on Jabal Al-Rahma (the Mount of Mercy) in Arafat.
Muslim pilgrims pray at Mount Arafat as hajj reaches apex
Hundreds of thousands of Muslim pilgrims from around the world raised their hands to heaven and offered prayers of repentance on the sacred hill of Mount Arafat in Saudi Arabia on Friday, an intense day of worship considered to be the climax of the annual hajj.
Multitudes stood shoulder to shoulder, feet to feet, for the emotional day of supplication in the desert valley where Muslims believe the Prophet Muhammad delivered his final sermon, calling for equality and unity among Muslims.
The experience sent many pilgrims to tears. Muslims believe prayer on this day at Mount Arafat, about 20 kilometers (12 miles) east of the holy city of Mecca, is their best chance at salvation and spiritual renewal. The pilgrims set out for Arafat before dawn, chanting as they trekked. They remain there until nightfall in deep contemplation and worship.
Read: A hajj closer to normal: 1 million Muslims begin pilgrimage
“I feel I am so close to God,” said Zakaria Mohammad, an Egyptian pilgrim praying as the sky brightened over the hilltop. “He gave me such joy. This is my feeling now — joy, great joy.”
Men wore unstitched sheets of white cloth resembling a shroud, while women wore conservative dress and headscarves, their faces exposed.
The hajj is a once-in-a-lifetime duty for all Muslims physically and financially able to make the journey, which takes the faithful along a path traversed by the Prophet Muhammad some 1,400 years ago.
“God brought me here,” said Khadije Isaac, who traveled to Mount Arafat from Nigeria, her voice clipped with emotion. “I cannot describe the happiness that I have.”
Strict pandemic limits had upended the event for the past two years, effectively canceling one of the world’s biggest and most diverse gatherings and devastating many pious Muslims who had waited a lifetime to make the journey. This year's pilgrimage marks the largest since the virus struck, although the attendance by 1 million worshippers remains less than half of the pre-pandemic influx.
All pilgrims selected to perform the hajj this year are under age 65 and have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
Pilgrims spend five days carrying out a set of rituals associated with the Prophet Muhammad and the prophets Ibrahim and Ismail, or Abraham and Ishmael in the Bible, before him. The rituals began on Thursday with the circling of the Kaaba, the black cube in the center of Mecca’s Grand Mosque, which Muslims around the world face during their daily prayers wherever they are in the world.
Read: 3 more Bangladeshi hajj pilgrims die in Saudi Arabia in three days
Around sunset on Friday, the pilgrims will march or take a bus 9 kilometers (5.5 miles) west to the rocky desert of Muzdalifa, where they comb the area for pebbles to carry out the symbolic stoning of the devil. That rite will take place on Saturday in the small village of Mina, where Muslims believe the devil tried to talk Ibrahim out of submitting to God’s will.
Pilgrims stone the devil to signify overcoming temptation. The ritual is a notorious chokepoint for surging crowds. In 2016, thousands of pilgrims were crushed to death in a gruesome stampede. Saudi authorities never offered a final death toll.
In their most noticeable effort to improve access, the Saudis have built a high-speed rail link to ferry masses between holy sites. Pilgrims enter through special electronic gates. Tens of thousands of police officers are out in force to protect the areas and control crowds.
With so many people from so many places crammed together, public health is a major concern. Saudi Arabia’s Health Ministry urged pilgrims to consider wearing masks to curb the spread of coronavirus, although the government lifted a mask mandate and other virus precautions last month.
The ministry also advised pilgrims to drink water and be aware of the signs of heat stroke in the desert, where temperatures can exceed 40 degrees Celsius (105 degrees Fahrenheit).
Once the hajj is over, men are expected to shave their heads, and women to snip a lock of hair in a sign of renewal.
Around the world, Muslims will mark the end of the pilgrimage with Eid al-Adha, or Festival of Sacrifice. The holiday commemorates the prophet Ibrahim’s willingness to sacrifice his son Ismail at God’s request. Muslims traditionally slaughter sheep and cattle, dividing the meat among the needy, friends and relatives.
Crescent moon sighted; Saudi Arabia to celebrate Eid-ul-Azha on July 9
Saudi Arabia will celebrate Eid-ul-Azha, the feast of the sacrifice, on July 9, as the crescent moon of Zilhajj was sighted Wednesday.
The sighting of the crescent moon of Zilhajj, the month in which the hajj pilgrimage takes place, was confirmed at the Tamir Observatory, near Riyadh, in the evening, according to the Saudi Supreme Court.
So, Thursday will be the first day of Zilhajj, the twelfth and final month of the Islamic calendar.
The first day of Eid-ul-Azha, the second-largest religious festival for Muslims, will be on July 9 in most Arab and Muslim countries while many Southeast and South Asian countries will start the celebrations on July 10.
Usually, the crescent of Zilhajj is first sighted in Saudi Arabia and then a day later in Bangladesh, Pakistan, and some other countries.
Today, Pakistan, Malaysia, Indonesia, Japan, Hong Kong and Brunei announced July 10 as the first day of Eid-ul-Azha.
The religious festival marks the end of hajj and commemorates Prophet Ibrahim's willingness to sacrifice his son Ismail on Allah's will.
Prophet Ibrahim was eventually given a lamb to sacrifice. So, Muslims perpetuate the tradition by slaughtering a lamb or a cow and sharing the meat with people in need.
This year's hajj will start on July 6 and Eid-ul-Azha will be three days later in Saudi Arabia.
Muslims around the world celebrate Eid-ul-Azha almost the same way with the morning being marked with Eid prayers and the slaughtering of sacrificial animals. The celebration last for three days.
Also read: 2,415 more Bangladeshis can perform Hajj this year
2,415 more Bangladeshis can perform Hajj this year
Over 2,400 more Bangladeshis will be able to perform Hajj this year, as Saudi Arabia has increased the number of Hajj quota for this country.
The information came from a letter sent to the Hajj Council in Saudi Arabia by the Religious Affairs Ministry of Bangladesh on Wednesday.
Read: First hajj flight leaves Dhaka with 410 pilgrims
According to the letter, Bangladesh has accepted the increased quota of additional 2,415 pilgrims allotted to the country by the Saudi government for this year’s Hajj.
The letter requested the Saudi Hajj Councillor to take necessary steps after fixing the quota of 115 under government management and the remaining 2,300 under private agencies.
This year's Hajj will be held on July 8 in Saudi Arabia, depending on the sighting of the moon.
Read: Hajj cost goes up by Tk 59,000
The flight of Hajj pilgrims to Saudi Arabia started on June 5. The last flight to Saudi Arabia is on July 3. The return flight will start from July 14 and end on August 4.
So far, 26,309 pilgrims have gone to Saudi Arabia till Tuesday.
Bangladeshi pilgrim dies in Saudi Arabia
A 59-year-old Bangladeshi man who went to Saudi Arabia to perform the upcoming Hajj has died in Mecca.
The deceased was identified as Md Jahangir Kabir, hailing from Chapainawabganj. His passport number is ‘A01012228’.
Also read:First hajj flight leaves Dhaka with 410 pilgrims
According to the Hajj management portal of the Religious Affairs Ministry, Jahangir Kabir died in Mecca on Saturday.
The cause of death couldn’t be known immediately, it added.
Saudi Arabia ranks first globally in date exports: Embassy
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has ranked first globally in terms of the value of date exports in 2021, according to the Trade Map of the International Trade Center.
The value of Saudi exports of dates in 2021 reached SR1.2 billion ($320 million), said the Saudi Embassy in Dhaka on Wednesday quoting the Saudi Press Agency.
The Kingdom also realised the highest annual growth rate of exports over the past five years of 12.5 percent, with exports entering 113 countries.
The National Center for Palms and Dates said the achievement reflected the interest of the Saudi leadership in enhancing non-oil exports, developing the work system in planting and improving the production of palm, and the leading role of partners, mainly the producers and exporters of dates.
READ: Saudi Arabia bans citizens from travelling to 16 countries, including India, over new COVID-19 outbreaks
It said the Saudi Vision 2030 placed a lot of attention on the palm and dates sector through its development and sustainability, working early to prepare and implement programs to develop this sector and increase its contribution to the gross domestic product.
The value of palms and dates in Saudi Arabia is almost SR7.5 billion, 12 percent of the agricultural gross product and 0.4 percent of the non-oil gross product.
The UN Food and Agriculture Organization congratulated Saudi Arabia on this achievement.
Saudi Arabia bans citizens from travelling to 16 countries, including India, over new COVID-19 outbreaks
Saudi Arabia has banned its citizens from travelling to 16 countries following the re-outbreak of COVID-19.
These include Lebanon, Syria, Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan, India, Yemen, Somalia, Ethiopia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Libya, Indonesia, Vietnam, Armenia, Belarus and Venezuela, reports Gulf News.
Also read: Saudi raises number of hajj pilgrims this year
The ban comes following a steady increase in the number of daily COVID-19 infections over the past few weeks.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health has ensured the public that it has not detected any cases of monkeypox in Saudi Arabia yet, Al Arabiya reported.
Dr. Abdullah Asiri, deputy minister of health for preventive health, said that the Kingdom’s health sector is capable of monitoring and discovering suspected cases of “monkeypox” and to combat infection.
He said, “There is a standard definition of suspected cases and the way to confirm them and monitoring and diagnosis methods are available in the laboratories of the Kingdom.”
Also read: Saudi Arabia says it's not responsible for high oil prices
“Until now, cases of transmission between humans are very limited, and therefore the possibility of any outbreaks occurring from it, even in countries that have detected cases, are very low,” he added.
The World Health Organization said about 80 cases of monkeypox have been confirmed in 11 countries, warning that more cases are likely to be reported.
Hajj registration to start from May 16
The registration process for this year's Hajj will start from May 16, the ministry of religious affairs has said.
Pilgrims, who want to perform the holy Hajj in Saudi Arabia, after a Covid-induced hiatus of two years, will have to complete the registration process by May 18, which is also the payment deadline.
Also read: HAAB announces private Hajj package for 2022, Minimum cost fixed at 4,63,000
Pilgrims need to possess a passport with at least seven months validity (till January 4, 2023) for completing the registration process, the ministry said.
If a pilgrim is unable to go to Saudi Arabia for Hajj post-registration, he will be refunded the plane fare and the cost allocated for food. However, if any Haji cancels his trip after confirmation of the plane ticket, he will not get back the airfare.
Also read: Hajj pilgrims must submit Covid-negative report before journey
Each pilgrim will have to carry an additional 810 Saudi Riyal with them for sacrificial purposes, according to the ministry.
Pilgrims to spend minimum Tk 1,02,150 more than previous year
Pilgrims will have to spend more to perform hajj this year as the minimum cost under government management has been fixed at Tk 4,62, 150, raising the expense by Tk 1,02,150 compared to 2020 .
Under government management, Tk 5,27,340 lakh has been fixed as the maximum cost (Package -1), Tk 1,02,340 more than 2020, said State Minister for Religious Affairs Md Faridul Haque Khan while talking to reporters after attending a meeting on hajj on Wednesday.
Also read: Hajj pilgrims must submit Covid-negative report before journey
Besides, the minimum cost under private management has been fixed at Tk 4,56,530 and the private hajj agencies can announce more than one package after keeping consistency with the government packages.
This year, the government has announced only two packages but in 2020, it announced three packages and under Hajj Packages-3 the minimum cost was fixed at Tk 3.15 lakh.
The pilgrims who intend to perform hajj this year can choose their packages from these two packages, said the minister.
Explaining the reason behind the costlier hajj packages, Faridul said in 2020 the exchange rate of Saudi Riyal was Tk 23 and in 2022 it increased to Tk 24.30 and this is the main behind hike in the cost.
Those who completed their registration in 2020 have to finalise their registration in 2022 again under the new packages and if the intending pilgrims fail to get registered in time their registration will be cancelled and they will get their money back following due process, he added.
Eid being celebrated in 6 Bangladesh districts on Monday
Dhaka, May 2 (UNB) --In line with Saudi Arabia, many villagers in Chandpur, Lalmonirhat, Dinajpur, Satkhira, Kurigram and Barishal held Eid-ul-Fitr congregations on Monday, a day earlier than nationwide celebration.
Saudi Arabia and a number of countries across the world are celebrating the festival on Monday. But, Bangladesh is scheduled to celebrate Eid on Tuesday.
In Chandpur, nearly a thousand devotees of 40 villages of the district are celebrating Eid amid festivity.
The largest congregation was held at Munshirhat Bazar Jame Mosque premises in Faridpur upazila at 9am. Moulana ASM Salamatulla conducted the Eid Jamaat.
In Lalmonirhat, more than five hundred Muslims of three unions in the district are celebrating Eid today.
Also Read: PM wishes joyous and safe Eid to all
Golam Rosul, officer-in-charge of Kaliganj police station said, the people of three unions of the district celebrate Eid in line with Saudi Arabia.
Upazila Nirbahi Officer Abdul Mannan said as every year Muslims here are celebrating Eid keeping pace with Saudi Arabia.
Security measures have been taken for the devotees, he added.
In Dinajpur, prayers for the holy Eid-ul-Fitr have been held at many places in the district.
The main Eid jamaat was held at the party centre in Dinajpur town at 8am.
More than 300 people took part in the prayer led by Maulana Mokhlesur Rahman
A section of Muslims in the district have continued saying Eid prayers in line with Saudi Arabia since 2007.
In Satkhira, hundreds of Muslims of Satkhira sadar, Tala and Kalaroa upazila are celebrating Eid-ul-Fitr on Monday following Arabia and some other Arab countries.
In Kurigram, two villagers of Bhuruingamari upazila under the district are celebrating holy Eid in line with Arab countries.
Also Read: Eid brings little joy for the poor in Gaibandha chars
Around one and a half hundred families participated in the Eid congregation in the morning. Ahl-i Hadith, an organization of the district also performed Eid Jamaat on Monday.
In Barishal, around five thousand families of various upazilas of the district are celebrating Eid-ul-Fitr in line with Saudi Arabia. They all are the followers of Jaigaria Shahsufi Mamtajia Darbar Sharif in Chandanaish of Chattogram.
The Eid jamaats were held at around 50 mosques in the district at 9am.