Security Forces Ready for Haj: Prince Naif
Badea Abu Al-Naja & Ali Hawash



A security official briefing Interior Minister Prince Naif in Mina on Saturday. (AN photo by Khidr Al-Zahrani)


MINA, 16 December 2007 — Saudi security forces yesterday paraded in front of Interior Minister Prince Naif with their equipment, demonstrating their readiness to protect the security and safety of the nearly three million pilgrims expected to perform Haj this year.

Prince Naif, who is chairman of the Supreme Haj Committee, inspected Haj facilities and arrangements in the holy sites of Mina, Arafat and Muzdalifah yesterday on the instructions of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah and Crown Prince Sultan.

More than 1.64 million pilgrims from different parts of the Islamic world have so far arrived in the Kingdom for this year’s Haj. According to Maj. Gen. Salim Al-Belaihed, director of the passports department, 1.49 million pilgrims have come by air, 133,635 by land and 24,039 by sea.

Prince Naif said Saudi security forces are capable of protecting pilgrims. “We will make every effort to ensure the security and safety of the guests of God,” he told reporters after the inspection tour.

He said the security forces parade was a run of the mill event. “It does not mean we are preparing for a terrorist attack. At the same time, we make preparations for eventualities,” he said, while commending security forces for their dedicated efforts in serving pilgrims. He said Saudi Arabia has one of the lowest crime rates in the world.

Prince Naif confirmed that Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinehjad would be coming for Haj on an invitation from King Abdullah.

“We have not made any extraordinary security arrangements because of the president’s presence,” the minister said, while answering a question put forward by a foreign journalist.

Prince Naif also criticized those who perform Haj without official permits, saying such pilgrimages are unacceptable in light of Shariah. He further called on Islamic countries to discourage their citizens from performing Haj illegally.

Prince Naif said Saudi security forces have taken measures to avoid accidents at the Jamrat in Mina. “I am sure that the addition of another floor to the bridge this year would smoothen the flow of pilgrims and facilitate the stoning ritual,” he added.

He urged Tawafa organizations to cooperate with security forces by following the schedule for the dispatch of pilgrims in groups to the Jamrat. However, he said the government has taken all precautions to face any unforeseen incidents during the Haj.

He said the Kingdom has nothing to do with the increase in Haj expenses being suffered by some foreign pilgrims. “It may caused by rise in international prices.” He said the government has appointed agencies to monitor those who increase prices during Haj in the Kingdom, without any reasons.

“We will not allow anybody to exploit pilgrims. We consider serving the guests of God as a great honor and we reject any move that causes harm to them,” he added. He said the government has taken into consideration the growing number of pilgrims every year.

The Health Ministry said yesterday that the overall health condition of pilgrims was satisfactory, adding that no contagious diseases had so far been reported among them.

Hospitals and health centers in Makkah have provided health services to 54,499 pilgrims during this Haj season.

During his inspection tour, Prince Naif opened the Jabal Al-Rahma Hospital in Arafat and toured its facilities, accompanied by top officials including Makkah Governor Prince Khaled Al-Faisal and Health Minister Dr. Hamad Al-Manie.

The hospital includes five halls to treat sun-stroke patients, three operating rooms and seven admission rooms.

The 265-bed hospital was completed in three phases at a total cost of SR44 million. It has 240 employees including doctors and nurses.

In a related development, King Abdullah commended Al-Manie and the entire staff of the Health Ministry for their contributions to improve health services to pilgrims. The king made the comment during a telephone conversation with the minister.

Al-Manie said the pilgrims were enjoying good health as a result of services being provided by the ministry in 21 hospitals, 114 health centers, 13,000 blood supply units and 85 ambulances. “We have also taken a series of measures to prevent the spread of contagious diseases among the pilgrims,” Al-Manie said.

Prince Naif also inspected the newly established high-tech Jamrat Bridge project, which was executed by the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs at a cost of SR4.2 billion. The last phase of the project will be implemented next year.

Dr. Habeeb Zain Al-Abidine, deputy minister of municipal and rural affairs and supervisor of development projects, said his ministry had carried out new projects worth SR1 billion in the holy sites this year for the welfare of pilgrims.

Prince Naif and his entourage also visited the newly built King Khaled Bridge Road, which will facilitate the traffic of pilgrims from the holy sites to Makkah. The road was constructed at a cost of SR385 million.

Also yesterday, Prince Khaled Al-Faisal opened the 8th Makkah conference organized by the Muslim World League (MWL) at its headquarters; the meeting was attended by Islamic scholars from different parts of the world.

Prince Khaled emphasized the importance of the conference, adding that it would contribute to Islamic unity. He highlighted Saudi Arabia’s efforts in developing the two holy mosques and improving facilities for pilgrims in the holy sites.

“The Kingdom also supports Islamic causes and works for strengthening Muslim unity and solidarity,” he added.

—With input from Saeed Al-Khotani

Crowd-Control Plan for Haj Complete
Badea Abu Al-Naja, Arab News



Saeed ibn Abdullah Al-Qahtani


MAKKAH, 16 December 2007 — More than 49,000 security officers, excluding special forces, will take part in this year’s Haj operations, Lt. Gen. Saeed ibn Abdullah Al-Qahtani, director of public security and chairman of the Haj security committee, announced yesterday.

Speaking to Arab News, he confirmed press reports that pickpockets were present during the Haj season. “As you know, the pickpockets who come here are experts and often they commit crimes without being caught,” he said.

However, Qahtani emphasized his department’s efforts to catch such criminals by deploying additional personnel. “We have been able to arrest many gangs of pickpockets and have recorded their names in our computer system and taken their fingerprints. Still many of them manage to sneak into the Kingdom again,” he said.

According to a recent study, 20.4 percent of pickpockets arrested in Makkah were women; they are employed by organizers to target female pilgrims. It is also pointed out that the majority of pickpockets — 46.5 percent — are from Egypt. Gangs also use children below 15 who steal both money and other valuables from pilgrims. The reports also showed that 31.3 percent of foreign pickpockets were linked to organized gangs.

Qahtani said the security forces would not allow pilgrims to put up tents in the holy sites or engage in any improper activities. “We have set up many checkpoints on the roads to Makkah to make sure all domestic pilgrims carry Haj permits. We will not allow those who do not have a permit to proceed to the holy sites,” he said.

The new expansion of the “Masaa” (the walking area between Safa and Marwa) will facilitate the movement of pilgrims in the area. Pilgrims will be able to use the ground floor and first floor of the expanded Masaa.

“The Haj security forces will cooperate with the Presidency for the Two Holy Mosques Affairs and the contractor of the project to help pilgrims make use of the expanded Masaa in an orderly manner,” the general said.

Qahtani said his forces had worked out plans to control the crowds in and around the Grand Mosque in order to avoid stampedes. “We request Saudis and expatriates who have performed Haj in the past to give room to others to perform their religious duties easily and comfortably,” he added.

Speaking about the newly formed forces for the management of pedestrian pilgrims, he said: “This special force has been established after we noticed the growing trend among pilgrims to reach different holy sites on foot.”

Women in Mecca in large numbers
By Siraj Wahab

Mecca (Saudi Arabia), Dec. 16: They are here in large numbers, praying alongside men in the Grand Mosque. They frequently burst into tears, and keep looking for an opportunity to kiss the Hajr-e-swad, or the Black Stone. They are also adept at striking up spontaneous conversations with their co-religionists from other countries.

At times, in the absence of a common language, they communicate through gestures. They laugh and cry and sympathise with and hug each other. They spread cheer, and are clearly overwhelmed by the extent of the event. They are the women, who make up 50 per cent of all Hajis.

"We heard that there are more than a billion followers of our religion, but we never realised that they came from so many countries and so many cultures," said Samira Ghazi from Aligarh. "I am simply amazed and am very happy."

Many women were eager to have their say on the misery in today’s world. "We know Islam is under attack, and that’s why, on the plains of Arafat on Tuesday (December 18), I’m going to pray for peace for all humanity," said Rana Asghar Hussain from Toronto.

She felt there was no room for extremism. "If Islam were about extremism, we would not have this many people in our fold," she continued. "This is proof of the fact that we are followers of a liberal religion. Its emphasis is on the emancipation of humanity. We should remove the word ‘hate’ from our lexicon."

As Ms Hussain understands it and practices it, Islam is all about love and compassion; and Prophet Muhammad was the supreme example. She observed that there was a lot of misunderstanding among non-Muslims about how women are treated in Islam.

"We feel happy in Islam and we have no problems," she explained. "The problem is we have not been able to explain this to non-Muslims, who confuse strange cultural aspects with religious edicts," Ms Hussain added.

The women pilgrims don’t hesitate to speak out with indignation about how they have seen their faith and their role in it being misrepresented. Sumaya Suliman from Johannesburg believes that the West is prejudiced against Islam, and that "whatever you do, they will continue to attack your principles and they will continue to generalise things."

However, she added that during Haj she would pray for the unity of Muslims and peace for all humanity. "I am angry when people attack us on the basis of what we wear. They draw wrong conclusions and assume that we, the women, are mistreated," Ms Sumaya said.

"We never try to forget our roots or who we are and where we come from. That probably rankles some non-Muslims because they think we are still living in the Middle Ages. They don’t realise that we love this lifestyle. We will go to any length to preserve our culture." But she agreed that a huge effort was required to inform non-Muslims of "our life in a positive way."

Muslims have not done a good job of projecting the values of Islam, according to Fatema Mohammed of Amman, Jordan, who argued that there is the added complication of so many voices. "This naturally confuses non-Muslims and it’s a fact that the views of extremist elements are magnified," she said. "The voices of the moderate elements in our religion are either drowned out or conveniently ignored."

Despite the problems ahead, many women pilgrims felt it was their duty continue to spread the true message of Islam. "The world needs Islam today to apply that healing touch to humanity," said Enna Roheena from Eastern Java in Indonesia. "All Muslims have a duty to perform in calming the frayed nerves of humanity. We have to set an example for others to follow. The people of the world crave peace. All their eyes are on us."

"Our first reaction under attack is to turn inward," said Nadia Rehman, a teacher from Mauritius. "As a result, those who attack us assume that we have something to hide. We need not be apologetic. We should be more forthcoming explaining our point of view to the world at large. Gradually, they will realise that Islam is just not about fanaticism. It is a whole way of life — where men and women are treated equally."

http://www.asianage.com/presentation/leftnavigation/new...n-large-numbers.aspx

JEDDAH, 17 December 2007 — Hundreds of thousands of faithful Muslims began assembling in the tent city of Mina yesterday in preparation for the annual pilgrimage, which is the largest gathering of Muslims in the world. More than 1.6 million pilgrims have come from abroad for the Haj and will be joined by nearly one million from within the Kingdom, including a large number of expatriate workers.

Saudi Arabia has completed all preparations for the annual event, and Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah has instructed all Haj-related ministries and agencies to mobilize all their resources in the service of the guests of God.

All Muslims are required to perform Haj at least once in their lifetimes if they have the means to do so. Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad will take part in this year’s Haj as the king’s guest along with other foreign dignitaries including Mauritanian President Sidi Ould Cheikh Abdellahi. King Abdullah has invited 1,000 guests to perform Haj this year.

Pilgrims from nearly 150 countries are taking part in the Haj. Indonesia, Iran, India, Pakistan, Egypt and Turkey have sent the largest numbers of pilgrims. About 31,000 Iraqis have also arrived for the Haj, bringing the total number of Arab pilgrims to more than 350,000.

Saudi authorities have announced that the standing on the Mount of Arafat in prayer by pilgrims, the high point of the annual pilgrimage, will take place tomorrow. The following day will be Eid Al-Adha, the feast of the sacrifice, when Muslims slaughter lambs, goats, cows, and or camels to mark Prophet Ibrahim’s readiness to sacrifice his son Ismail upon instructions from God.

Many pilgrims have started to leave for Mina yesterday after circumambulating the Holy Kaaba, the first house of worship on Earth, built by Adam. Prophet Ibrahim and his son Ismail rebuilt it some 5,000 years ago. Most Haj rituals are related to Prophet Ibrahim, his wife Hager and Ismail, and thus reflect the unity of humanity.

The Saudi government has given top priority to the security and safety of pilgrims and has deployed more than 50,000 security forces in Makkah and other holy sites of Mina, Arafat and Muzdalifah to ensure a safe and secure Haj for the guests of God.

A total of 11,000 doctors, nurses and paramedics will be on hand to provide medical care, with 4,200 beds in 21 hospitals and 145 health centers in Makkah, and the other holy places. According to the Saudi Press Agency, 85 ambulances have also been prepared and health alerts will be issued in case of any outbreaks of contagious diseases.

The Health Ministry has given polio vaccinations to more than 200,000 pilgrims from India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Nigeria, Sudan and Chad, according to Dr. Khaled Al-Zahrani, assistant health minister for preventive medicine.

He ruled out the possibility of a bird flu outbreak among pilgrims. “Avian flu rarely transfers from birds to humans and we have taken all measures to prevent the spread of this disease,” Zahrani said. “We have banned the import of birds and the transportation of live birds between the Kingdom’s regions for more than three years. So there is no need to worry about infected birds in the holy places,” he said, adding that no case of bird flu in humans has so far been detected in the Kingdom.

Measures have been taken to prevent a repeat of the high death tolls that have often characterized past pilgrimages. The government has spent SR4.2 billion on the high-tech Jamrat Bridge project in order to help pilgrims perform the stoning ritual easily without stampedes.

The Scouts Organization has published a directory of Mina and Arafat containing more than 3,000 bits of information related to Tawafa organizations, government departments and public service centers in the Holy Sites. Dr. Abdullah Al-Fahd, supervisor of service camps, said the directory was published after conducting a survey of the holy places.

The Haj is one the five major pillars, or tenets, of Islam that followers of the religion must abide by. The others are the Shahadah, the declaration of the faith; Salah the five daily prayers; Zakah or mandatory giving of a portion of a person’s wealth to the needy; and Saum or fasting during the month of Ramadan.

Interior Minister Prince Naif, who is chairman of the Supreme Haj Committee, inspected the arrangements in the holy sites on Saturday and said the government had done the utmost to ensure the security and safety of pilgrims. He also watched a military parade, which involved selected units from the commando, anti-terrorism, anti-riot, bombs removal, sniper, rapid intervention and crowd management units of the Saudi security forces. Water cannon trucks, light armored personnel carriers, emergency rescue helicopters, ambulances and dinghies were also displayed.

Asked what the biggest challenge for the Saudi Arabia is during the Haj season, the minister replied: “With God’s help we will not have any problem, but we are nonetheless ready for any eventuality.”

Maj. Gen. Saleh Mohammed Al-Shihri, commander of the Central Control of the Haj Security, said 1,150 cameras had been placed in several areas to monitor them. Several helicopters, fitted with these cameras, will hover over the pilgrims.

Maj. Gen. Ali Al-Sahli, assistant commander of Haj security forces, said security forces were fully prepared to welcome pilgrims. He highlighted the role of security officers during Haj and their protection of pilgrims from pickpockets and other criminals.

“Criminal police have been deployed in the holy sites to prevent crimes before they take place,” Sahli told Arab News. “We have been successful in arresting a large number of criminals including pickpockets and thieves,” he added.

In a related development, Israel agreed to permit approximately 900 Gaza pilgrims to travel through Israeli territory and take part in Haj. Israeli officials said the passage through the Israeli-controlled Erez crossing was under way at midday, but did not specify how many Gazans had actually crossed. Hussein El-Sheikh, head of the civil affairs department in the Palestinian Authority, said the 900 pilgrims would pass through Erez by this morning, if not earlier.

The pilgrims traveling yesterday were to drive in a convoy through Israel to the West Bank town of Jericho, and from there to Jordan, where they were to board flights to Saudi Arabia, El-Sheikh said.

— Additional input by Saeed Al-Khotani and agencies

quote:

According to a recent study, 20.4 percent of pickpockets arrested in Makkah were women; they are employed by organizers to target female pilgrims. It is also pointed out that the majority of pickpockets — 46.5 percent — are from Egypt. Gangs also use children below 15 who steal both money and other valuables from pilgrims. The reports also showed that 31.3 percent of foreign pickpockets were linked to organized gangs.

No Guyanese gang?

Haj Reflections: Is It a Bridge or Is It a Complex?
Siraj Wahab

Contrary to all forecasts, Mina is hot, not cold. The sun is out in full force and one can see beads forming on the wrinkled faces of many elderly pilgrims. This city of tents was a quiet refuge from the hustle and bustle of Makkah on Sunday night. It was not to last. By dawn the trickle of incoming pilgrims had become a flood. Sadly, many wore an air of confused desperation. Many pilgrims were unable to locate their camps amid the sea of white tents. They kept asking uniformed men for the way to their temporary lodgings. All the camps are numbered, but the exact division of the tent city is not clear. Knowing just the camp number is not enough to be able to find a specific location.


***

Mina is a small city; it is a valley and as far as your eye can see, tents cover every open space. They have been neatly arranged, row after row. The entrances to many of the tents are decorated and festooned with colorful banners. This helps pilgrims identify their temporary residences from among so many that all look the same. Huge balloons of different colors hang in the sky over certain locations to help pilgrims find their tents. Security officers are everywhere: on every bridge, street and crossing. They will not allow any vehicle to park, even for a minute, on the roadsides.


***

Is it a bridge or is it a complex? That is the question that journalists have been asking themselves since they first landed here on Sunday night. In the past, the road leading to the Jamrat, the place where Satan is symbolically stoned by pilgrims, was indeed a bridge in the conventional sense. It was more like a flyover. But now it is a huge concrete complex with multiple entry points and exits. Nearly SR4 billion has been spent on the third phase of the project. The first and second phases were inaugurated by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah last year. The complex’s foundation has been designed for 12 stories. When complete, it will be able to accommodate five million pilgrims. Right now, ground plus two floors are complete and will be in use this year. The dense crowds and stampedes that had become a routine Haj story will now be history. That is for sure.


***

First timers are naturally awed by the arrangements and logistics. Everyone is talking about the wonderful job done by Saudi authorities for this Haj. Even those of us who have been here before are finding this pilgrimage to be the most highly organized ever seen. The area is clean. Transportation is very organized. There are no queues for toilets or ablution facilities. Even frayed tempers are at a minimum this year. Very few illegal squatters and even fewer plastic tents are under the bridges. With the logistics under control, the pilgrims are feeling increasingly confident that their journey of a lifetime will be a success.


***

When the pilgrims arrive in Mina, they come with mixed feelings of trepidation, joy and reflection. They think of the rituals they must perform so there is trepidation. They count themselves lucky to be in the tent city on this day of the lunar month. Their joy is unequaled. And the whole exercise reminds them of life gone by, the wrongs they committed and the time they wasted. So it is natural to reflect on the past and pray for inspiration in the future. On Tuesday on the plains of Arafat they will bare their hearts to God and beseech Him to forgive them and bless them with the fulfillment of their fondest desires.


***

Once again many pilgrims from former Soviet republics such as Dagestan are in Mina this year. These Muslims take as long as six months to reach Makkah. They move in a caravan and sell goods at numerous markets in countries on the way to Saudi Arabia. One is reminded of the three main caravans that set out to Makkah until the 19th century. According to an article in the highly reputable and respected Saudi Aramco World magazine, the Egyptian caravan set out from Cairo, crossed the Sinai Peninsula and then followed the coastal plain of western Arabia to Makkah, a journey which took from 35 to 40 days. It included pilgrims from North Africa, who crossed the deserts of Libya and joined the caravan in Cairo. The other great caravan assembled in Damascus, Syria and moved south via Madinah, reaching Makkah in about 30 days. After the capture of Constantinople by the Ottoman Turks in 1453, this caravan began in Istanbul, gathered pilgrims from throughout Asia Minor along the way, and then proceeded to Makkah from Damascus. The third major caravan crossed the peninsula, coming from Baghdad.


***

One improvement from the pilgrims’ side is that the Haj awareness campaigns launched by individual nations appear to be paying off. There is more of an understanding that Haj is a duty that should be completed as early in life as possible. In the past, most of the younger pilgrims were from Malaysia and Indonesia. This year many young pilgrims from India and Pakistan are present as well. Improved economies in those nations have allowed more people the opportunity to perform Haj and it is good to see younger Muslims making the effort to put their improved finances to good use.


***

Here is an interesting Haj nugget worth mentioning: It seems that one of the most spectacular pilgrimages ever made was that of Mansa Musa, the King of Mali. In 1324, he set off across the Sahara with 500 assistants, each carrying a golden staff weighing six pounds. He was followed by 100 camels, each carrying a load of gold weighing 300 pounds. Mansa Musa was truly pious and very generous — so much so that 12 years after his stay in Cairo, the price of gold had still not recovered. He distributed the bulk of his fortune to charity in Makkah and Madinah, returning home practically a pauper, but having assured himself of the praises of posterity.

CNN is carrying a live feed from Saudi TV right now. The Hujjaj is making their way to Muzdallifah for the night.

Are you home?
My mom just called and say they are looking at the Arab channel as well.

I am getting goose bumps, May Almighty Allah accept all thier prayers and may thier stay in the open tonite be as comfortable as possible.
Ya Allah 5 million brothers and sisters gather just for your sake, please accept thier duas.

quote:

Originally posted by Chief:
Are you home?
My mom just called and say they are looking at the Arab channel as well.

I am getting goose bumps, May Almighty Allah accept all thier prayers and may thier stay in the open tonite be as comfortable as possible.
Ya Allah 5 million brothers and sisters gather just for your sake, please accept thier duas.

Sorry Chiefie, I got so excited I didnt say it was on their website. Its no longer running on their website.

Bro,
For those who made the trip they can relate to your excitement.

quote:

Prince Naif also criticized those who perform Haj without official permits, saying such pilgrimages are unacceptable in light of Shariah. He further called on Islamic countries to discourage their citizens from performing Haj illegally.

These hajis will go straight to hell.

Pilgrims Supplicate in Arafat
Siraj Wahab & Badea Abu Al-Naja, Arab News

ARAFAT, 19 December 2007 — In scenes suggestive of the Day of Judgment, millions of Muslim faithful, wearing white robes, assembled on the Plains of Arafat yesterday at the peak of this year’s Haj. The pilgrims spent the day in prayer and meditation here before leaving for the valley of Muzdalifah on their way back to Mina.

The standing in prayer at Arafat is one of the compulsory rituals of Haj, a major pillar or tenet of Islam. Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said that “Haj is Arafat,” indicating that a pilgrim should be in Arafat in order for his Haj to be complete. On the Day of Arafat, God forgives the sins of those who seek His pardon.

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah arrived in Mina last night to supervise this year’s Haj operation. The king will receive foreign dignitaries as well as heads of foreign Haj missions. Crown Prince Sultan and other top Cabinet members are also present in Mina.

The pilgrims came on foot, by bus and in pickup trucks from Mina and other locations. Interior Minister Prince Naif, who is chairman of the Supreme Haj Committee, said that a record number of 1.7 million pilgrims came from 181 countries for Haj this year. Security forces, especially traffic police, worked hard to control the massive movement of pilgrims.

Saudi Arabia’s Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdul Aziz Al-Asheikh lashed out in his Arafat sermon at enemies of the Islamic world for targeting the faith and livelihood of Muslims.

Delivering the annual Haj sermon, he called upon Muslims to hold fast to their faith. “If the Ummah (Islamic nation) returns to its religion, no force in the world will be able to defeat it,” he said.

The enemies have been targeting the Ummah in its faith. They are aiming at its economy and are attempting to annex it to their economic system, he said.

“The Ummah is being targeted ... on its values, morals and culture,” said the mufti, the Kingdom’s top Islamic scholar. However, he said that Muslims had contributed to this by abandoning the fundamentals of their faith.

The mufti warned against the dangers surrounding the Ummah and the efforts of its enemies to pounce on Muslim nations, exploit their wealth and create divisions among them.

Al-Asheikh blasted the enemies of the Ummah for recruiting young Muslims to carry out terrorist attacks. “Every Muslim rejects these acts of terrorism,” the mufti said and urged Muslims all over the world not to allow people having evil and sick minds to create chaos and confusion in their countries. “We have to tackle this problem by joining hands. This is a dangerous virus that targets truth and creates division and destruction,” he added.

Despite the hardships, pilgrims told how reaching the Arafat was a dream come true. “If two million Muslims from all over the world can come together on the plains of Arafat at the call of our dear faith, what stops them from joining hands for the better good of the Muslim world?” asked Abu Ammar, a Palestinian pilgrim based in Saudi Arabia. “The biggest problem we face today is our lack of unity,” he added.

For Jehangir Asmat, a Pakistani national, the standing at Arafat was a renewal of his faith. “I feel like I’ve been born again and I’ve taken a vow to put my past behind me and start afresh and live life according to the strict tenets of Islam,” he said. Before sunset yesterday, all pilgrims left the plains of Arafat for Muzdalifah, where they camped out under the stars. The pilgrimage proceeded without incident under the watchful eyes of thousands of security forces camped out there. Surveillance cameras and helicopters monitored crowd movement.

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is performing Haj this year as the guest of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah, among other foreign dignitaries including Mauritanian President Sidi Ould Cheikh Abdellahi and Pakistan’s Caretaker Prime Minister Mohammadmian Soomro.

Health Minister Dr. Hamad Al-Manie yesterday met with heads of Haj health committees and emphasized his ministry’s plan to deploy more medical and first-aid teams in Makkah, Mina and other holy sites in order to face any emergencies.

Dr. Rasheed Al-Eid, commander of Saudi Red Crescent Society, said his officers carry about 50 percent of emergency cases by foot during Haj as the squatting of pilgrims prevents entry of vehicles. “We have taken more than 5,000 pilgrims to hospitals and health centers by the end of Arafat day,” he told Arab News.

Some of the most enthusiastic pilgrims spent Monday night on Mount Arafat, also known as Jabal Al-Rahma or the Mount of Mercy, nestling in cracks between the boulders. The night air was pleasantly cool, with a breeze from the desert.

Husain Abdullah, a Somali who has been living in the Kingdom for the past 10 years, said that he is now ready to walk the entire distance with his wife. “The reward that we get depends on the difficulties we face. We will walk from Arafat to Muzdalifah and then to Mina,” said Abdullah, adding that though there are different vehicles that could take them, they would do the entire journey on foot and avoid the traffic jam.

The majority of the walkers come from the Kingdom. The area for those who want to walk is far from the vehicular traffic and has toilets as well as water for the pilgrims.

Pilgrims perched on the hillside said they had prayed for the welfare and success of Muslims across the world. Zaki Ali Ibrahim, an Egyptian driver working in Saudi Arabia, said he had spent the whole night in prayer with friends. “I prayed that all Muslims may prosper, and that I may prosper with them,” he said.

Shazli Atallah Mohamed, a plumber from the southern Egyptian province of Qena, said that on the hilltop, he felt he was closer to God than anywhere else on earth. “I prayed that God might accept us all for entry into Paradise,” he said.

A large group chanted prayers in unison, asking God to help fellow Muslims in areas of conflict including the Palestinian territories, Chechnya, Kashmir and Sudan.

A sea of people wrapped in white cloths streamed along six-lane roads to fill the plain, carrying mats, food, screens against the sun, Qur’an copies and prayer books.

During the day, local food and drinks companies distributed their products free to the crowds. Peddlers sold fruit and tea on the plain and African women spread their wares on the ground, offering prayer beads, incense and prayer mats. One man offered rides in the howdahs of camels, richly decorated with brocade and colored pompoms.

Dr. Yahya Al-Kinani, director of the Charitable Warehouse in Makkah, said his charity had distributed 350,000 packets of meals to pilgrims yesterday with the help of cold storage container trucks. “We have also distributed cold water, juice and umbrellas to the pilgrims,” he added.

For the first time, the warehouse distributed 10,000 blankets among the guests of God in Muzdalifah in order to protect them from cold weather. “We will distribute 100,000 packets of hot meals to pilgrims in Muzdalifah,” Kinani told Arab News. The charity has appointed 100 workers to distribute food and other supplies to pilgrims at the holy sites.

According to one report, more than five million meals, donated by individuals and companies were distributed to pilgrims in Arafat yesterday. Cold storage trucks were distributing meals, cold water and beverages throughout the day. The charitable kitchen of Muhammad Aboud Al-Amoudi, located near Jabal Al-Rahma, supplied more than four million meals to pilgrims.

The pilgrims will begin stoning at the Jamrat in Mina today as part of the Haj rituals. Col. Salim Mudheb, commander of the civil defense force at Jamrat, said his forces were ready to receive pilgrims. “We have readied additional forces to get into action wherever necessary,” he added.

Meanwhile, summary courts in Arafat issued sentences against 30 people including pickpockets and drug dealers. Brig. Khidr Al-Zahrani, director of crime branch in the holy sites, said the judges passed their verdicts against the criminals soon after completing investigations into their crimes.

Also yesterday, the Holy Kaaba wore a new kiswa or cover. The kiswa, made of pure silk, will cost SR20 million.

— Additional input by Samir Al-Saadi, Galal Fakkar & Ali Hawash

Al-Asheikh blasted the enemies of the Ummah for recruiting young Muslims to carry out terrorist attacks. “Every Muslim rejects these acts of terrorism,” the mufti said and urged Muslims all over the world not to allow people having evil and sick minds to create chaos and confusion in their countries. “We have to tackle this problem by joining hands. This is a dangerous virus that targets truth and creates division and destruction,” he added.

No Space? There’s Always the Roof
Badea Abu Al-Naja, Arab News



Perched on top of the vehicles and impervious to potential dangers, these pilgrims travel to their destinations at a premium. (AN photo by Badea Abu Al-Naja)

MAKKAH, 20 December 2007 — If there is no room in a car, that doesn’t have to be a problem. There is always the roof — and the roof is available for rental to pilgrims. Car owners are now taking advantage of the season to make as much money as possible even at the expense of pilgrim’s safety. For many pilgrims, it does not matter where they sit as long as they get to their destination.

Carrying pilgrims on the roof of minivans and buses is illegal and drivers could be fined for it. There is as yet no news of pilgrims falling off the roofs of vehicles.

Arab News had a look at the buses and cars entering Makkah and spoke to pilgrims who have chosen to enter Makkah sitting on the tops of them.

Ishak Akbar, on top of a GMC, said that taxis and private cars charge more than SR50 per passenger. On the other hand, he said the charge for space on top of buses and minivans is only SR10 per passenger. He said that passengers on the top have to bear the hot sun and the smoke from other vehicles but they get a chance to enjoy good views of Makkah and the crowds of people.

Lutfi Ahmad, an Egyptian pilgrim, said that he preferred to ride on top of a minibus rather than being stuck inside with a broken air-conditioner. “Most of the vehicles available are old and do not have an AC,” said Lutfi, who admitted that he preferred to take the risk and pay less money.

Arshad Hussein, a Pakistani pilgrim, paid only SR15 for a space on top of a minivan. “I know this is illegal and dangerous but I could not find any other way,” he said. “The good thing about this is that the roads are crowded and there is no chance for drivers to speed up. This will limit the possibility of a traffic accident.”

All drivers questioned by Arab News refused to talk except for one who did not want his name published. “We are here for work and we want to make as much money as possible. We benefit from each and every chance. Therefore we offer seats for pilgrims on the tops of our vehicles in return for smaller amounts of money.”

He said that most drivers have bills and debts to pay and since this was a good way to make money, he wondered why people are complaining.

“If you look around, many pilgrims are riding on top of minivans and buses. There are not many cars available and, in fact, we are offering pilgrims who want our service a reasonable price.” The head of the traffic department, Col. Ahmad Al-Otaibi, warned pilgrims about the dangers of riding on top of minivans and buses.

“Drivers of those vehicles will be fined. We want all drivers and pilgrims to cooperate with us in order to keep the roads safe,” Al-Otaibi said.

Strict Steps Ensure Smooth Stoning
Arab News Team



Pilgrims throwing pebbles at the Jamrat Al-Aqaba on Wednesday. (AN photo by Adnan Mahdali)

MINA, 20 December 2007 — This year’s Haj has been described as “most successful” because the nearly three million pilgrims completed their rituals so far in a peaceful and secure atmosphere. They stoned Jamrat Al-Aqaba in Mina, slaughtered sacrificial animals and performed Tawaf Al-Ifadha yesterday.

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah yesterday received the commanders of Haj security forces and commended their services in order to make the event, the largest gathering of Muslims in the world, a resounding success. He also noted the efforts and sacrifices made by Saudi security forces in confronting terrorists.

“Every soldier is a symbol of sacrifice and you represent the shield of this nation — after God — in times of war and peace,” the king told the officers who came to greet him on the occasion of Eid Al-Adha.

King Abdullah described the terrorists as traitors and the security forces as heroes. “We’ll never forget your sacrifices in confronting terrorists ... your Kingdom will remain as a nation with a message while the deviant criminals will vanish without a trace,” the Saudi Press Agency quoted the king as saying.

Haj Minister Dr. Fouad Al-Farsy said this year’s Haj operation was the best ever in terms of organization and security. “We are honored to serve the guests of God,” the minister said. “Until today, everything related to Haj has gone smoothly as planned,” he added.

According to an official report issued by the General Statistics Department, 2,454,325 pilgrims performed Haj this year. This number includes 1,707,814 pilgrims who came from 181 countries and 746,511 from within the Kingdom. A large number of overstaying Umrah pilgrims also joined the Haj to further boost the final, unknowable count.

The pilgrims performed with relative ease the most potentially dangerous Haj ritual: the symbolic stoning of the devil. “Everything went according to plan and we have had no untoward incident at the Jamrat,” said Interior Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Mansour Al-Turki.

“The arrangements were excellent and great care was taken to avoid the massing of pilgrims on the Jamrat Bridge which has been a scene of tragedy on numerous occasions in the past,” he told a press conference.

Helicopters hovered constantly overhead to monitor the huge crowds; they were assisted by hundreds of high-tech cameras, all connected to a control room run by security authorities.

The pilgrims began their trek from Muzdalifah back to Mina early yesterday morning. Those with permits and proper accommodation facilities in Mina went straight back to their camps and emerged later in groups to complete the stoning ritual. Pilgrims without permits, however, had a tough time. They were not allowed to carry their baggage to the Jamrat complex.

“We have learned our lesson. One of the major causes of tragedies at the Jamrat Bridge in the past has been the luggage that pilgrims carried with them onto the bridge. They are unable to withstand the pressure on the bridge and they then dump their luggage in the middle. This then becomes a death trap. If one pilgrim trips, it leads to a domino effect and then everything goes wrong,” explained Al-Turki. “We took no chances this time. We will never again allow pilgrims to carry luggage to the Jamrat plaza,” he said.

According to Al-Turki, the luggage problem arose because some pilgrims had no accommodation in Mina. “If they had come through proper channels, they would have had proper tents to keep their belongings in,” he said, adding that all pilgrim establishments and Haj missions were informed of this year’s plan.

Chaotic scenes were seen earlier in the day when security forces insisted that pilgrims leave their bags behind before proceeding to perform the stoning ritual. At one of the roads leading to the Jamrat, policemen were shouting: “Leave your luggage here; you can’t take it with you.”

Some pilgrims, however, refused to listen. They tried in vain to hold on to their belongings. “All my documents are in my bag. How can I just leave it here? How am I going to find my bag again?” said Zahra Sadiq, a South Asian pilgrim who refused to move on without her luggage. Security forces explained to her that the rules had been made for her safety and that of all other pilgrims. “Perform the stoning and then come back to get your baggage. Nobody is going to take it away.”

Talking to Arab News, one police officer, Saad Al-Ghamdi, admitted that pilgrims were frustrated.” But we have very strict instructions not to allow any baggage onto the platform.”

The stoning ritual takes place at the site where Satan appeared to Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him), his wife Hager and son Ismail. Ibrahim and his family each threw seven stones at Satan. The gesture has been perpetuated, and Muslims must perform it in order to complete the Haj.

Many arrived in Mina for the pebble-throwing ritual with swollen feet and sore legs after walking some 20 kilometers, stopping for a few hours of sleep on the rough terrain of Muzdalifah, where they collected at least 49 pebbles to stone at the Jamrat in Mina.

They were coming from the Plains of Arafat, where the Haj reached its climax on Tuesday with the faithful spending the whole day in prayer, meditation and introspection. After performing the three main duties yesterday the male pilgrims took off the two pieces of white cloth they put on when they went into a state of ritual purity on Monday morning.

Makkah Gov. Prince Khaled Al-Faisal, who is chairman of the Central Haj Committee, also declared that the movement of pilgrims from Arafat to Mina via Muzdalifah had been completed smoothly without any accident. He said the new projects implemented by the government in the holy places had played a big role in facilitating Haj traffic.

The Saudi authorities have made the stoning ritual much easier compared to previous years with the construction of the SR4.2-billion Jamrat Bridge expansion (which is set for completion next year) to ensure the smooth flow of pilgrims. Security forces assisted the pilgrims and organized their movements on the Jamrat Bridge to make it smooth and incident-free.

The stoning will be repeated today and tomorrow when the Haj draws to a close. Watched by guards and policemen, pilgrims were directed to approach the stoning site in orderly groups in order to avoid disasters.

The faithful were relieved at having performed their religious duties in relative comfort. The authorities were also relieved since in the past the ritual was sometimes marked by tragedies, causing the deaths of pilgrims.

Indian and Pakistani Haj missions described yesterday’s stoning ritual as extraordinarily smooth. They welcomed the security crackdown on the carrying of luggage to Jamrat. “We welcome the move. We have always asked for this. Luggage on the bridge has always been a disaster,” said Indian Consul General Dr. Ausaf Sayeed. “Our pilgrims performed the ritual in record time. We have had no problem.”

He said, however, that not all pilgrims who had their luggage seized on the way to Jamrat were without permits. “Some were legal pilgrims who had missed the bus from Muzdalifah to Mina and had therefore gone straight to the bridge. All those who got on the buses came straight to the camps,” he said.

Pakistan’s Director of Haj, Behrullah Hazarvi, said the arrangements were excellent. “We had directed all our pilgrims to come back to the camps in Mina from Muzdalifah before going to Jamrat. Most of our pilgrims stuck to the program and had no difficulties,” he said.

Haj Minister Al-Farsy said Saudi authorities would deal firmly with unfair pilgrim service agents by imposing tough punishments. “We show no leniency to domestic Haj service companies that cheat pilgrims,” he said.

— With reports by Samir Al-Saadi, Siraj Wahab, Badea Abu Al-Naja, Ali Hawash, Syed Faisal Ali and Galal Fakkar

Haj Reflections Day Four: Saudi Hospitality at Its Best
Siraj Wahab

Bright colors blazed through Mina’s white landscape yesterday. Almost all had changed into their native dress and the women seemed to be celebrating the event by wearing scarves and wraps in all the colors of the rainbow. This diarist was particularly attracted by a group of Omanis, who were holding colorful banners as they went off to stone the Jamrat. The sun was out in its full glory. However, there was a mild breeze blowing across the valley all day, so the weather was quite pleasant.


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Saudis take immense pleasure in serving the pilgrims. No two opinions about that. Listen to what Culture and Information Minister lyad Madani wrote in a magazine once: “I was born in Makkah and grew up in Madinah, and Madinah was always full of hajis. They shared the city and the mosque with us. We grew up being with hajis, looking at hajis, hearing hajis. When I was a young kid, they were objects of great curiosity: Their different costumes, their food, their features. Everyone developed a feel for the Haj, a built-in image that becomes part of you.” According to Madani, it is the human element that he likes the most about Haj. “When you come to Haj, you become your real self. People take off the layers of pretending, and you see real people as they truly are. People express themselves in the simplest ways: In the way they pray, in the way they find their spot in the mosque, how they react when they are waiting to finish their stoning, the way they ride the buses, the way they find their way to the Mount of Mercy.”


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The pilgrims have begun getting back to the business of everyday life. There was a huge demand for newspapers in all languages. Thousands of copies of Arab News were snapped up by the pilgrims, both for news and as a souvenir of the day. Frenzied commercial activity is under way throughout Mina. African women are selling costume jewelry that is popular with all women. These beaded creations are beautiful, artistically made and cost very little. One of the most amusing things was to see South Asian women buying scarves very similar to ones available back home. Asked about their purchases the women explained that what was bought wasn’t important, but buying it in Mina was very important. South Asian Haj organizations are giving their pilgrims souvenirs including small document bags, Islamic literature and diaries.


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There is a problem here. And that is caused by pilgrims who continue to insist on personally slaughtering sacrificial animals. Of course, the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) has installed state-of-the-art slaughterhouses where millions of animals are mercifully killed. Unfortunately, some pilgrims still persist in the belief that they will receive greater blessing if they sacrifice the animal themselves. Thousands buy sheep at the market on the outskirts of Mina. Then they take the animals into the desert and sacrifice them. Without being needlessly graphic, it can be said that this creates a bloody mess. Men are waiting nearby with pickup trucks and they take the slaughtered animals away. It is impossible to know whether this meat is going to charity or to a nearby restaurant.


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