Haj 2022 14,000 pilgrims move from Madinah to Makkah to Perform Haj Rituals

MADINA – A total of 14,000 pilgrims from various nationalities left Madinah Monday for the Holy Sites in Makkah to perform Hajj rituals.

Ref The Saudi Press Agency (SPA) witnessed scenes of buses transporting Haj 2022 pilgrims from the center of monitoring dispatching of pilgrims and Umrah performers, which are implemented by various stakeholders as part of the operational plan for Hajj in Madinah under the supervision of the Hajj and visit committee in the region and under follow-up of the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah on the flow of pilgrims.

Pilgrims transport buses are offered comprehensive services as part of an accurate action program that aims at facilitating transport of pilgrims to their residences according to pre-set timetables and following up on their arrival in Miqat Thi Al-Halifah or the dispatching center, before heading directly for Makkah through the Hijrah Highway along with all security, health and ambulance services, in this addition to services of guidance and field direction for buses during the dispatching process that starts at the early morning 27 June 2022 and lasts till the dispatch of the last bus at 6 p.m.

The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah’s Visit Agency recorded 953 cases of departure from residences for pilgrims since the beginning of this year’s Hajj 2022, while the total number of pilgrims who left Madinah for Makkah recently stood at 205,049 pilgrims.

Dispatching of pilgrims continues till Thu Al-Hijjah 5.

Total of 299,911 pilgrims from several nationalities arrived in Madinah, through air and land crossings to perform Hajj, as of Monday.

Statistics on arriving and departing pilgrims in Madinah, issued by the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, showed that 241,859 pilgrims arrived through the Prince Mohammed bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Madinah since receiving the first Hajj flights, while the land immigration center received 45,824 pilgrims who arrived in Madinah through land border crossings.

The statistics also revealed the nationalities of 94,837 pilgrims in Madinah. Bangladeshi pilgrims topped the list with 12,901, followed by Nigerians with 10,216, Indians with 8,350, Pakistanis with 6,954 and Iranians with 6,494 pilgrims. — SPA

Kiswa of Holy Kaaba raised in preparation for Hajj 2022 season

MAKKAH – The General Presidency for Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques has completed on Monday that the annual customary procedure of raising the lower part of the cover (kiswa) of the Holy Kaaba by about three meters in accordance with the plan for the Hajj season of 2022.

The raised part of kiswa was covered with  white cotton cloth having a width of approximately two meters across all four sides.

Sheikh Abdul Rahman Al-Sudais, head of the Presidency, participated in the customary procedure in preparation for the annual Hajj season. He emphasized the importance of the great care and attention received by the Kaaba kiswa throughout the year from the wise Presidency leadership.

“This is an extension of the keenness of the Saudi government, ever since its establishment at the hands of King Abdul Aziz, on the care of the Two Holy Mosques as well as the Hajj and Umrah pilgrims and the facilities for the seasons 2022 and 2023 for them in general, and the Holy Kaaba in particular,” he said.

He emphasized that Saudi Arabia is doing everything that would facilitate the guests of God to perform their worship and rituals in ease and comfort.

The procedure of raising the Kaaba kiswa is carried out every year as a precautionary measure to prevent the pilgrims from damaging the kiswa as they tend to touch it during their tawaf (circumambulation around the Holy Kaaba).

Saudi specialist tailors from the King Abdulaziz Complex for the Kaaba Cover took part in the process of raising the kiswa, which is a piece of black silk with verses from the Holy Qur’an inscribed on it upward, to protect it from tampering.

Hajj 2022 Over 159,000 Pilgrims arrive in Madinah by Sunday night

Haj 2022 MADINAH — More than 159,000 pilgrims have arrived in Madinah by Sunday. The pilgrims from several nationalities arrived through air and land crossings to perform this year’s Hajj.

Statistics on arriving and departing pilgrims in Madinah, issued by the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, showed that 146,765 pilgrims arrived through the Prince Mohammed bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Madinah till Sunday night, while the land immigration center received 12,335 pilgrims who arrived in Madinah through land border crossings.

The statistics also revealed the nationalities of pilgrims staying in Madinah, showing that Indonesian pilgrims are top residents of the Prophet’s City with 26,705, followed by Indians with 19,663, Bangladeshis with 8,672, Pakistanis with 7,747, and Iranians with 6,567 pilgrims.

Statistics showed that 63,077 pilgrims left Madinah over the past few days on their way to the Holy Sites in Makkah. The number of pilgrims remaining in Madinah totaled 96,526 pilgrims as of Sunday night.