MADINAH: A recent report issued by the Ministry of Haj and Umrah revealed a rise in the number of pilgrims this year, despite economic and security conditions experienced by some Arab countries.
According to the report, visas issued to pilgrims for the current year numbered about 6.75 million, compared with 6.39 million last year.
Minister of Haj and Umrah Mohammed Saleh bin Taher Benten said that this ongoing growth in the number of pilgrims and visitors comes in line with the objectives of Vision 2030.
Undersecretary of the Ministry of Haj and Umrah Mohammed bin Hamed Al-Klaiby confirmed the high occupancy rate of hotels during the current Umrah season, indicating an increase in occupancy rates in five-star hotels of 113 percent, while the occupancy rate in four-star hotels increased by 71.2 percent.
The report pointed out that economic and security conditions contributed to the decrease of Umrah performers from some countries. However, efforts exerted by the ministry to support the efforts of Umrah companies have compensated for the shortage of pilgrims coming from Egypt, Turkey and Jordan. The increase in Umrah visas came from other countries such as the United States, Germany and Norway.
The report revealed that Pakistanis top the list of pilgrims, with the total number of pilgrims at 1,446,284, up 45 percent from the previous year. Indonesians came second with an increase of 25 percent with 875,958 pilgrims, followed by Indians with 524,604 pilgrims. Pilgrims from Bangladesh numbered 80,977, and 264,878 Umrah visas were issued to Iraqis, up 58 percent.
Ministry of Haj and Umrah: Record pilgrim numbers achieved
Ministry of Haj and Umrah: Record pilgrim numbers achieved
Saudi Red Crescent conducts air evacuation in Arafat as part of Hajj preparedness efforts
- Operation was launched after an emergency call was received by the SRCA’s central operations room
ARAFAT: The Saudi Red Crescent Authority carried out an emergency air medical evacuation in Arafat on Wednesday, as part of its broader efforts to enhance readiness during the Hajj season, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The operation was launched after an emergency call was received by the SRCA’s central operations room.
Ground and air ambulance teams were immediately dispatched to the scene in coordination with relevant health authorities, SPA added.
The patient was stabilized on-site and transported by medical evacuation aircraft to a designated hospital, following direct coordination with the hospital’s medical team and the provision of all necessary medical details.
SRCA spokesman Dr. Taimur Shukrullah Jan said the mission was part of a broader integrated system designed to improve emergency response across the holy sites.
He noted that medical evacuation aircraft are crucial in reducing response times, particularly in areas of high population density or restricted mobility.
“The authority is harnessing all its human and technical resources to serve pilgrims, in line with its humanitarian and national mission,” Jan said. “Our ground and air ambulance teams are operating around the clock to deliver urgent care where and when it’s needed.”
The SRCA’s air ambulance service for the Hajj season comprises 11 aircraft deployed across 13 strategic landing sites in Makkah and the holy sites.
More than 120 trained personnel are working to ensure rapid intervention and high-quality emergency services for pilgrims, SPA reported.
Pilgrims receive gifts reflecting Saudi culture
MAKKAH: The Royal Institute of Traditional Arts, known as Wrth, has welcomed pilgrims arriving in Saudi Arabia via land, sea, and air with gifts inspired by traditional Saudi arts.
This initiative, in collaboration with the Pilgrim Awareness Center and Saudia airline, aims to enrich pilgrims’ experience culturally and intellectually, according to the Saudi Press Agency.
Pilgrims received prayer rugs adorned by Arabic calligraphy and medallions featuring traditional inscriptions reflecting Saudi cultural values.
Accompanying the gifts were informational cards about Hajj rituals, provided by the Pilgrim Awareness Center.
Gifts were distributed at key entry points, including King Abdulaziz International Airport, Jeddah Islamic Port, and the Hajj dispatching control center on Hijrah Road.
Wrth’s participation aligns with its mission to raise awareness of traditional arts and offer a unique pilgrim experience during the Kingdom’s Year of Handicrafts.
The initiative highlights national identity and strengthens the global presence of traditional Saudi arts, the SPA reported.
The royal institute recently completed a billboard project along Hijrah Road between Makkah and Madinah, in collaboration with the Roads General Authority.
The billboards feature designs inspired by traditional motifs and crafts such as weaving, reflecting the national identity. These showcase the beauty of local arts and regional patterns and aim to enrich pilgrims’ cultural experience and promote heritage tourism.
Three Saudi twin pairs unite to serve pilgrims at Hajj
- These six young men are united in their dedication to serving pilgrims, according to the Saudi Press Agency
MAKKAH: In a rare and coincidental alignment, this year’s public service camps organized by the Saudi Arabian Scouts Association for Hajj have brought together three sets of Saudi twins.
Hailing from the scout group of the Civil Development Association in Riyadh’s Al-Rabie neighborhood, these six young men are united in their dedication to serving pilgrims, according to the Saudi Press Agency.
The twins — Hussam and Issam Saeed Al-Qarni, Azzam and Ammar Suleiman Al-Sulaiman, and Walid and Muhannad Abdul-Hakim Al-Otaibi — are bound not only by family ties and similar appearances, but also by a shared passion for scouting and commitment to volunteer work and pilgrim service.
Hussam and Issam said: “Scouting was not just a passing activity, but a life path chosen with conviction from a young age.”
They emphasized they were raised to love their country, and that scouting has allowed them to express this through guiding pilgrims, providing first aid, and offering various forms of assistance.
They also stressed that “every moment during the pilgrimages is a new lesson in patience, compassion, and discipline.”
Azzam and Ammar said that the experience has deepened their bond, adding with pride: “We thought we knew each other well, but in the atmosphere of the pilgrimages and under the pressure of tasks, we discovered new dimensions of cooperation and interdependence.
“We work as a team, complementing each other, and everything we do is for the comfort of the pilgrim, whom we consider our guest. It is our duty to provide them with the utmost comfort.”
Walid and Muhannad Abdul-Hakim Al-Otaibi expressed their profound pride in participating, describing it as life-changing. “Today, we are not only serving, but also learning how to stand calmly in the midst of a crowd, how to take initiative without expecting thanks, and how scouting can be a comprehensive educational field,” they said.
“Being here together, two brothers and twins, experiencing the same thing and sharing every detail, is something we will carry with us for the rest of our lives.”
98-year-old Egyptian pilgrim fulfilling lifelong dream
- Ahmed Tamim is among the oldest pilgrims on Hajj this year
- Son Muhammed says ‘his eyes filled with tears’ when selected
JEDDAH: Ahmed Tamim, 98, is fulfilling a lifelong dream of performing Hajj this year.
Tamim is a native of Egypt’s Sohag governorate, located on the west bank of the Nile, and is one of the oldest pilgrims on this year’s Hajj.
He arrived in Madinah on May 18 accompanied by his son, to embark on the sacred journey that is mandatory for all Muslims who are physically and financially able to complete it.
They are among 13,062 Egyptian pilgrims who were selected through the annual lottery to perform the pilgrimage this year.
His son Muhammed told Arab News: “It all started with a phone call from my friends who said the Hajj lottery is open, aren’t you going to apply for your father?
“I tried to contact the lottery mission, and they told me tomorrow is the last day (and) anyone who hasn’t applied can still apply.
“At the time, we hadn’t applied, but after that call, I decided to apply for my father, and thank God, his name was added to the reserve list due to his advanced age.”
He added: “Every year he used to wish to perform Hajj or Umrah. This time, when he found out his name was called after all these years, his eyes filled with tears and he reacted with happiness, he couldn’t believe it.”
Muhammed said his father is insisting on performing all the rituals unaided despite his difficulties in walking and hearing.
“He always (said) ‘this is an opportunity Allah has chosen me, and I want to experience it to the fullest.’”
Muhammad added: “Everyone in Sohag is happy for my father, because he’s not only the oldest pilgrim, but he’s a very respected religious person in the governorate.
“May Allah accept his Hajj and we are all so glad that he finally made Hajj.”
Saudi health minister visits pilgrim who received emergency cardiac surgery in Arafat
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Health Minister Fahad Abdulrahman AlJalajel recently visited a Hajj pilgrim who had received emergency cardiac surgery at East Arafat Hospital.
The minister, who is also chairman of the Health Holding Co., made the visit during an inspection tour of healthcare facilities before the pilgrimage begins later this week, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday.
The hospital is one of several medical facilities serving the holy sites during the Hajj.
