Hajj pilgrims recall the most important journey of their lives

Before modern facilities were built in Makkah, availability of tents and access to toilets were limited for pilgrims who came to the holy site from around the world to perform Hajj. (AFP)
Updated 10 August 2019
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Hajj pilgrims recall the most important journey of their lives

  • Until relatively recently, Hajj for most foreign pilgrims required months to complete
  • Saving up money for the long and difficult journey to Makkah could take years

RIYADH: Until relatively recently, Hajj was very difficult for most pilgrims, who in some cases would spend months making the pilgrimage to Makkah. It meant that many families faced emotional farewells when they left their families behind for such a long time.
Even those who lived much closer to the holy sites would often be treated to elaborate going-away celebrations.
Manal Al-Harbi, from Madinah, first performed Hajj 40 years ago when she was only 15 years old. In those days, local families had their own special way of saying goodbye to pilgrims and wishing them well on their journey.

“Once the Hajjis were ready to leave, the families usually gathered around them carrying baskets of candy and money and tossed it at them while cheering and praying for their safe return,” she said. “They do this, usually, before Hajjis leave and after they return.
“I will never forget that moment when my family said goodbye to me. It was very emotional.”




Before modern facilities were built in Makkah, availability of tents and access to toilets were limited for pilgrims who came to the holy site from around the world to perform Hajj. (AFP file photo)

 

In the old days, many pilgrims from around the world would prepare for Hajj for years in advance, saving money for the complicated and expensive transportation that was available back then.
Zahid Hasan, an Indian national who used to work in reception at a hotel in Makkah, journeyed from his home country to Saudi Arabia in the early 1980s to perform Hajj.
“In those days, the journey from Mumbai to Jeddah took 10 to 15 days,” he said.
“Al-Noor Jahan and Akbari were the only ships that took pilgrims from Mumbai to Jeddah. The total amount spent during the Hajj season by Hajjis from India might have taken five months to save. Now it takes one and a half months maximum.
“Ships were the most common mode of transport from India to Saudi Arabia. There were flights available but only a small number of pilgrims used to travel by plane.”

SAFETY TIPS

Pilgrims should avoid crowding and choose the best time to move or perform rituals.

Those with colds and flu should drink plenty of water, fluids and rest as much as possible.

People should not consume any antibiotics without consulting a doctor.

Pilgrims with heart disease should take enough medication and store it safely and properly. They should also carry a medical card.


Similar are the Hajj memories of Dr. Sayed Inseram Ali, a Pakistani national who lived and worked in Madinah for almost 50 years. “The sea voyage was slow because some ships had to stop in a number of countries along the way,” he said.
"For instance, they would go from Pakistan to India to Egypt and, finally, to Jeddah. The total time for the Hajj trip might be four months, where now it’s only 40 days.”
Ships of this kind stopped sailing in 1995. The Akbari was the last one to carry pilgrims to Hajj. However, now that passenger ships are more modern and comfortable, the government is reintroducing sea voyages for pilgrims.
In comparison with pilgrims from other countries, Al-Harbi had a much smoother Hajj experience. Because she lived in Madinah, her preparation for the pilgrimage took only three days.
“My family and I immediately started to pack once we decided to go to Hajj,” she said. “I remember there wasn’t any paperwork to complete because we lived in Saudi Arabia. We took our tent and food with us.
“The roads were rugged and unpaved at that time, and since it was the busy Hajj season the trip by car from Madinah to Makkah took us seven hours, compared with now when it only takes three.”
Al-Shareefa Wadeeah bint Abdullah, an 80-year-old native of Taif, has vivid memories of Hajj she performed 50 years ago.




Dr. Sayed Inseram Ali, a Pakistani national who lived and worked in Madinah for almost 50 years, says the sea voyage was slow because some ships had to stop in a number of countries along the way. (Supplied photo)
 


“We packed our bags, put on our Ahram and headed off to Makkah to perform Hajj,” she said. “In the past there weren’t really any hamlat (Hajj missions) to register with. Our trucks would be filled with food and tents, and we would camp at Muzdalifa or Mina.
“It was a simple affair, as usually the whole family would go, even little children, but it was tiring. Nowadays it’s much more organized.”
In those days pilgrims had to arrange everything by themselves, with the help of muallims, who were like sponsors for hajjis.
Said Ali: “Once pilgrims arrived, in Jeddah for example, muallims divided them into groups, each of which had a muallim in charge of it. They were also responsible for accommodation.”
Ali came to live in Saudi Arabia in 1970, when was appointed by the ministry of health to work in Madinah. He performed Hajj the following year.
“Hajj took place during the winter back then, and a group of us traveled in a minibus,” he said. “Tents were provided and my wife used to cook for the group. A tent back then cost only 50-70 riyals.
“In Arafat, the muallims used to provide different kinds of Saudi food and water. During the 1970s, access to toilets was limited, as was the availability of tents. Now there are tents for everyone. You can also now get plenty of food and snacks.”
For her part, Al-Harbi said: “We had to walk for long distances between the mashaer (pilgrimage stopping points) to complete our Hajj.
"However, the atmosphere was fun and joyful and because we went during the winter season it made the trip a lot easier as the weather was nice and we didn’t suffer from the heat.
"Still, I remember I was complaining a lot but probably because I was too young to go to Hajj.”
Pilgrims also had to cook for themselves, before this was banned by the government in the 1990s.




Manal Al-Harbi performed Hajj 40 years ago at age 15. (Supplied photo)

They are not allowed to make open fires or bring gas cylinders or portable gas stoves with them to cook, and food is provided for everyone.
“I remember we took the whole kitchen with us: rice, bread, coffee and tea, candies, meat, vegetables and fruit. Everything that was needed keep our stomachs full for five days,” said Al-Harbi.
She said that every hajji experiences both tough moments and happy times during their journey.
“I remember hating the road trip,” she said. “Because I was the youngest in my family, I had to sit in the back seat of the car, surrounded by the luggage and food.”
Al-Harbi also remembers some difficulties in Mina: “It was tiring for us. We stayed there for three days and I was sleeping in the car and it wasn’t comfortable at all.
“There were also happy moments, too. We used to play games and my father would tell us a lot of stories and jokes to make the time pass faster.”
Hasan said he had a satisfying Hajj experience, too, and that he liked the fact that there were fewer pilgrims in those days.
“Performing Hajj was easy,” he said. “There wasn’t a huge rush like today; the number of pilgrims was not so high back then.”
In the 1970s, said Ali, “the number of pilgrims was 700,000; today there are nearly three million and they are all moving in the same direction, thanks to the Saudi government. This would never be pulled off in any other country.”
Hasan too says he is thankful for the efforts of the Saudi government in organizing trips and helping the pilgrims complete what is a very important journey in their lives.
“I am impressed by and praise the expansions of the holy mosques in Makkah and Madinah,” he said.  


Saudi crown prince extends condolences to Kuwaiti counterpart on death of Sheikh Mohammed Abdulaziz Al-Jarrah Al-Sabah

Updated 7 sec ago
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Saudi crown prince extends condolences to Kuwaiti counterpart on death of Sheikh Mohammed Abdulaziz Al-Jarrah Al-Sabah

RIYADH: Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman sent a cable of condolences to Kuwaiti Crown Prince Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah on the passing of Sheikh Mohammed Abdulaziz Hamoud Al-Jarrah Al-Sabah.
In the cable, the crown prince extended his deepest sympathy to Sheikh Sabah and the family of the deceased.

Saudi tech diplomat meets Iraqi PM to discuss digital cooperation

Updated 25 November 2024
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Saudi tech diplomat meets Iraqi PM to discuss digital cooperation

  • Deemah Al-Yahya, head of the multilateral Digital Cooperation Organization, commended Iraq’s investment in human capital as driver for growth and expansion of digital economy
  • Iraq has been working in recent years to develop a strategy for digital transformation to help support the private and public sectors and grow the economy

RIYADH: Saudi senior tech diplomat Deemah AlYahya, the secretary-general of the multilateral Digital Cooperation Organization, held talks on Monday with Iraq’s prime minister, Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani, about support for Baghdad’s plans to develop its digital business and artificial intelligence sectors.

They discussed Iraq’s strategy for digital transformation, and the need to create and develop a workforce with the tech skills required to help grow the Iraqi economy effectively, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Though Iraq is not a member of the DCO, an international body that focuses on the digital economy, Al-Sudani said his country is keen to work with the organization to meet the nation’s needs for a skilled workforce in the business sector.

AlYahya commended Iraq for the progress it has already made in terms of investment in the human capital needed to develop the digital skills that are essential to drive growth in a digitized economy.

Iraq has been working in recent years to develop a strategy for digital transformation to help support the private and public sectors and grow the economy. Authorities this month organized the first Digital Space Iraq Forum, which focused on the use of advanced technologies, including AI, to help build a comprehensive digital economy.

The DCO says that since it was founded in November 2020, it has been at the forefront of efforts to curate policies and initiatives to support the digital economy in several countries. Currently, 16 nations are members, including Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Pakistan, Bahrain, Bangladesh and Oman. It also has 39 observer partner organizations.

DCO member states have a collective gross domestic product of $3.5 trillion and serve a combined market of nearly 800 million people, more than 70 percent of whom are under the age of 35.


Saudi FM pushes for regional stability at G7-Arab foreign ministers meeting

Updated 25 November 2024
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Saudi FM pushes for regional stability at G7-Arab foreign ministers meeting

  • In his address, Prince Faisal highlighted the ongoing crises in Gaza and Lebanon

RIYADH: Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan took part in an expanded session of the second meeting between G7 foreign ministers and their counterparts from Arab nations on Monday, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

The meeting was hosted in Italy under the theme “Together for the Stability of the Middle East.”

The session, which addressed pressing regional and international challenges, was held with the participation of Saudi, Jordanian, Emirati, Qatari and Egyptian officials, as well as the secretary-general of the Arab League.

In his address, Prince Faisal emphasized the importance of strengthening partnerships to address these challenges effectively.

He highlighted the ongoing crises in Gaza and Lebanon, urging the international community to act immediately to secure a ceasefire, facilitate unrestricted humanitarian aid, and progress toward establishing an independent Palestinian state.

He also called for respect for Lebanon’s sovereignty, and renewed international efforts to resolve the crisis in Sudan and alleviate the resulting human suffering.

The meeting was also attended by Prince Faisal bin Sattam bin Abdul Aziz, Saudi ambassador to Italy, the SPA reported.


Scientists awarded for sustainable water innovation at Saudi conference

Updated 25 November 2024
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Scientists awarded for sustainable water innovation at Saudi conference

  • Research aims to improve desalination efficiency
  • Makkah’s deputy emir in attendance

JEDDAH: Scientists were awarded prizes for their work in researching desalination and wastewater treatment technologies during an event in Jeddah on Monday.

The third edition of the Innovation-Driven Water Sustainability Conference was attended by 480 experts, scientists, researchers, specialists and 40 leading organizations in the water sector, from 20 countries.

The grand prize — the Global Prize for Innovation in Desalination 2024 — went to Lee Nuang Sim from Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University for his project “uncovering the power of centrifugal reverse osmosis,” and Sue Mecham, CEO of NALA Membranes, for her project “chlorine stable new membranes for sustainable desalination and wastewater treatment/reuse.”

Visitors attend the third Innovation-Driven Water Sustainability Conference in Jeddah on Nov. 25, 2024. (Supplied)

Mecham, from North Carolina, US, spoke to Arab News after receiving her award, saying: “We are honored to be selected for the Global Prize for Innovation in Desalination 2024. Our mission is to bring new membranes to market and reduce the cost and complexity of water purification.”

Meanwhile, Saudi Ghadeer Al-Balawi from the University of Tabuk was another one of this year’s prizewinners with her project “novel heterogeneous catalysts for improving wastewater treatment plants in Saudi Arabia.”

Al-Balawi told Arab News: “I am incredibly honored to be one of the recipients of the Global Prize for Innovation in Desalination 2024. This recognition means so much to me. This project has been conducted at the University of Sheffield with hard work and dedication with the assistance of my supervisor, Dr. Marco Conte.”

The event’s opening ceremony was attended by Makkah Deputy Emir Prince Saud bin Mishal and Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture Abdulrahman Abdulmohsen Al-Fadley, as well as other senior officials.

Following the opening, Abdullah Al-Abdulkarim, chairman of the Saudi Water Authority, said that the event reflects the Kingdom’s commitment to promoting scientific and research innovation as a pillar for achieving water sustainability and security.

Through the conference, the SWA aims to share the impact of innovation in promoting the sustainable supply of water, according to SWA spokesperson Sultan Al-Rajhi.

“This conference discusses the latest global practices and innovative solutions in the water industry, with the participation of experts, scientists and specialists, who emphasize the pivotal role of innovation in accelerating the future prosperity of water and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals for water and the environment,” he said.

The two-day conference will continue to feature discussions on more than 180 research papers, as well as a water hackathon organized by the Saudi Water Innovation Center.

 


PSC members visit Gulf Cooperation Council in Riyadh

Updated 25 November 2024
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PSC members visit Gulf Cooperation Council in Riyadh

  • The EU and the GCC held a political dialogue session, co-chaired by Pronk and Jasem Albudaiwi, secretary-general of the GCC

RIYADH: Members of the EU’s Political and Security Committee, including its chair, Ambassador Delphine Pronk, and ambassadors of EU member states, paid an official visit to the Gulf Cooperation Council headquarters in Riyadh on Monday.

The delegation was accompanied by the European External Action Service Managing Director for the Middle East and North Africa Helene Le Gal, and EU Special Representative for the Gulf Luigi Di Maio.

The EU and the GCC held a political dialogue session, co-chaired by Pronk and Jasem Albudaiwi, secretary-general of the GCC.

The two parties discussed matters of mutual interest and the need to increase joint efforts to tackle global challenges.

This included the situations in Israel, Gaza and Lebanon, Gulf security and Iran, maritime security in the Red Sea region, Iraq, Sudan and the Horn of Africa, as well as Russian aggression against Ukraine.

The committee delegates and the GCC also agreed on strengthening the EU-GCC regional security cooperation.

The political dialogue constitutes an important step forward following the successful first EU-GCC Summit in Brussels on Oct. 16.