Saudi Arabia’s Umrah plan to ensure flow of pilgrims

The resumption of Umrah will take place in three phases, each with a certain capacity and under constant supervision, similar to the standards enforced during the Hajj pilgrimage last August. (Ministry of Media)
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Updated 28 September 2020
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Saudi Arabia’s Umrah plan to ensure flow of pilgrims

  • First phase will allow 6,000 pilgrims daily and will be divided into 12 groups across 24 hours

JEDDAH: As the Kingdom begins to reopen for business, many Saudis and expatriates have found the gradual resumption of Umrah a welcome sign, but remain vigilant.

The resumption will take place in three phases, each one with a certain capacity and under constant supervision, similar to the standards enforced during the Hajj pilgrimage last August. Saudi Minister of Hajj and Umrah Dr. Mohammed Saleh Benten said that “the ministry is here to help the pilgrim.”

He also quashed rumors about the Kingdom imposing any fees to book time slots.

The minister said that to fulfill the needs of pilgrims, every step is computerized using AI with the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah launching a new Umrah application, Eatmarna, on Sunday. This will help to enforce health standards amid the COVID-19 pandemic, making it easier for pilgrims to book their Umrah provided they are cleared by the authorities.

Users downloading the app must also ensure they are registered with the Ministry of Health’s Tawakkalna app to check on the user’s health status and eligibility to perform Umrah rituals.

In an interview with Saudi National TV’s Al-Rased program, Dr. Mohammed Saleh Benten announced that the first phase will allow 6,000 pilgrims daily and will be divided into 12 groups across 24 hours. This is while maintaining social distancing measures with the help of the authorities to ensure that they receive the same care provided to pilgrims performing the Hajj pilgrimage, adding that it will be “more accurate, more precise with more precautionary measures in place,” he said.

“We’ve also designated the age groups be between 18-65 years old for those who are able to. Those who can’t will have wheelchairs ready for them to perform Tawaf and Saee, but the flow of the Tawaf (the act of going around the Kaaba seven times) will be consistent with the same speed and flow,” said the minister.

“We have an accurate implementation plan in place to facilitate the flow of residents from the 17th of Safar (Oct. 4) to perform the Umrah ritual,” announced Saudi Minister of Hajj and Umrah Dr. Mohammed Saleh Benten.

The minister said that the pilgrims would have a specific time period in which to perform the rituals.

“Pilgrims who will be arriving from outside Makkah, who booked hotels and residences, will be asked to meet at the check points 15 minutes before their scheduled departures to the Grand Mosque where they will be met by guides and health specialists to perform the rituals in a very specific time period within their booked time slots,” the minster said.  

HIGHLIGHT

Lifting the ban on Umrah in phases reflected what has been said about the safety of the visitors to the holy sites being the Kingdom’s top priority.

Children will be allowed to accompany their parents as long as they are added to the Tawakkalna app under the users dependents. Users may also add dependents to accompany them to perform the Umrah.

Cars will not be allowed to park inside the central zone around the Grand Mosque with the exception of those who live in the area. Pilgrims who are arriving by car but without a hotel booking will be able to accompany the designated group assigned to the time slot of choice by meeting them at the checkpoint and be transported by buses.

Pilgrims arriving from abroad will be allowed to enter the Kingdom in the third phase of the plan with the Ministry of Health designating which nationalities will be allowed in the Kingdom.

“Pilgrims arriving from abroad will receive the same treatment as the residents of Saudi Arabia. They’ll be able to book a time slot just as well and arrive knowing full well that they will be taken care of from arrival to departure,” the minster said.

Khairallah Al-Zahrani, a school teacher, said: “The decision to gradually resume Umrah after the rate of coronavirus cases has reduced to small numbers is a wise decision that meets both the demands of worshipers and the health measures for a safe Umrah.”

Al-Zahrani said that he had performed Umrah a number of times, and would not apply for an Umrah permit.

“There are many Muslims of different nationalities who are living in Saudi Arabia, and these people are dying to perform Umrah after that long period of suspension due to the pandemic,” he said.

He said that lifting the ban on Umrah in phases reflected what has been said about the safety of the visitors to the holy sites being the Kingdom’s top priority.

“This reflects the keenness of Saudi Arabia to keep the coronavirus under control until a vaccine is produced,” Al-Zahrani said.

Like Al-Zahrani, Sattam Jassar, a Yemeni dry-cleaning worker, told Arab News that he has been in Saudi Arabia for many years, and he was not willing to apply for an Umrah license.

“I have a feeling that this pandemic will soon end, and I can then comfortably perform Umrah. Many expats in Saudi Arabia whose residency permits have ended are preparing to get back to their countries. I believe these people should be given the chance to do their lesser pilgrimage since they may not find another chance to visit the Grand Mosque in Makkah,” Jassar said.

“This country is known to have never done anything against the benefit of pilgrims,” Jassar said.

On the other hand, Saleh Al-Qudaimi, a Yemeni family driver in his late fifties, said that he will do all he can to be among the first group to perform Umrah.

“You can’t imagine how impatient I am to wear the white clothes and circle the sacred Kaaba. This pandemic has deprived me of the pleasure I feel when in the Grand Mosque. I want to perform Umrah for at least one more time in my life,” he said.

He said that the Saudi authorities had succeeded in managing the last Hajj and they would do the same when resuming Umrah.

“With no COVID-19 case registered, the last Hajj was a success, and this could have not happened if there were no professional Hajj management. This management is going to make Umrah another success story, with the health measures the authorities are taking,” Al-Qudaimi said.


Saudi leadership approves over SR3bn of Ramadan aid disbursement

Updated 18 March 2025
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Saudi leadership approves over SR3bn of Ramadan aid disbursement

  • Initiative part of government’s efforts to improve quality of life, enhance standard of living

RIYADH: The Saudi leadership has approved the disbursement of over SR3 billion ($800 million) to social security beneficiaries as part of an aid initiative during the holy month of Ramadan.

Under the leadership of King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the scheme will address the needs of beneficiary families and fulfill their requirements during Ramadan, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Over SR3 billion will be given as follows: each breadwinner will receive SR1,000, and each dependent in the household will receive SR500. The funds will be deposited directly into the bank accounts of the beneficiaries on Tuesday, March 18, the SPA said.

Saudi Minister of Human Resources and Social Development Ahmad bin Sulaiman Al-Rajhi expressed gratitude to the Saudi leadership for helping to provide citizens with a decent livelihood.

The initiative is part of the Saudi government’s efforts to improve the quality of life and enhance the standard of living for social security beneficiaries, especially during Ramadan, the SPA added.


Nearly 11m iftar meals served at Two Holy Mosques during first half of Ramadan

Updated 18 March 2025
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Nearly 11m iftar meals served at Two Holy Mosques during first half of Ramadan

  • Number iftar meals provided during Ramadan to has increased this year due to growth in the number of Umrah pilgrims at Grand Mosque and Prophet’s Mosque, officials say

MAKKAH: Saudi authorities provided almost 11 million iftar meals to Umrah pilgrims and other worshippers at the Two Holy Mosques in Makkah and Madina during the first half of Ramadan.

The General Authority for the Affairs of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque said on Monday, the 17th day of Ramadan, it has provided 10,822,999 iftar meals and 10,290,000 packets of dates so far during the holy month, which is a time of worship for Muslims during which they fast from sunrise to sunset.

The authority said the number of iftar meals it provides during Ramadan to pilgrims performing Umrah, and other visitors to the mosques, has increased this year due to growth in the number of pilgrims, the Saudi Press Agency reported. The food is served in designated iftar areas at the mosques, in adherence with strict health standards to ensure the safety of worshippers, it added.

In the run-up to the holy month, the authority introduced an online service through which individuals, charitable organizations and endowments could submit requests to donate iftar meals at the Grand Mosque, the SPA added.


Palestinian, Egyptian envoys awarded with King Abdulaziz Sash of the Second Class

Palestinian and Egyptian ambassadors to Saudi Arabia are awarded with the King Abdulaziz Sash of the Second Class on Monday. SPA
Updated 17 March 2025
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Palestinian, Egyptian envoys awarded with King Abdulaziz Sash of the Second Class

  • Basem Al-Agha and Ahmed Farouk Tawfiq were given the awards for their efforts to strengthen relations between their countries and the Kingdom

RIYADH: The Palestinian and Egyptian ambassadors to Saudi Arabia were awarded with the King Abdulaziz Sash of the Second Class on Monday. 

Basem Al-Agha and Ahmed Farouk Tawfiq were given the awards for their efforts to strengthen relations between their countries and the Kingdom, Saudi Press Agency reported.

Saudi Deputy Foreign Minister Waleed Al-Khuraiji awarded the sashes on the directive of King Salman, SPA added. 


Saudi Culinary Arts Academy receives full institutional accreditation

Updated 17 March 2025
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Saudi Culinary Arts Academy receives full institutional accreditation

  • The accreditation follows an agreement signed on March 10 between the academy and the Education and Training Evaluation Commission

RIYADH: The Saudi Culinary Arts Academy (ZADC) was awarded a full institutional accreditation certificate on Sunday, with the support of Prince Saud bin Nayef bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, Governor of the Eastern Province.

The recognition was granted during the inauguration ceremony of the academy’s new building on March 16.

The accreditation follows an agreement signed on March 10 between the academy and the Education and Training Evaluation Commission to implement institutional accreditation processes.

The achievement underscored ZADC’s commitment to maintaining the highest standards of quality and excellence in culinary education and training.

By equipping national talents with specialized skills, the academy aims to contribute to the growth of Saudi Arabia’s tourism and hospitality sector.

The achievement also aligns with the broader efforts of the Education and Training Evaluation Commission to ensure quality and excellence in education and training institutions across the Kingdom.


Saudi Foreign Ministry hosts Iftar reception for diplomats and international organizations

Updated 17 March 2025
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Saudi Foreign Ministry hosts Iftar reception for diplomats and international organizations

  • Several senior ministry officials attended

RIYADH: Under the patronage of Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan and in the presence of Deputy Foreign Minister Waleed Al-Khuraiji, the Foreign Ministry hosted a gathering of the heads of diplomatic missions, regional offices, and international organizations accredited to the Kingdom to mark the holy month of Ramadan.

The ministry hosted an iftar reception at its headquarters in Riyadh, and those attending, which included several senior ministry officials, exchanged Ramadan greetings and engaged in cordial discussions, enhancing communication with diplomatic missions in the Kingdom, the Saudi Press Agency reported.