Hajj pilgrims reach Muzdalifah after spending day at Arafat

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Masha’r Haram Mosque in Muzdalifah. (SPA)
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Masha’r Haram Mosque in Muzdalifah. (SPA)
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Masha’r Haram Mosque in Muzdalifah. (SPA)
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Masha’r Haram Mosque in Muzdalifah. (SPA)
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Masha’r Haram Mosque in Muzdalifah. (SPA)
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Updated 20 July 2021
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Hajj pilgrims reach Muzdalifah after spending day at Arafat

  • The pilgrims move from Muzdalifah back to Mina, starting from midnight on Monday
  • In Muzdalifah, the pilgrims collect pebbles for the stoning of the devil ritual at the Jamarat area in Mina

MUZDALIFAH: After spending around 12 hours on the plains of Arafat on Monday for the most important part of Hajj, 60,000 people went to Muzdalifah in preparation for the final stages of this year’s pilgrimage.

Minutes after sunset on the ninth day of Dhul Hijjah, the pilgrims began moving to the open but rocky plains of Muzdalifah, where they pray Maghrib and Isha.

The caravan of buses, each carrying 20 pilgrims, arrived in Muzdalifah. On each bus there is a guide whose task it is to help pilgrims with all information they need and ensure they are socially distanced.

The buses were accompanied by security patrols, and there was a time interval between buses for a smooth traffic flow.




Rasha Musbah, an Egyptian driving trainer at Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University in Riyadh said that was lucky to join this year’s Hajj. (AN photo)

In Muzdalifah, the pilgrims collect pebbles for the stoning of the devil ritual at the Jamarat area in Mina. The first day in Mina, the 10th of Dhul Hijjah, marks the first day of Eid Al-Adha.

Saudi Health Minister Dr. Tawfiq Al-Rabiah told Al-Ekhbariya TV channel that no coronavirus cases had been detected among the pilgrims during this Hajj.

“There were some minor cases of tiredness due to the physical exertion, but the pilgrims with such simple cases left hospitals shortly after they received the necessary treatment,” he said.

Dr. Abdul-Fattah Mashat, deputy minister of Hajj and Umrah, said that all pilgrims were transported from Mina to Arafat in three hours. More than 1,700 buses brought the pilgrims from Arafat to Muzdalifah, he added.

“Immediately after sundown, the pilgrims started to board the buses that were made ready some three hours earlier.”

The pilgrims move from Muzdalifah back to Mina, starting from midnight on Monday.

“These buses will take them to their camps in Mina, from where they can move to the Jamarat area. There, they will use three floors of the Jamarat construction to do the stoning. We have divided the pilgrims into color-coded groups. Each group will throw (stones at) the pillar from a predefined floor and from a particular place to avoid accumulation of pilgrims.”

Mashat praised the pilgrims for sticking to the regulations and following instructions on mask wearing and social distancing.

Sheikh Bandar Baleela, imam of the midday prayers at Namirah Mosque, focused his Arafah sermon on urging Muslims to do good to all creatures, including animals and inanimate objects.




Dr. Nahla Mohammed Abdullah, an Egyptian anesthetist and intensive care physician at King Abdul Aziz Specialist hospital in Taif. (AN photo)

Baleela added that King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman were keen to make this Hajj season secure and safe.

Shahid Nazir Gill, a Canadian pilgrim living and working in Yanbu, said the hospitality and support on offer was remarkable.

“I would like to express my gratitude to the Saudi government for everything they have done for us. Their efforts, especially during the pandemic, are highly appreciated,” Gill told Arab News.

Rasha Musbah, an Egyptian driving instructor at Princess Nourah bin Abdulrahman University in Riyadh, said she was lucky to join this year’s Hajj.

“The services are amazing,” she told Arab News. “Organization, hygiene and all other services are at high levels. All the people here are helpful, beginning from the security men to cleaning workers.”

She added that pilgrims were abiding by the health measures and expressed hope that the pandemic would soon end.

But there were also mixed feelings about this year’s Hajj.

“When my husband and I first registered, we were not among the first approved group,” Dr. Nahla Mohammed Abdullah, an Egyptian anesthetist and intensive care physician at King Abdul Aziz Specialist hospital in Taif, told Arab News. “We were sad to know that.”

While she received a message two days later confirming that her Hajj request was approved, her husband’s request was unfortunately rejected.


Saudi crown prince, French president discuss relations and regional developments

Updated 5 sec ago
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Saudi crown prince, French president discuss relations and regional developments

  • Leaders discussed progress of relations between Kingdom and France
  • Also addressed current regional developments in Palestine and Lebanon

RIYADH: Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman spoke on the phone on Thursday with French President Emmanuel Macron, Saudi Press Agency reported.

The leaders discussed the progress of relations between Saudi Arabia and France, emphasizing their ongoing cooperation across various fields, SPA added.

The conversation also addressed current regional developments in Palestine and Lebanon and the efforts being made to enhance security and stability in the region.

The discussion underscores the commitment of both nations to strengthen ties and collaborate on shared strategic interests.


Asir launches campaign to promote organic food culture

Updated 14 November 2024
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Asir launches campaign to promote organic food culture

  • Ahmed Al-Mojathel: Our goal is to highlight the importance of organic products and foods as a safer, healthier dietary system
  • Initiative forms part of a broader strategy to promote organic food consumption throughout Saudi society

ABHA: A public awareness campaign by the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture kicked off Organic Food Day 2024 in Saudi Arabia, reported Saudi Press Agency.

Ahmed Al-Mojathel, director of the ministry’s Asir branch, said: “Our goal is to highlight the importance of organic products and foods as a safer, healthier dietary system.

“We are working to enhance consumer awareness about the benefits of organic foods while encouraging innovation and excellence in organic product quality.”

The initiative forms part of a broader strategy to promote organic food consumption throughout Saudi society.

Al-Mojathel said the campaign also aimed to achieve economic and social objectives supporting the development of the organic food sector across the Kingdom.


Officials detained as investigators smash drug-smuggling operation at Al-Jouf Airport

Updated 14 November 2024
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Officials detained as investigators smash drug-smuggling operation at Al-Jouf Airport

  • 9 people arrested, including Ministry of Interior employee, 4 people associated with the Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority, and a Saudi Electricity Company worker

RIYADH: A drug smuggling operation at Al-Jouf International Airport in Saudi Arabia, in which several government and other public-sector officials allegedly were involved, has been shut down following an extensive investigation.

An official source at the Ministry of Interior said on Thursday that nine people were detained, including a ministry employee, four people associated with the Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority, and one from the Saudi Electricity Company.

Their alleged roles in the smuggling network included helping to get the drugs into the Kingdom, ensuring shipments bypassed inspections, transporting them, and concealing them in homes and at other locations.

They also engaged in the promotion and distribution of the narcotics in the country, the Saudi Press Agency reported. The amount and type of drugs involved was not immediately apparent.

The Ministry of Interior said it remains committed to confronting all threats to national security and will take stringent action against anyone who jeopardizes the safety and stability of the country.


Saudi Music Commission launches self-learn digital platform for budding musicians

Updated 14 November 2024
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Saudi Music Commission launches self-learn digital platform for budding musicians

  • MusiqAI offers interactive programs to the public and teaches skills for playing Arabic and Western instruments

RIYADH: The Saudi Music Commission has launched an interactive digital platform to teach music to enthusiasts wanting to start playing an instrument or further their musical knowledge.

MusiqAI is the first self-learn digital platform for music in Saudi Arabia and the Arab region. It offers interactive programs to the public and teaches skills for playing Arabic and Western instruments.

The platform name, which includes “AI,” the abbreviation for artificial intelligence, can be translated from Arabic as “My Music.”

The commission said in a statement that MusiqAI offers online courses and trains enthusiasts and professionals on the latest technologies in music production. It also provides accredited certificates, easy access to video streaming courses, and a self-paced learning experience, anytime and from anywhere.

MusiqAI aims to offer a unique way of learning various music genres — in Saudi Arabia and globally — whether by picking an Arabic or Western instrument such as the drums, guitar or oud, and communicating with trainers and experts on the platform.

The commission said nurturing and supporting musical talent are part of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 goals. In March, the commission launched the Saudi Music Memory initiative to highlight the history of Saudi art and offer academically documented research for musicians and researchers.

To register on the MusiqAI platform, visit the commission website: https://music.moc.gov.sa/en 


OIC discusses draft humanitarian funds statute

Updated 14 November 2024
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OIC discusses draft humanitarian funds statute

  • It discussed the draft humanitarian funds statute
  • Taha added that it was important to make every effort to finalize the statute of these funds

JEDDAH: The general secretariat of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation held a meeting of the open-ended Group of Governmental Experts in Jeddah on Thursday.
It discussed the draft humanitarian funds statute, in accordance with the Council of Foreign Ministers.
OIC Secretary-General Hussein Ibrahim Taha said that the meeting was held amid difficult and harsh humanitarian circumstances that required concerted efforts and collective action to adopt actions to help contain humanitarian crises and hardships.
In his speech, Taha added that it was important to make every effort to finalize the statute of these funds, undertake the necessary reforms to their working mechanism and support them with the financial resources to enable them to fulfil their role.
The statement delivered by assistant secretary-general for humanitarian, cultural and social affairs, ambassador Tariq Ali Bakhit, on behalf of OIC’s secretary-general, highlighted the significant challenges faced by member states in the humanitarian field.