JEDDAH: Many Palestinian refugees who have been scattered around the world as a result of the Israeli occupation are looking forward to reunions with their relatives during Haj.
In addition to being a religious duty and a spiritual experience, Haj is an excellent opportunity for Palestinian pilgrims to meet their relatives and friends whom they have not seen for years.
News agencies recently carried photos of some 1,200 Palestinian pilgrims at Beirut’s Rafiq Al-Hariri Airport as they waited for their flights to Saudi Arabia. Many of the travelers look forward to being reunited with their dear ones for a few days.
One pilgrim, Umm Ibrahim, said that she was performing Haj for the first time and was hoping to meet her relatives from the Palestinian territories whom she has never seen.
“Words cannot express how thrilled and excited I am. I hope all Muslims will get a chance to perform Haj.
“I was born in Beirut 62 years ago and have never met some of my relatives. And now, I am going to see them for the first time during the Haj rituals,” she said with undisguised happiness and enthusiasm.
The head of Lebanon’s Haj and Umrah Affairs Committee, Ibrahim Etani, said that 4,800 Haj visas had been given by Saudi Arabia to Lebanon; the number includes 1,200 for Palestinian refugees. In Lebanon, there are approximately 460,000 Palestinians living in 12 refugee camps.
Palestinian refugees eager for Haj reunion
Palestinian refugees eager for Haj reunion
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.
Man jailed for illegal Hajj pilgrimage operation
- A preliminary ruling sentenced him to one year in prison and imposed a 10,000 riyal ($2,666) fine
RIYADH: A Saudi resident has been jailed for a year for setting up an illegal Hajj operation with the intention of obtaining funds through deception via social media.
The public prosecution referred the defendant to the criminal court after he was found in possession of receipts connecting him to the criminal operation.
A preliminary ruling sentenced him to one year in prison and imposed a 10,000 riyal ($2,666) fine, along with the confiscation of all devices and tools used in the crime.
The public prosecution said the creation of fake Hajj operations was a major crime punishable by detention and added that it would continue to pursue those who broke Hajj regulations.
Meanwhile, Hajj security forces arrested 36 residents who tried to enter Makkah without the correct permits. They were referred to the relevant authority.
