Religion

TAREQ AL-THAQAFI MAKKAH: The chief planning and strategy officer at the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, Dr. Amr Al-Maddah, said that as of Saturday, the ministry is seeking to issue 10 million visas for this year’s Umrah season. The visas … Continued

Mecca, Five-star hotels with views of Islam’s holiest site and luxury hajj pilgrimage packages are attracting a super-wealthy clientele and establishing Mecca as the capital of premium religious tourism. Mecca’s finest hotels are lavishly appointed with shimmering marble, fine wood … Continued

Peter Stupley Uighur Muslim women are being sterilised at internment camps for ethnic and religious minorities in China, according to former detainees. “They injected us from time to time,” claimed Gulbahar Jalilova, who was held for more than a year in government “re-education centres” in the … Continued

MUHAMMAD AL-SULAMI MINA: Hospitals in Makkah and the holy places in Mina and Arafat recorded eight births while the Hajj pilgrimage was in progress, the Ministry of Health said on Sunday. A ministry report carried by the Saudi Press Agency … Continued

Ahmaed Alhamy JAMARAT, Saudi Arabia (Reuters) – Muslims from around the world hurled pebbles at a giant wall in a symbolic stoning of the devil on Sunday, the start of the riskiest part of the annual haj pilgrimage in Saudi … Continued

ARAFAT: Over two million pilgrims arrived at Mount Arafat on Saturday as Hajj approached its peak. Some of the pilgrims had tears streaming down their faces as the men and women raised their hands in worship on the slopes of … Continued

BY HALA TASHKANDIRUA’A ALAMERI MINA: More than 2 million pilgrims gathered in the tent city of Mina as Hajj 2019 began on Friday.  From Mina, the pilgrims will head to Mount Arafat early on Saturday, an area about 20 km … Continued

ESSAM AL-GHALIB JEDDAH: She had money, fame, influence and power. By the age of 23, she had millions of fans, sold more than 4 million albums and won numerous awards. Writing and performing numerous hit singles and records one after … Continued

JEDDAH: Makkah Gov. Prince Khalid Al-Faisal on Sunday said more than 329,000 people had been stopped from entering the holy city since the start of the Hajj season for lack of Hajj permit. More than 144,000 vehicles without permits had also been … Continued

JEDDAH: Temperatures during Hajj season this year are expected to reach 50 degrees Celsius on some days, Saudi officials said Sunday.  Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Meteorology and Environmental protection also expects humidity to reach 85 percent, making the climate feel … Continued