وزير الحج والعمرة يلتقي عدداً من المسؤولين ورؤساء مكاتب شؤون الحجاج

The Minister of Hajj and Umrah, Dr. Tawfiq bin Fawzan Al-Rabiah, met today in Jeddah with 78 heads of Hajj affairs offices from various Islamic countries and countries with Muslim communities during the semi-annual meeting of Hajj affairs office heads, on the sidelines of the 50th session of the Grand Hajj Symposium.

During the meeting, Al-Rabiah expressed his gratitude and appreciation to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz, and the Crown Prince, Prime Minister Prince Mohammed bin Salman, for the support, care, and direct attention that the Hajj service system receives, which has contributed to harnessing human, technical, and organizational resources to serve the guests of Allah, enabling them to perform their rituals with safety, ease, and reassurance.

He praised the cooperation of the heads of Hajj affairs offices and their commitment to the regulations and instructions, affirming that early preparation and organized planning since the end of last season have reflected positively on the readiness of the Hajj system and the quality of services provided to pilgrims. He noted that early action and discipline in implementation are among the most important factors for the success of the Hajj season.

He emphasized the importance of continued joint efforts to combat fraudulent campaigns and not allowing any unauthorized person to enter the camps or hotels of the missions, stressing the responsibility of the heads of Hajj affairs offices to adhere to this aspect, which preserves the safety of the pilgrims and ensures the regularity of the services provided to them.

He pointed out that this year, Makkah and the holy sites are experiencing high temperatures, which requires extra care for the safety of the pilgrims, emphasizing the importance of keeping them inside the camps at the Arafat site during peak hours from 10 AM to 4 PM, and not exposing them to walking or outdoor gatherings to ensure their safety, with intensive field monitoring and security oversight to ensure compliance.

He confirmed the importance of performing prayers in the mosques close to the pilgrims' accommodations in Makkah during peak times, and not heading to the Grand Mosque during those times; to protect them from fatigue, heat, and crowds, indicating that Hajj companies have been directed to provide necessities within the camps, including comfort facilities, audio systems, and screens for broadcasting the sermon on the Day of Arafah, urging Hajj affairs offices to send their field teams early to ensure the readiness of these services.

The Minister of Hajj and Umrah stressed that adherence to the approved transportation and crowd management plans is an important factor in the success of the season, affirming that random group walking within the holy sites poses a direct danger to the safety of the pilgrims and affects the smooth flow of movement, especially when transitioning from Arafat to Muzdalifah on foot.

He emphasized the importance of full compliance with the approved crowd management schedules for throwing stones at the Jamaraat, and the departure times from Arafat to Muzdalifah, as this has a direct impact on the safety of the pilgrims and the smooth flow of movement within the holy sites.

He stressed the necessity of benefiting from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's project for the utilization of sacrificial animals through the electronic pathway and the approved sites within Makkah; to ensure the safety of the pilgrims and prevent them from being subjected to exploitation or unauthorized sites, emphasizing the importance of full cooperation with licensed medical service providers, adherence to health guidelines, monitoring the elderly and those with chronic diseases, and ensuring the availability of medications and prevention against heat stress and infectious diseases, in addition to taking legal dispensations when necessary, which contributes to preserving the safety of the guests of Allah and enabling them to perform their rituals safely and with reassurance.

He pointed out the importance of downloading and activating the "Nusk" application for all pilgrims who have smartphones, and benefiting from its services provided in more than 11 languages, noting that the application offers more than 100 services for pilgrims, and is currently used by over 51 million users worldwide, which facilitates the pilgrim's journey and organizes their access to services.

The Minister of Hajj and Umrah confirmed that the ministry and all those working in the Hajj and Umrah system are fully prepared to address any challenges or observations during the season, calling for the expansion of the unified number 1966 among the pilgrims, for the support and services it provides in multiple languages, enabling pilgrims to communicate, seek assistance, and benefit from services with ease and convenience.

The meeting concluded with an affirmation that the success of the Hajj season is a shared responsibility among all parties and Hajj affairs offices, and that what unites everyone is the honor of serving the guests of Allah and working for their comfort and safety, enabling them to fulfill their religious duty.

During the meeting, the readiness of the Hajj system was discussed, along with a review of several initiatives and organizational and operational services provided to the guests of Allah, in addition to discussing ways to enhance coordination and integration with Hajj missions; to elevate the services provided to the pilgrims.

This meeting is part of the periodic meetings held by the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah with Hajj affairs offices; aimed at raising the level of readiness and coordination for the Hajj season and enhancing continuous communication with Hajj missions in various countries around the world.