Hajj Pilgrimage

At least 20 Umrah pilgrims killed, 29 injured in Saudi Arabia bus crash

The accident, which occurred due to a brake failure, took place on the road joining Asir province and the city of Abha

First Hajj flight to take off from Kerala on June 7: State Committee

On June 7, the first group of pilgrims from Kerala will begin their hajj journey. The destination of the flights is Jeddah

Pak court dismisses plea of visa to Indian who wants to do Hajj on foot

A Pakistan court on Wednesday dismissed a petition that urged the federal government to issue a visa to a 29-year-old Indian national, who wanted to enter the country so that he could complete a marathon journey on foot to Mecca in Saudi Arabia for Hajj pilgrimage. Shihab Bhai, who hails from Kerala, embarked on a 3,000-km journey on foot from his home state till the Wagah border last month, where he was stopped by Pakistan's immigration authorities as he did not have a visa. On Wednesday, a Lahore High Court division bench comprising Justice Chaudhry Muhammad Iqbal and Justice Muzamil Akhtar Shabbir dismissed an intra-court appeal filed by a local citizen Sarwar Taj on behalf of Shihab. The single bench observed that the "petitioner was not related to the Indian citizen, nor did he hold his power of attorney to approach the court." It also sought "a complete particulars of the Indian citizen," which the petitioner could not furnish. The High Court's division bench on Wednesday up

SC dismisses petitions seeking GST exemption on Haj services for pilgrims

A bench of Justices A M Khanwilkar, A S Oka and C T Ravikumar pronounced the judgment, saying they "dismissed" the petitions on both the grounds of exemption and discrimination

Saudi Arabia expecting 1 million devotees in largest hajj since Covid

One mil Muslim pilgrims were converging on Saudi Arabia's holy city of Mecca on Wednesday for the largest hajj since the coronavirus pandemic severely curtailed access to one of Islam's five pillars.

Saudi Arabia approves Haj security plan, says expecting 1 mn pilgrims

Saudi Arabia has approved the general security plan for the upcoming Haj season

SpiceJet to operate 37 special flights to Saudi Arabia for Haj pilgrims

SpiceJet on Thursday said it will operate 37 special flights between India and Saudi Arabia till July 31 for Indian Haj pilgrims who will visit Islamic pilgrimage sites in Mecca and Medina.

Saudi Arabia to receive 1 million pilgrims in upcoming Hajj season

Foreign pilgrims must submit a negative PCR test taken within 72 hours before their departure to Saudi Arabia

Haj 2022 process in India to be 100% digital: Union minister Naqvi

Union Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi has said the entire Haj 2022 process in India will be 100% digital

Saudi Arabia announces conclusion of Hajj season free from Covid-19

Saudi Arabia announced on Thursday the successful conclusion of this year's Hajj season, free from the Covid-19 and other contagious diseases, the Saudi Press Agency reported

World Covid dispatch: Two athletes test positive in Tokyo Olympic village

Two foreign athletes tested positive for Covid-19 at the Tokyo Olympic Village, the first cases reported among competitors at the village, according to a document

Coronavirus transforms hajj in Mecca and future of the pilgrimage

Tens of thousands of vaccinated Muslim pilgrims circled Islam's holiest site in Mecca, but remained socially distanced and wore masks as coronavirus takes its toll on hajj for a second year running

2021 Hajj will depend on Saudi Arabia govt's decision: Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi

Union Minister for Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi on Saturday said that no decision has been taken by the Central government on the 2021 Hajj pilgrimage yet

Pilgrimage in a pandemic: lessons from Mecca on containing Covid-19

An innovative intervention was the use of mobile apps to record, track and monitor all Covid-19 related personal records including test results and vaccination status

World coronavirus Dispatch: 'Painful' US experience, dubious China figures

From some scary new death toll projections coming from the US to a tobacco maker's bid to produce vaccines and Saudi planning to postpone hajj, read these and more in today's international dispatch

Bustling market for Hajj spells need for greater international governance

Saudi's $50 billion investment in new transport and other infrastructure also aims to double the size of the Hajj by the end of the next decade

Saudi nod for India's plan to ferry Haj pilgrims via sea route: Naqvi

The practice of ferrying Haj pilgrims between Mumbai and Jeddah by waterways existed earlier too, but was stopped from 1995

Philippines stops issuing hajj passports to Muslim pilgrims

Initial investigation showed the Indonesians paid $6,000 to 10,000 each to obtain the travel documents

Hajj stoning to be shortened after deadly stampede: Report

The period during, which pilgrims can perform the Jamarat ritual will be reduced by 12 hours

Saudi Arabia still reviewing Hajj stampede: Minister

More than 2,000 pilgrims died in the stampede