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| Arabia |
| Saudi Haj Ministry: Pilgrims - Come Early, then Leave |
| 2005-05-04 |
| DOHA (Qatar) May 3 (Bernama) -- Saudi Arabia's Haj Ministry has written to ask the Haj authorities of 62 Muslim countries to send their pilgrims for the annual Haj earlier than usual. According to the UAE-based daily, Gulf News, the move which is part of safety measures, would in effect allow pilgrims to spend more time in the So far, pilgrims -- especially those arriving by air -- have been required to arrive in the kingdom by the 20th day of the lunar month of Dhu Al Qa'da, the month preceding the Haj. The Haj Ministry now wants pilgrims to start arriving from the first day of Dhu Al Qa'da, or Dec 3 this year. Separately, the Saudi daily Arab News reported that the Haj Ministry had engaged an information security firm to implement measures to prevent pilgrims from entering the kingdom on forged Umrah visas. Umrah pilgrims with bona fide visas will be issued a special numbered code in advance, which will give the authorities access to full details of the pilgrims. Among the new measures announced recently by Haj Minister Dr Fouad Al Farsy to curb the number of overstaying pilgrims is that Umrah pilgrims from certain countries will be allowed to come only in groups. A second group will be allowed to enter only after the return of all pilgrims in the first group. |
| Posted by:Pappy |
| #2 It just occurred to me that there must be a lot of Arab Israelis who want to go on Haj, and can afford it. I wonder how the Saudis square that particular circle. |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2005-05-04 21:01 |
| #1 pilgrims from certain countries will be allowed to come only in groups Heh. Can we see a list of the, er ''less favored nations?'' And which favors/bribes/visa expediting type activities allows a country to earn back its ''most favored nation'' status? |
| Posted by: Seafarious 2005-05-04 01:05 |