Saudi Arabia Declares Success of this Year's Hajj
Deputy Governor of the Makkah Region Prince Saud bin Mishaal declared on Sunday the success of this year's Hajj, stressing Saudi Arabia's pride in serving the pilgrims.
Preparations are underway to hold next year's Hajj, he added.
He said this year's pilgrimage was a success on the security, health and services level, conveying his congratulations to Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz and Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, on the achievement.
He praised the performance of the operational plan that ensured the success of the Hajj and allowed the pilgrims to carry out the sacred rituals smoothly and at ease.
Moreover, he extended congratulations to the members of the security, health and services sectors, as well as the volunteers, who 'worked tirelessly and with dedication to guarantee the success of the Hajj.'
The pilgrims themselves were also 'partners in this success by respecting regulations and instructions,' he remarked.
In Mina, the pilgrims in a hurry completed their final rituals before sunrise on Sunday by holding the farewell tawaf of the Kaaba and the symbolic stoning of the devil.
The remaining pilgrims, who were not in a hurry, will depart on Monday.
The Grand Mosque was at full capacity with 107,000 pilgrims per hour performing the tawaf. The General Authority for the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques and relevant parties were ready to accommodate them in line with an integrated operational plan.
They dedicated all means at their disposal to ensure the pilgrims performed the rituals smoothly and ensure the smooth flow of movement inside the mosque.
At the Safa and Marwa ritual, capacity was at 118,000 pilgrims per hour.
In the city of Madinah, pilgrims in a hurry arrived to visit the Masjid al-Nabawi where they prayed and later visited important Islamic sites in the city related to the Prophet Mohammed.
Hajj and Umrah Ministry figures obtained from 62,000 field visits to the Hajj accommodations, camps and other areas revealed a 97 percent rate in respecting regulations, while the proper action was taken against violators.
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