Latest news with #Tawfiqal-Rabiah
Express Tribune
3 days ago
- Climate
- Express Tribune
With AI and more shade, KSA set for a searing Hajj
With artificial intelligence, more shade and misting machines, Saudi authorities are preparing to welcome more than a million Hajj pilgrims amid punishing summer heat. Saudi Arabia's Hajj minister Tawfiq al-Rabiah told AFP on Thursday that efforts to mitigate the searing desert heat remained a top focus among authorities and organisers ahead of this year's pilgrimage. "One of the big challenges that we always face is the increasing temperature across the different years and this is an issue that we give top priority," he told AFP during an exclusive interview in Riyadh. The issue is all the more pressing as officials work to prevent a repeat of last year's Hajj, which saw more than 1,300 pilgrims die as temperatures reached 51.8 degrees Celsius (125.24 degrees Fahrenheit). This year, Rabiah said authorities have mobilised more than 40 government agencies and 250,000 officials and doubled their efforts to mitigate heat-related risks. Shaded areas have been expanded by 50,000 square metres (12 acres), thousands more medics will be on hand, and more than 400 cooling units will be deployed for the duration of the hajj, he added. Such efforts build on the work of previous years that have seen renovations to areas around the Grand Mosque and asphalt areas covered with a special layer to help reduce surface temperatures. "These new changes will definitely ensure the safety and the better experience of pilgrims when they perform their Hajj," said Rabiah. He said this week that more than a million people from across the globe had already arrived in Saudi Arabia for the Hajj, with more still pouring in. The latest artificial intelligence software will help monitor the deluge of information and footage, including video from a new fleet of drones, from across Makkah. "We use advanced AI technologies to do this monitoring and get fast feedback," the minister said. Crowd management has proved perilous in the past, notably in 2015 when a stampede caused about 2,300 deaths. Along with expanding infrastructure and deploying more personnel, Saudi officials have been cracking down to prevent pilgrims without the right paperwork from entering Makkah. Hajj permits are allocated to countries on a quota system and distributed to individuals by lottery. AFP
NDTV
3 days ago
- Climate
- NDTV
Saudi Arabia Set For Searing Hajj With More Shade, Misting Machines And AI
With artificial intelligence, more shade and misting machines, Saudi authorities are preparing to welcome more than a million hajj pilgrims amid punishing summer heat that has a deadly history in the holy city of Mecca. Saudi Arabia's hajj minister Tawfiq al-Rabiah told AFP on Thursday that efforts to mitigate the searing desert heat remained a top focus among authorities and organisers ahead of this year's pilgrimage. "One of the big challenges that we always face is the increasing temperature across the different years and this is an issue that we give top priority," he told AFP during an exclusive interview in Riyadh. The issue is all the more pressing as officials work to prevent a repeat of last year's hajj, which saw more than 1,300 pilgrims die as temperatures reached 51.8 degrees Celsius (125.24 degrees Fahrenheit). This year, Rabiah said authorities have mobilised more than 40 government agencies and 250,000 officials and doubled their efforts to mitigate heat-related risks. Shaded areas have been expanded by 50,000 square metres (12 acres), thousands more medics will be on hand, and more than 400 cooling units will be deployed for the duration of the hajj, he added. Such efforts build on the work of previous years that have seen renovations to areas around the Grand Mosque and asphalt areas covered with a special layer to help reduce surface temperatures. "These new changes will definitely ensure the safety and the better experience of pilgrims when they perform their hajj," said Rabiah. He said this week that more than a million people from across the globe had already arrived in Saudi Arabia for the hajj, with more still pouring in. In 2024, 1.8 million pilgrims gathered in Mecca during the pilgrimage. Permit crackdown The latest artificial intelligence software will help monitor the deluge of information and footage, including video from a new fleet of drones, from across Mecca. "We use advanced AI technologies to do this monitoring and get fast feedback," the minister said. Crowd management has proved perilous in the past, notably in 2015 when a stampede caused about 2,300 deaths. Along with expanding infrastructure and deploying more personnel, Saudi officials have been cracking down to prevent pilgrims without the right paperwork from entering Mecca. Officials say more than 80 percent of the deaths during last year's hajj were among pilgrims who lacked official permits, which prevented them from accessing services including air-conditioned tents. Hajj permits are allocated to countries on a quota system and distributed to individuals by lottery. But even for those who can obtain them, the steep costs spur many to attempt the hajj without a permit -- though they risk arrest and deportation if caught. To head off a flood of illicit pilgrims entering Mecca, authorities have launched raids, mounted a widespread media campaign and increased fines for those found violating the rules, which includes a potential 10-year ban from the kingdom. "Therefore, having a permit is very crucial, very important for the safety of all," said Rabiah. "We count on all Muslims to come only with permits and also we count on all countries to support us to ensure that only those with permits come to hajj." This year's pilgrimage will begin on June 4 and take place over at least four days, mostly outdoors. The hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam and must be undertaken at least once by all Muslims who are able to do so. For the past several years the mainly outdoor rituals have fallen during the sweltering Saudi summer. "The hajj pilgrimage is a sacred journey that the leadership of the kingdom and the whole people of the kingdom take it seriously," the minister told AFP. "They see it as a duty to work hard to ensure the spiritual fulfilment and safety of pilgrims."
The Citizen
4 days ago
- The Citizen
More than a million pilgrims prepare for start of Hajj on 4 June
South African pilgrims are in high spirits. Muslims are encouraged to perform the Hajj at least once in their lifetime if they can afford it. Photo: iStock With just a week left before the annual Hajj in Makkah in Saudi Arabia, 2 500 South African pilgrims will be among more than one million people from across the globe who will be performing the rituals. At a news conference on Monday, Saudi Hajj Minister Tawfiq al-Rabiah said more than one million pilgrims from around the world had already arrived in the country. Millions on Hajj According to Saudi Arabia's General Directorate of Passports, a total of 1 102 469 pilgrims passed through the kingdom's air, land, and sea entry ports on Monday. The directorate reported that 1 044 341 pilgrims arrived through airports, 53 850 via land border crossings, and 4 278 through seaports. South African Hajj and Umrah Council president Moaaz Casoo said South African pilgrims are in high spirits. 'Final preparations are underway for the South African Camo in Mina for Hajj 1446AH/2025. We make dua (pray) that everything will be in order In Shaa Allah (God Willing) when the pilgrims arrive on the 8th of Dhul Hijjah (4 June). ALSO READ: LISTEN: Naledi Pandor's son talks about his first Hajj Preparations Saudi Arabia said it has completed elaborate preparations for a hassle-free pilgrimage featuring a seamless pilgrim experience and digital integration. Saudi authorities stated that their efforts reflect the kingdom's leadership's directives and align with Saudi Vision 2030's goals to facilitate Hajj rituals, thereby enhancing the quality of services to enable pilgrims to perform their rituals with ease and comfort. Saudi Arabia announced that the annual Hajj pilgrimage will begin on 4 June after observatories confirmed the sighting of the crescent moon. The announcement was made on Tuesday by the kingdom's Supreme Court in a statement carried by the official Saudi Press Agency. Hajj is one of the largest religious gatherings on earth and is one of the five pillars of Islam. The pilgrimage occurs annually between the 8th and 13th days of Dhul-Hijjah (4–9 June 2025), the 12th and final month of the Islamic lunar calendar. The Hajj must be undertaken by all Muslims who have the means at least once in their lifetime. ALSO READ: Deaths of SA pilgrims during Hajj in Saudi Arabia not related to heatwave
NDTV
5 days ago
- General
- NDTV
Hajj Pilgrimage To Begin On June 4
Riyadh: Saudi Arabia announced on Tuesday that the annual Muslim hajj pilgrimage to Mecca would begin on June 4 after astronomical observatories spotted the crescent moon, marking the start of the lunar month. The date was announced by the supreme court in a statement carried by the official Saudi press agency. At a press conference on Monday, Tawfiq al-Rabiah, Saudi Arabia's hajj minister, said that just over a million pilgrims from across the world had already arrived in the country. Last year, 1.8 million Muslims took part in the hajj, according to official figures. The hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam and must be undertaken at least once by all Muslims who are able to. The date of the pilgrimage is governed by the Islamic lunar calendar, meaning that it shifts each year. In recent years it has taken place during Saudi Arabia's scorching summer months. In 2024, temperatures peaked at 51.8 Celsius and more than 1,300 people died in the June sun, according to the authorities. Worshippers take part in four days of ceremonies, with the high point coming on the second day with mass outdoor prayers on Mount Arafat, the hill where the Prophet Mohammed is believed to have given his last sermon. This year, the event will fall on June 5, while Eid al-Adha will fall the following day, the Saudi press agency said.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia to begin on June 4
Saudi Arabia has announced that the annual Hajj pilgrimage will begin on June 4 after observatories confirmed the sighting of the crescent moon. The announcement was made on Tuesday by the kingdom's Supreme Court in a statement carried by the official Saudi Press Agency. At a news conference on Monday, Saudi Hajj Minister Tawfiq al-Rabiah said more than one million pilgrims from around the world had already arrived in the country. The Hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam and must be undertaken at least once by all Muslims who are able to. The pilgrimage occurs annually between the eighth and 13th days of Dhul-Hijjah, the 12th and final month on the Islamic lunar calendar. Worshippers take part in four days of ceremonies with the high point coming on the second day with mass outdoor prayers on Mount Arafat, the hill where the Prophet Muhammad delivered his last sermon. Around the world, many Muslims choose to fast on this day. Many pilgrims also visit the city of Medina, home to the Prophet Muhammad's tomb and the second holiest site in Islam. While not an official part of the Hajj, visiting Medina remains a significant spiritual experience for many Muslims. This year, the day of Arafat will fall on June 5, followed by Eid al-Adha on June 6, according to Saudi authorities. Last year, 1.8 million people took part in the pilgrimage, according to official figures. During the 2024 Hajj, temperatures soared to 51.8 degrees Celsius (125 degrees Fahrenheit), and more than 1,300 pilgrims died, raising concerns about the growing risks of extreme heat during the Saudi summer.
