Haj supplement

12

Saturday, October 20, 2012

Journey of a lifetime

SUPPLEMENT

Ministries team up to provide safest Haj yet MAKKAH: ARAB NEWS

Saudi Arabia’s ministries have been working around the clock to ensure a safe and successful Haj for the millions of pilgrims visiting Makkah and Madinah this season.

Special websites and toll-free telephone numbers have been established to give pilgrims access to the latest information available.

Transportation, including a new railway system, is in place and development projects have been expanded with safety in mind to make the pilgrimage the easiest Haj yet.

The Ministry of Haj, for example, has taken the extra step with the Technical and Vocational Training Council of Makkah to provide nearly 600 trainers and trainees to run “Emergency Car Repairing Service,” “Electrical and Equipment Maintenance in Mina” and “Free Haircut for Pilgrims in Mina” programs to serve the pilgrims and visitors of Makkah.

The car repair service for pilgrims and visitors of Makkah has already been launched with 150 to 200 personnel on the Makkah highway and in Makkah on the way to holy sites. So if any car has mechanical failure, our experts specialized in technical maintenance service will provide services on the road.

The programs promote the principle of serving the pilgrims as a religious and national duty. The “Electrical and Equipment Maintenance in Mina” has almost 360 trainers and trainees to serve the pilgrims.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health launched an Internet portal, www.moh.gov.sa, to help guide Haj pilgrims.

The portal gives all details about Haj services rendered by health providers under the able guidance of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah.

A visual presentation of the new portal was made before health officials in the presence of the minister at the MoH headquarters in Riyadh.

The portal gives health information related to pilgrims staying in the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah, the locations of hospitals, clinics, phone numbers for ambulances, MoH staff directory and health institutions located within the holy cities.

The portal includes quarantine requirements for pilgrims and about health awareness programs targeted at the pilgrims.

It gives a detailed account of the coronavirus, which is considered one of the common etiological agents of the common cold but can be fatal.

The portal said coronaviruses

are well known and most of the patients recover completely with no complications after receiving the needed supportive therapy.

About 95 percent of the patients recover quickly without any problems. Pilgrims are to contact their doctors if the symptoms continue for more than two days. Patients are advised to take Vitamin C as a remedial measure.

The symptoms of the virus include runny nose, general feeling of illness, mild sore throat, cough, headache, low fever and chills. It can also cause respiratory, intestinal and neurological illness.

The portal advised people to pay special attention to personal hygiene, and said hand cleansing and covering the mouth and nose while sneezing would help prevent the spread of the disease.

Every year, the ministry prepares a medical convoy to help hospitalized patients reach Arafat.

And they are moved from the hospitals of Makkah, Mina, Madinah, and Jeddah, accompanied by an integrated medical crew.

On average 350 to 500 men and women perform the Haj rituals annually in this manner.

At the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs, new development projects worth more than SR 1.1 billion have been implemented at the holy sites of Mina, Arafat and Muzdalifah as part of the government’s efforts to enhance facilities for the annual Haj pilgrimage.

Governate officials recently toured the Haj facilities and arrangements at the holy sites.

Prince Khaled urged government officials to put extra efforts to impress foreign pilgrims.

Makkah Gov. Prince Khaled stressed the importance of the Haj awareness campaign titled The Haj is scheduled to start on Oct. 24.

More than 1,056,000 foreign pilgrims have already arrived to take part in the annual event. As many as 1,003,149 pilgrims arrived by air, 42,479 by land and 11,034 by sea.

The governor began his tour from the third floor of the Jamrat Bridge in Mina, where he was greeted by Makkah Mayor Osama Al-Bar, Zain Al-Abidine and other top officials. He later watched maps and models of new development projects implemented in the area.

Prince Khaled also inspected a new IPR system in Shumaisi, which enables automatic reading of number plates of vehicles that pass by the Makkah-Jeddah Expressway.

The new automatic system would help traffic authorities to allow passage of authorized vehicles during the peak Haj days, avoiding long queues of vehicles

Pilgrims circle the Kaaba and pray at the Grand Mosque. The Arafat Day, when millions of pilgrims will stand in prayer on the Mount of Arafat near Makkah at the peak of the annual pilgrimage, will be held on Oct. 25 and Eid Al-Adha or the feast of sacrifice will be held on Oct. 26, according to an official announcement.

(Reuters)

and delays.

Cameras installed at the checkpoint would be able to read the number plates quickly and prevent entry of unauthorized vehicles to Makkah and other holy sites.

The Civil Defense, meanwhile, has been empowered to remove any structure or person that might

stand in its free movement in locations of Haj, an official of Civil Defense has said.

“Civil Defense teams should beef up monitoring safety conditions in licensed facilities to accommodate pilgrims. They are also authorized to remove instantly any structure or illegal presence

that will hinder the movement Civil Defense teams on emergency assignments,” Lt. Gen. Saad Al-Tuwaijeri, director general of Civil Defense, warned in a press conference yesterday.

It is the unlicensed pilgrims who block roads in the holy sites and other locations of Haj. Many

of them sleep on the roads and even erect makeshift tents on roads obstructing of traffic.

Al-Tuwaijeri said Civil Defense is employing the latest technology to monitor air pollution in tunnels used by pilgrims and will send SMS messages to keep the pilgrims informed about dangerous loca-

tions and situations.

“More than 450 field teams and units are kept in battle readiness with all the rescue gears and machines to undertake any type of accident. Some units started their preparations at the locations of Haj in the beginning of September,” he said.

A wide range of services are available to pilgrims. Volunteers, top, far right and bottom photos, left, help the elderly and sick with medical services and information. Mina, center photo, is a complex network of tents and routes.

13

Saturday, October 20, 2012

Journey of a lifetime

SUPPLEMENT

African foundation strives for better service JEDDAH: abdulrahman rasheed

Abdul Wahid, head of the Foundation of African Pilgrims from non-Arab countries, said that his organization is improving its performance to serve Haj pilgrims and foster a better cultural understanding between Saudi Arabia and Africa’s Muslims.

“The Foundation of African Pilgrims from non-Arab countries was certified in 1983,” Wahid told the Arab News recently.

“Since then, we have been keen on improving its performance by opening channels to create a closer relationship with all Haj missions and organizations that service pilgrims.” He said the organizations works to upgrade the cultural and professional aspects of the work it does in field offices. Programs of education and awareness, training courses and workshops are some of the initiatives the group performs took to improve the quality, mechanisms and service performance of individuals.

“We also aim to provide an opportunity for the younger generations that would like to contribute to the service of pilgrims,” Wahid said. “We want them to take on this profession because it is an outstanding field to work in. The development of the institution now is well in place. We are taking advantage of past

experiences to reinforce the positives and address the negatives to get rid of any errors. We are cooperating fully with the relevant authorities, particularly the Ministry of Haj and other government agencies.”

The group’s procedures for the election of a Haj board of trustees started in 1885,

and has remained unchanged, although for a certain period of time they were frozen for particular reasons.

Wahid said the group plans to organize and select a board servicing the pilgrims.

More than once the minister of Haj has announced that a draft proposal to restructure these institutions would be

Abdul Wahid, center, head of the Foundation of African Pilgrims, with pilgrims from African countries. soon submitted to the Council of Ministers for approval. The new regulations would provide a major shift in the mechanisms of organizing responsibilities and duties of these institutions. The organization is anticipating the adoption of these regulations and plan take advantage of them soon.”

“Women have a post with us in the pilgrim service sector as they follow up some of the services at the holy sites,” he said. “They work to preserve the dignity of female pilgrims and work in accordance with Islamic teachings and traditions in ways that are suitable to their energy and ability.”

Wahid added that, “There is no doubt that great development in Makkah, Madinah and the holy sites has occurred.

We have seen giant steps in that direction. These significant and tangible achievements have also reflected on theservices we provide to pilgrims. But there are always big ambitions in addressing and facilitating more projects. As we know, there are still projects that can increase the capacity of Mina and increase service facilities in the holy sites, Makkah and Madinah.”

The nature of the regulations on the pilgrim service sector is such that each institution is responsible for pilgrims from a specific geographical area. The Africa Foundation is responsible for pilgrims from the non-Arab African countries. They are now 47 countries, including the State of South Sudan. There are other institutions for Iran, Arab states, South Asia, Southeast Asia, Turkey, Europe, America, and Australia, he said.

There is also a regular and ongoing

cooperation between officials at the Ministry of Haj and other Haj mission officials to assure integration of various services. The organization has seen an increase in the number of pilgrims this year, but within the framework of the quota. The increase came from countries that had an unutilized balance from last year and were asked to take advantage of the full balance this year. However, there was no increase in the quotas, he added.

“There are regulations supported by the Ministry of Haj to organize a mechanism that eases pilgrims’ movements from one site to another,” he said. “This mechanism could also organize the programs and services offered to them in Makkah, Madinah and the holy sites.

There is a coordinating body for pilgrimservicing institutions that oversees coordination between institutions in Makkah, Madinah, Jeddah, and the Ministry of Haj, Public Security, the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs and Civil Defense. Thus, there are meetings and constant coordination with all the relevant authorities.”

The organization provides instructions to vaccinate pilgrims before arrival.

Vaccination is sometimes given in Jeddah if pilgrims come without a vaccination certificate. This helps with the overall safety of the pilgrims, he said.

Welcomes

the Guests of Allah Wishing You All a Blessed Hajj and Forgiveness Makkah Al Mukaramah (behind Al Hijaz Mall) P.O. Box 8423, Makkah 21955, K.S.A. Tel.: (02) 543 5160 • Fax.: (02) 544 4912 E-mail: info@africa-sa.com • www.africa-sa.com

14

Saturday, October 20, 2012

Journey of a lifetime

SUPPLEMENT

Health Ministry leads in Haj safety

JEDDAH: Nadim Al-Hamid

Minister of Health Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah said his ministry has implemented an integrated plan that takes a scientific approach to serve Haj pilgrims this season.

Al-Rabeeah said that services to pilgrims feature 25 hospitals and 141 health care centers distributed at all Haj areas.

Centers include four in Arafat, four in Mina, seven in Makkah and nine in Madinah. These centers will complement the medical facilities at King Abdullah Medical City.

Overall, Makkah area hospitals and health care centers will provide about 5,250 beds including 4,200 hospitalization beds, 500 intensive care beds and 550 emergency room beds.

The ministry will ensure the medical equipment and personnel required to deal with most cases will be employed to avoid referring patients to other hospitals.

The ministry issued an order that pilgrims arriving from abroad must have a certificate showing they had been inoculated at least 10 days before arrival and no

more than three years ago.

Health conditions of pilgrims have been good. Al-Rabeeah, in an exclusive interview with Arab News, said the ministry assigned 20,000 medical, technical and administrative staff who are participants of the Visiting Manpower program to execute the ministry’s operational plan for this year’s Haj. The plan entails providing 16,000 blood units and products of all blood groups. Major hospitals at different regions were designated to act as backup to provide quantities of blood and its products in cases of emergency. Eighty large ambulances were provided to transport patients between health facilities as well as 95 small ones were designated for other transportations. Each car has a doctor and a nurse. In addition, the ministry has prepared preventive and emergency programs as well as awareness media campaigns. It is in the process of expanding its specialist curative services program that includes the heart catheterization program and heart surgeries at King Abdullah Medical City in Makkah and at hospitals in Haj areas.

It has also mobilized about 20,000 doc-

The Ministry of Health has taken extensive measures to protect the health of the elderly.

(AN photo

by Ahmed Hashad) tors, administrators and paramedical staff from different parts of the Kingdom for Haj duty. In addition, the ministry has recruited 320 medical experts in rare specializations including 13 cardiologists, 14 consultants and 22 specialists and 205 ICU experts to support health facilities in the holy sites. About 360 scouts and 50 medical students will also support the health staff on Haj duty. The ministry also has published health guidelines in 10 major languages focusing on how to protect from diseases that occur during the Haj season.

Copies of these guidelines are distributed among prospective pilgrims through the Saudi missions abroad.

“We also conduct a health awareness campaign during the Haj season titled ‘Health is vital for Haj,’ ” Al-Rabeeah said.

“We use social media networks such as Twitter, Facebook and YouTube to enhance health awareness. We have also produced health awareness programs and telecast them through radio and television channels.”

The ministry has a toll-free number 8002494444 for inquiries.

Abdul Aziz Seraj Haj company launches Muwasa to help sick pilgrims JEDDAH: abdulrahman rasheed

Field Service Office No. 2 headed by Abdul Aziz Seraj Muhammad Hussain is continuing to look for the humanitarian aspects that concern pilgrims. The office came up with new project idea called “Muwasa.”

The office head out of his keenness to achieve social solidarity approved the project.

In conjunction with office members and leaders a committee was formed to carry out the Muwasa project.

“It is an example of brotherhood and compassion among the office members and all patients in Haj season,” Hussain said. “The project is pro- Abdul Aziz Siraj speaks with Pakistani Haj officials. (AN photo) viding services to patients through selected objectives.”

The project opened branches in many hospitals in Makkah and the office allocated two cars carrying the project logo to serve sick pilgrims.

The project also issued brochures teaching haj rituals and Islamic awareness.

A work team of 20 women is also ready to help ladies and another male team to help men.

The office is also providing cellphones to whoever needs to contact his family outside the kingdom.

Abdul Aziz Siraj greeting pilgrims during Haj. (AN photo)

Naffee

Muttawiff: Hussein Abdullatif Mahmoud

Welcome Guests of Allah Wishing You All a Blessed Hajj and Forgiveness Makkah - Al Khalidia (1) Al-Saik Hasan Al Mashat Street Telephone: (02) 541 1807 • Fax: (02) 541 1824 Mobile: 0557557577 • 0567557577 www.h-a-m-group.com E-mail: ham-25@hotmail.com

To the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques...

Pilgrims are thankful to you, and pray to Allah to support you, in recognition to the largest expansion in the history of the Two Holy Mosques May Allah protect you

Muttawiff Abdul Aziz S. M. Hussein Head, Service Office 2

Muttawiff: Abdulaziz Siraj Mohammad Hussain Holy Makkah - Al Azizyah South - P. O. Box: 30346, Makkah • Telephone: (02) 557 7772, 557 7734 • Fax: (02) 557 7735 • Mobile: 0500001460 www.mhsaevip2-4.com • E-mail: info@mhsaevip2-4.com

15

Saturday, October 20, 2012

Journey of a lifetime

SUPPLEMENT

The Prophet’s Mosque: A glittering jewel in the world of spirituality JEDDAH: ARAB NEWS

The Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah has an important place in the minds of Muslims all over the world.

It attracts millions of Muslim faithful every year, including pilgrims who come for Haj and Umrah. It is the second holiest mosque in Islam and can currently accommodate nearly 1 million worshippers.

The Saudi government gives top priority for the development of the two holy mosques in Makkah and Madinah as part of its service to Islam and Muslims. Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah recently launched the largest expansion of the Prophet’s Mosque that would double its capacity.

“The project will go down in history as the largest, most significant and distinguished, owing to the new features being incorporated and the future requirements being taken into consideration in a remarkable manner,” said Hussein Shobokshi, a Saudi writer.

According to Shobokshi, the project bears testimony to Saudi Arabia’s exceptional care for the two holy mosques, with the continual expansions and renovations to meet the needs of the growing number of pilgrims, visitors and worshipers. Recent expansions of the two holy mosques have incorporated new equipment that reflects a qualitative transition in technology.

The new expansion of the Prophet’s Mosque was a befitting answer from King Abdullah to those who abuse Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon

him) by publishing repulsive films, cartoons and articles.

“King Abdullah has launched this project to reflect the stature of the Prophet in the hearts and minds of all Muslims, and to show how they hold him in high esteem,” said one Saudi analyst.

The new project will increase the mosque’s capacity to more than two million worshippers. The king has ordered to complete the project within

two years. A number of hotels and buildings in the area would be demolished to create enough space for the huge expansion project. According to press reports, the total amounts to be paid to property owners in compensation would reach more than SR 25 billion.

In order to carry out the expansion, the Madinah Development Authority will have to remove 23 hotels from the central area around the mosque, one report said, adding that the removal of

Haji & Mu’tamer’s Gift Charity ready to serve pilgrims

Mansour Al-Amer greets pilgrims.

(AN photo) JEDDAH: Ibrahim Naffee

Haji & Mu’tamer’s Gift Charity is providing pilgrims with small handbags that contain tools that help during movement between holy sites.

Mansour Al-Amer, director of the charity, said that the society will make every possible effort to comfort pilgrims.

He said the group will provide each pilgrim with a personal handbag and for another one for women.

He said that the society is an official outlet for the Islamic development bank Adhahi and Hadi coupons in order to spare the efforts for pilgrims getting their Udhiyah by themselves.

He said that IDB’s Adhahi and Hadi coupons are protecting pilgrims from deceitful livestock merchants.

“The society is taking care of Kafarah and Fedyah on the pilgrim’s behalf,” Al-Amer said. “And in case emergency happens to him, the society will also take care of his flight tickets and food until he or she goes home.”

He added that the society provides wheelchairs to those

lost their own ones. Blind pilgrims are getting sticks if they lose theirs too.

New Ihram and shoes are provided also when lost or ruined. Special handless umbrellas are provided too.

Al-Amer said that the society has also innovated special toilets in Muzdalefa.

“We got a fatwa from senior Ulema commission to use it,” he said. “We also innovated special clothes, respirators and pressurized food cans.”

The society, according to him, is providing children with wrist strap with carriers’ information written on them and also takes care of the lost children.

“We invented umbrellas with fans inside them,” he said.

Pilgrims are having hot and cold meals upon their arrival to Arafat in addition to one million ice creams, he said.

We adopted awareness programs for employees to lift up the quality of services provided. We want the media to deliver the society message and objectives to the beneficiaries.

those hotels would create a shortage of 4,760 rooms to accommodate those who visit the mosque. The MDA has played down the effect of losing such a large number of hotel rooms in the mosque’s vicinity, saying 21 new hotels would be completed this year to make up for the shortfall.

The mosque building will sprawl over an area of 614,800 square meters while the combined space of the mosque and plazas will be 1.020 million square

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah is briefed on the new Prophet’s Mosque’s expansion project.

(SPA) meters, which can accommodate one million worshippers inside and 800,000 in the plaza, Finance Minister Ibrahim Al-Assaf said.

Once the project completed, the mosque will have two big minarets in addition to smaller ones on the four sides. The Central Zone surrounding the mosque will triple in size compared to present area with greater room for residential and shopping facilities, utility and security buildings and will be surrounded a new ring road.

During the reign of Al-Saud royal family, the Prophet’s Mosque has witnessed unprecedented development.

King Abdul Aziz, the founder of Saudi Arabia, launched the first expansion adding 6,024 square meters. It was followed by another expansion ordered by King Faisal covering 40,440 square meters. During the time of King Fahd, the mosque’s space reached 384,000 square meters.

The present Prophet’s Mosque is one of the world’s architectural wonders.

The exquisite decorations and architectural touches are in complete harmony with earlier building work on the site, and they feature wonderfully crafted golden grilles, cornices, pillars, brass doors and marble works, as well as special ornately carved pigeon holes for the Holy Qur’an.

A unique feature of King Fahd’s expansion was the development of the 27 main plazas. Each plaza is capped by a state-of-the-art sliding dome, which can be rapidly opened or closed according to the weather and can be used in unison or separately as required.

Elaborately carved stone friezes decorate the domes, and the plazas have been paved in decorative geometrically patterned marble tiles.

Prophet Muhammad built the mosque in the first year of Hijrah (622 AD) and undertook its first expansion in 7th Hijri year (629 AD) after his return from a campaign in Khaibar. The second Caliph Omar bin Al-Khattab, third Caliph Othman bin Affan and Umayyad King Waleed bin Abdul Malik also expanded the mosque.

Saturday, October 20, 2012

Journey of a lifetime

16

SUPPLEMENT

Turkish Pilgrim Establishment (Tawafa) improves system to service pilgrims’ needs Jeddah: ABDULRAHMAN RASHEED

The Turkish Pilgrim Establishment operates a missions department and the tourism department. The department deals with pilgrim missions and has 27 groups. The tourism section deals with tourism trips and has 21 groups.

The 27 groups in the department serve Turkey, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and others. The 21 groups in the tourism section serve those coming from 75 countries on four continents, including Europe and Australia.

Each of the 21 groups serve around 5,000 pilgrims, making the total expected number of pilgrims this year around 105,000 people.

In a wide-ranging interview with Arab News, Turkish Pilgrim Establishment officials discuss the organization’s wide range of services.

Is there any increase this year in the number of pilgrims?

No, there is no increase. The number this year is roughly the same as last year, and perhaps a little less.

What is the role of each group?

The organization first distributes pilgrims among the groups, about 5,000 per group and each group has almost the same number of individuals. Last year, we began a decentralized system, after thirty years of following a centralized system and process. This decentralized system allows each group to make

ized system, which was very useful in helping each member get to know their fellow members. Next year, the establishment will invest in constructing a new building with better facilities and equipment. All these developments were part of the electoral campaign of this board.

decisions for itself and be more creative. The new system also helps avoid errors we faced with the centralized system. As for groups, each consists of six members in addition to a president and vice president (eight members). The organization informs each group in advance about the housing of its pilgrims prior to their arrival. This group also arranges receipt of the accommodation and sends the accommodation representative of the group to supervise housing and make sure that everything is ready and available to receive the pilgrims. The representative also establishes visiting records for the pilgrim’s accommodation, as well as performs sev-

eral visits to the housing sites before their arrival to make sure that everything is well prepared. He then receives the pilgrims and makes sure that they are comfortable and satisfied, and proceeds to distribute a complementary meal to each pilgrim on arrival and give each group their accommodation assignments.

During the entire Haj period, he is responsible for closely supervising everything related to the pilgrims’ accommodations, and does so through the end of Haj until they return to their countries. The passport representative of the group also takes their passports and distributes ID cards to each individual.

There is also a holy site repre-

sentative, who is responsible for preparing the group visits and accommodation in the holy sites.

He divides the pilgrims into two groups; one goes directly to Arafat and the other goes to Mina first (Tarwiya pilgrims).

After Haj, the pilgrims go through a grouping and transport phase, where all pilgrims are grouped and prepared for departure to their countries. All travel information is prepared for them.

Some pilgrims will first stop in Madinah, while others will leave from Jeddah. The pilgrims that go to Madinah must have an authorized contract before leaving Makkah to Madinah.

Services are provided for pilgrims throughout the city. (AN photo) How do you currently evaluate the conditions of your institution, after having been involved in the servicing of pilgrims for many years?

The present board of the organization is a new one and its members are all young of age. They have been in place for three years. This board is the board that applied the new decentralized system. Also, this year there were significant upgrades in the IT facilities of the establishment. There is also a centralized automated program in place, which contains all pertinent information concerning the pilgrims. Also this year, the members of each group were selected through a computer-

Are there any developments in the election process of such boards?

Yes, recently the age of individuals wishing to nominate themselves for election to the board was raised to 65. Also, members having a minimum of primary education (Kafaah) can nominate themselves to run for the board. These are new regulations that were set by the Ministry of Haj. There is a call for the formation of advisory boards for institutions which service pilgrims, after having combined and considered various ideas and suggestions. How do you view the call to form these councils?

Such a call is beneficial. The establishment’s board formed an advisory committee made up of members of the establishment, such as professors, physicians and public figures like Mohammed Al Monis, Yasser Balkhi, and Yassin Alem. These three individuals work as consultants for our establishment and oversee the legal process to make sure it is as sound as per the Ministry of Haj’s instructions.

South Asian Tawafa Establishment to take care of 600,000 pilgrims

Muttawiff: Dr. Atif Hasan Hafez

Welcome Guests of Allah Dr. Atif Hassan Hafiz gives meals to pilgrims upon their arrival in the Kingdom. (AN photo) Jeddah: Ibrahim Naffee

South Asian Tawafa Establishment is preparing to provide services to pilgrims from south Asia specially from India and Bangladesh.

More than 600,000 pilgrims are coming from this part of the world to Makkah.

The establishment is facilitating their mobility between holy sites and supply them with drinks and food.

“We are able to provide pilgrims with maximum level of comfort through an integrated group of programs set to serve guests of God,” said Dr. Atif Hassan Hafiz, head of service office no. 61.

He praised the efforts done by the government of the custodian of the two holy mosques to ease Haj. “We work this year on making available enough number of interpreters to keep up with the increasing number of pilgrims and clear out things for them specially those coming to Makkah for the first time,” he said.

He added that they are also working on printing booklets in their languages and distribute them in their accommodation areas.

He said that the establishment’s most important strategy is to find a common belief among the employees on the main objective.

“It is the base to launch and execute

the services for pilgrims. We are coordinating between the planning and executive departments in the light of the general objectives and strategies,” he said.

He said that the establishment is currently updating its strategies and then the executive programs in a way that roots the positive works in previous seasons.

Wishing You All a Blessed Hajj and Forgiveness Office Address: Makkah, Al Rusaifah Al Khalideya (1) behind Fire Station Telephone: (02) 534 2728 Fax: (02) 537 4757 Mobile: 0503543494 • 0505502882 www.hafez4haj4umrah.com E-mail: info@hafez4haj4umrah.com

Did the Ministry of Haj form an advisory committee for your establishment?

No, not yet, but perhaps in the future. The Ministry might make some regulations about how to form advisory committees.

Is there a section for female Muttawifin?

Yes, we do. They help pilgrims at the holy sites to make sure that all female pilgrims are comfortable and sound. Most of these women are volunteers. Last year the Turkish pilgrim missions, who represent fifty percent of our pilgrims, brought female consultants which were very helpful.

How do you view the role of the governmental sector in upgrading the infrastructure at the holy sites?

Every year there is something new.

We hope that all of the expansions at the holy sites will finish soon helping increase the quota for each pilgrim establishment.

Do you face any problems with the movement of pilgrims between the holy sites?

No, we follow an “alternating plan,” a system set by the Ministry of Haj and Ministry of Interior. It is a successful plan, which helped a lot in facilitated the movement of pilgrims between sites because it takes into consideration the capacity of each highway and road between these sites.

17

Saturday, October 20, 2012

Journey of a lifetime

SUPPLEMENT

Southeast Asian pilgrim organization increases number of services Makkah Gov. Prince Khaled Al-Faisal with Siraj Ma’touq Gassas.

(AN photo)

Jeddah: ABDULRAHMAN RASHEED

Kingdom taking good care of the ‘guests of God’ jeddah: Ibrahim Nafee

Kingdom’s efforts to facilitate Haj were appreciated by Siraj Ma’touq Gassas, head of field service office No. 4 in South

Asian Tawafa Establishment.

He said that the Kingdom’s leadership is offering an overall care to God’s guests once they put the first step on this land until they safely return home.

Siraj Ma’touq Gassas, head of field service office No. 4 in South Asian Tawafa Establishment, works to offer high-level service to pilgrims. (AN photo)

“Our office is completely on standby and has assigned all its efforts to receive and take care of the Haj delegations in accordance with this country’s leader vision,” said Siraj.

He stressed on his office commitment to apply the operational plan approved

by Ministry of Haj. “We are working with dedication and seriousness and we are keen to conform with the directives of the chairman of South Asian Tawafa Establishment. The board of directors of South Asian Tawafa Establishment are always stressing on delivering the best services to God’s guests,” he said.

He added that a supervising committee inspected the latest preparations in the office and checked its readiness, technicality and in addition to the qualifications of the human cadres hired.

He assured that his office achieved an excellent grade by the Ministry of Haj annual evaluation of companies.

Muttawiff: Seraj Matooq Gassas

Welcome

Guests of Allah Our Goal is Your Satisfaction Office Address: Holy Makkah - Al Azizyzh - King Khalid Street (in front of Retaj Restaurant) Tel.: (02) 566 8768 • Fax: (02) 561 1772 Mobile: 0555662079 • 0561100646 E-mail: maktb4@hotmail.com

The Tawafa establishment for Southeast Asian pilgrims was established in 1979 and has since, through an increasing number of services, helped many pilgrims on their journeys to Makkah and Madinah.

Based on a national survey, about 550,000 Southeast Asian pilgrims will come to the Kingdom. Theirs is the biggest among the pilgrim service organizations in Saudi Arabia.

Officials of the pilgrim offices receive pilgrims at the airport in Jeddah or other entry points to help complete all the necessary procedures required for entry, such as passport control and health procedures.

A leader of one of the field offices accompanies the pilgrims on their way to Makkah, where they are led to their housing facilities.

This can be either in a hotel, furnished apartment, or tent. The housing was previously prepared, and each building or hotel has a special file that contains all documents the Ministry of Haj and the Defense Department require.

Officials visit each housing site to make sure it meets the standards and conditions set by the Ministry of Health and the Defense Department, with regard to safety, health and comfort. Housing officials make sure each day that everything related to the housing is going smoothly.

The organization has a team of women muttawifin, as many wanted to be involved.

They guide women, visit some in the hospitals, and offer religious lessons. They also organize competitions and games for children, and create activities.

These women wanted to get involved not for financial, but for religious rewards. Every office has put in place a women’s team with

Talal Mahboob joins Southeast Asian pilgrims on the journey to Makkah. (AN photo)

the same goals and objectives. Some women work from the field office location and other use their own personal property or space to help.

In the year of its establishment, in 1979, the organization was granted the international ISO certification, indicating the quality of they way it conducts its services.

Over the years, more and more field offices joined in and got the certification as well. By now, ISO was made mandatory for all offices so all quality standards and procedures are aligned.

In 2006, the organization formed a yearly “successful experiences forum” to exchange ideas that might enhance the performance.

This helps develop services even beyond the scope of requirements of the Ministry of Haj. Some offices came up with a GPS system or the use of fingerprints when gathering the pilgrims in Mina. The forum surveys all successful procedures and services to try to gain understanding of what works and how they can be improved and applied on a wider scale.

Muttawiff: Talal A. Mahboob

Welcome Guests of Allah Wishing You All a Blessed Hajj and Forgiveness Office Address: Al Nuzha St. in front of Al Anwar Commercial Center, Makkah Telephone: 560 2277 • 5602288 Fax: 560 2299 www.mahboob-hajofc.com E-mail: info@mahboob-hajofc.com

Talal Mahboob, muttafwifin (pilgrim guide) at the organization, said, “I developed a finance program for the office, which was distributed it among the other offices of the organization to help achieve a higher level of success. Also, I am an electric engineer, so I recently developed an electric water heater. It has a capacity of 1,000 liters.

Currently, the largest heater on the market contains a maximum of 60 liters. With my heater, we can make 6,600 cups of hot tea in one hour.”

Field offices had complained about the process of making tea and coffee, especially in Mina and Arafat. They used unsatisfactory processes and unhygienic equipment, which was problematic.

“In the past year we have produced 30 heaters and these have been wildly successful,” said Mahboob.

“The heater is fully automatic, requires no manual labor, and has benefited Haj pilgrims from all nationalities, especially those from India who require tea more than once a day,” he added.