Sunday 13 November 2011

Hajj-e-Mabrouk to you all from Holy Sites of Mina Arafat and Muzdalifah

Hajj-e-Mabrouk to you all from the
Holy Sites of Mina, Arafat and Muzdalifah

Dr. Mozammel Haque

MINA: MAKKAH: I wish all of you who have performed Hajj this year a Hajj-e-Mabrouk and others a happy Eid Mubarak from the Holy Sites of Mina, Arafat, Muzdalifah and Masjid-al-Haram in the Balad al-Ameen. The Custodian of The Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah congratulated all Muslims in the world in an address to the pilgrims on Monday, the 7th of November 2011. “From the land of the sacred message and revelation, I congratulate you and Muslims everywhere on the occasion of the Eid-ul-Adha,” the King said in his speech.

King Abdullah congratulates all Muslims the world over
The King prayed for the Muslim Ummah’s security and stability. “When security and stability prevails, societies grow, the economy prospers and the Ummah moves forward. Muslim societies should use Hajj as an occasion to learn. Among the great aims of Haj are unity, solidarity and getting rid of dissent and hatred,” the King said.

The huge number of pilgrims coming from different corners of the world to fulfil their fifth obligatory rite convinces anyone of the importance of ideas such as diversity, tolerance and dialogue, the king said. “The true image of the unified Ummah emerges during the Haj. They all have assembled with only one objective and in response to the call of Allah and in sincere devotion to the Almighty. Wherever we go we hear nothing but the sound of Talbiya (the declaration of ‘We are here in response to the call of Allah, the One’),” the king said.

King Abdullah added that an important lesson to be learned from Hajj is that pilgrims are ready to suffer anything when they go out in response to the call of Tawhid (belief in the oneness of God). The king said he learned a lot from watching the pilgrims every year. “I look at them during their walking and wandering around. I gain a lot from looking at them and I draw a unique energy from those huge crowds. I admiringly watch the look of satisfaction and tranquility in their faces. They also enjoy the blessings of security and serenity prevailing in this country. They are calm and quiet, the older ones are sympathetic to the young, the rich helps the poor,” he said, adding that such a scene could be observed only in the holy land.

“This good land on which pilgrims and visitors converge, with Allah’s blessing, enjoys security and stability as a result of the prayer of our father Ibrahim (peace be upon him). His prayer was ‘My Lord, make this a city of peace and security, and protect me and my sons from worshipping idols’ (Holy Qur’an Surah: Ibrahim, Verse: 35).”

The king also said serving the pilgrims is a great honor for the Kingdom. “We only seek the reward and help from Allah Almighty for undertaking the responsibility of serving the pilgrims,” he said.

This year Hajj - an unprecedented success –
Crown Prince Naif of Saudi Arabia
Saudi Crown Prince Naif, Deputy Premier and Minister of Interior, said international situations have changed and there were expectations that some others would exploit the occasion of Hajj to carry out chaotic deeds, but thanks to Almighty Allah, it did not happen. The Crown Prince made this statement while declaring the Hajj an unprecedented success, while stressing that this year’s pilgrimage was a greater success than in the past years.

He was speaking at a reception accorded to the officers of the Hajj security forces at the Interior Ministry headquarters in Makkah. “The fact is that we should thank all pilgrims because they have proved that they are Muslims respecting their obligatory rituals and they were all cooperative,” the crown prince added.

Prince Naif said the authorities were only concerned in making the Hajj easier and hassle-free for all Muslims.” We do not look at the country of the pilgrim or to any political issues. We view him as a pilgrim and Muslim, and so we should offer him whatever that makes his Hajj comfortable, safe, healthy and peaceful,” the prince said.

The Crown Prince also said every citizen should strive to guard the security of the country because there are some who are driven by others to positions that do not suit them and are made to deal in matters that are unlawful and harmful.

Hajj Free of Contagious diseases
Speaking at a press conference at MINA Emergency Hospital, Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeh, the Health Minister of Saudi Arabia, on Tuesday declared this year’s Hajj totally free from infectious diseases or any cases that required quarantining. “The precautionary and preventive measures taken by the ministry led to pilgrims being safeguarded from all kinds of infections,” Al-Rabeeah said.

Another key step was the Ministry’s rigorous watch at all entry points into the Kingdom to detect if any incoming pilgrim was carrying symptoms of infections and to take immediate action if any suspicious case was found, the Minister said. “Preventive doses against meningitis were given to 365,777 pilgrims, oral polio vaccines to 532,400 pilgrims and yellow fever vaccines to 200,000 pilgrims at various entry points to the Kingdom,” the Minister said

The field health teams of the ministry handled 3,500 cases of sick pilgrims without sending them to hospital, the Minister said, while enumerating the accomplishments of his ministry during the Hajj. “The Ministry’s hospitals conducted 470 specialized heart catheterizations, 20 open heart surgeries to pilgrims in addition to a number of patients waiting to undergo the surgery in the next two days. The hospitals also conducted 886 kidney dialyses and 179 endoscopies,” the Minister said.

The Minister put the number of pilgrims who visited health centers in Makkah and Madinah at 421,760 and those who visited outpatient clinics in Makkah and the holy sites at 88,635. “These achievements attest to the Ministry of Health’s capability to offer high quality services to pilgrims,” the Minister said.

I am grateful to King Abdullah, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosque, who has invited me along with others to perform Hajj 2011.

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