Middle East

Mina, Aug 23: The holy sites will undergo a fundamental facelift in the near future, Saudi Arabia's Hajj minister said in an exclusive interview with Arab News. “There is a comprehensive, integrated plan to develop the Mina, Muzdalifah and Arafat altogether,” Mohammed bin Saleh Banten said. “We now know that there is a royal commission, chaired by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, for Makkah and

For the first time in the UAE, people - including non-Muslims - who have never visited Makkah, can experience the holy city like never before as the Islamic Information Centre in Dubai is set to screen the movie One Day in the Haram. Packed with insider knowledge and information, this unique documentary sheds light on the most sacred place on Earth, offering us an exclusive look at the inner

Makkah, Aug 22: More than two million Muslims took part in the symbolic stoning of the devil on Tuesday, the last major ritual of the Hajj pilgrimage that heralded the start of Eid Al-Adha. Clad in white robes signifying a state of purity, men and women from 165 countries converged on Jamrat to perform the ritual from a three-story bridge. Large fans sprayed water over the crowd as temperatures

Dubai, Aug 21: Their Highnesses Supreme Council Members and Rulers of the Emirates on Tuesday morning performed Eid Al Adha prayers. محمد بن راشد ومحمد بن زايد يستقبلان حكام الإمارات وأولياء العهود ونواب الحكام في قصر المشرف في أبوظبي ويتبادلان معهم التهاني بعيد الأضحى . pic.twitter.com/rdNXVTe6Xj — محمد بن زايد (@MohamedBinZayed) August 21, 2018 Dubai His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al

Dubai, Aug 21: Muslims celebrated the first day of Eid Al-Adha on Tuesday, which marks the closing parts of the Hajj pilgrimage. The massive crowds had spent the previous night camped out in Muzdalifah, having performed the most important of the Hajj rituals, visiting mount Arafat, where they believe the Prophet Muhammad gave his last sermon. They had also endured poor weather conditions, which

Jeddah, Aug 20: Around two million pilgrims have began ascending the plains of Mount Arafat shortly after sunrise on Monday to perform the most important ritual in Hajj. Standing on Mount Arafat until the sunset on the 9th day of Dul Hijjah is the one of the most important rituals of the Hajj pilrimage. Pilgrims converge on the hill, dedicated to prayers and reflection, where Dhuhr and Asr prayers

Srinagar, Aug 19: A Kashmiri man, suspected to be a sympathiser of the banned terror group IS, was recently deported to India from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), officials said in Srinagar on Sunday. Thirty-six-year-old Irfan Ahmad Zargar, a resident of Chattatabal area on the outskirts of Srinagar, was deported from the Gulf country on August 14 and subjected to questioning by various security

Makkah, Aug 19: More than 2 million Muslims have begun the annual Haj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia From first light Sunday, throngs of the faithful have circled the cube-shaped Kaaba in Makkah, one of the holiest sites in Islam. The Kaaba represents the metaphorical house of God and the oneness of God. Observant Muslims around the world face toward the Kaaba during their five daily prayers. The five

Dubai, Aug 18: Nearly 470 mosques have been prepared for the Eid Al-Adha prayer, Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Daawah and Guidance in Madinah announced Sheikh Fahad bin Sulaiman al-Tuwaijri, Director-General of the ministry in Madinah, said that 469 mosques and places of prayer had been equipped, both in Madinah and elsewhere. The Eid Al-Adha prayer will be at 6:13a.m., state news

Jeddah, Aug 18: Mansour al-Amer swipes a card to reveal a narrow sleep pod, reminiscent of Japan's famed capsule hotels. But this pod is in Saudi Arabia, where the Muslim Haj pilgrimage begins Sunday. The kingdom has plans to introduce capsule rooms in the western city of Mina in the coming days, as an estimated two million Muslim faithful gather for the six-day Haj, one of the five pillars of