Hundreds of thousands of pilgrims performed taraweeh prayers and rejoiced as they broke their fasts at the two Grand Mosques in Makkah and Madinah after a two-year hiatus.
Pilgrims from all over the world are now able to perform Umrah at the Grand Mosque in Makkah, for the first time since the Covid-19 outbreak was declared a pandemic.
Unvaccinated pilgrims from abroad can now enter the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque, provided they are not infected with the coronavirus.
Pilgrims have to register for an Umrah permit using the Eatmarna app. This is checked by security at the gates and a separate entrance is allocated to those performing Umrah. If one tries to perform Umrah without having a valid permit, they will be fined SR10,000 ($2,660).
“Thousands of pilgrims from Indonesia, Pakistan and India are arriving every day to perform Umrah and also to spend a few days in Madinah at the Prophet’s Mosque during the Holy Month of Ramadan. The Grand Mosques are full of happy pilgrims, crying tears of joy – just grateful to be back after Covid-19 disrupted travel and limited numbers into the Holy cities,” said Aman Ul Haq, a tour operator in Jeddah.
“It’s like Covid-19 never happened. The mosques are full of large groups of international pilgrims and local worshippers.”
The Presidency of the Two Holy Mosques has granted more than 2,000 permits to provide free iftar meals daily.
They are supplied in accordance with Covid-19 guidelines, with food served in sealed boxes, away from crowded areas such as entrances and corridors.
“We are glad to announce the return of itikaf [prayer in isolation at the mosque] in Haramain [both Grand Mosques]. It will be applied according to specific criteria, and permits will be available through the official website of the presidency soon,” Sheikh Abdulrahman Al Sudais, head of the General Presidency for the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques, said last week.
This year, worshippers can sleep in the mosques during itikaf and leave only for ablution.
Pilgrims from abroad can now apply online for an Umrah visa instead of using foreign Umrah service agents as they did in the past.
Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Hajj and Umrah said the e-registration process would include an Umrah programme including housing and transport services, and that the electronic visa can be printed by pilgrims themselves.
If you go...
Etihad Airways flies from Abu Dhabi to Kuala Lumpur, from about Dh3,600. Air Asia currently flies from Kuala Lumpur to Terengganu, with Berjaya Hotels & Resorts planning to launch direct chartered flights to Redang Island in the near future. Rooms at The Taaras Beach and Spa Resort start from 680RM (Dh597).
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
The more serious side of specialty coffee
While the taste of beans and freshness of roast is paramount to the specialty coffee scene, so is sustainability and workers’ rights.
The bulk of genuine specialty coffee companies aim to improve on these elements in every stage of production via direct relationships with farmers. For instance, Mokha 1450 on Al Wasl Road strives to work predominantly with women-owned and -operated coffee organisations, including female farmers in the Sabree mountains of Yemen.
Because, as the boutique’s owner, Garfield Kerr, points out: “women represent over 90 per cent of the coffee value chain, but are woefully underrepresented in less than 10 per cent of ownership and management throughout the global coffee industry.”
One of the UAE’s largest suppliers of green (meaning not-yet-roasted) beans, Raw Coffee, is a founding member of the Partnership of Gender Equity, which aims to empower female coffee farmers and harvesters.
Also, globally, many companies have found the perfect way to recycle old coffee grounds: they create the perfect fertile soil in which to grow mushrooms.
Temple numbers
Expected completion: 2022
Height: 24 meters
Ground floor banquet hall: 370 square metres to accommodate about 750 people
Ground floor multipurpose hall: 92 square metres for up to 200 people
First floor main Prayer Hall: 465 square metres to hold 1,500 people at a time
First floor terrace areas: 2,30 square metres
Temple will be spread over 6,900 square metres
Structure includes two basements, ground and first floor
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Tips for taking the metro
- set out well ahead of time
- make sure you have at least Dh15 on you Nol card, as there could be big queues for top-up machines
- enter the right cabin. The train may be too busy to move between carriages once you're on
- don't carry too much luggage and tuck it under a seat to make room for fellow passengers
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