Pilgrims arrive on the plains of Mount Arafat, south-east of Makkah, as part of Hajj last year. EPA
Pilgrims arrive on the plains of Mount Arafat, south-east of Makkah, as part of Hajj last year. EPA
Pilgrims arrive on the plains of Mount Arafat, south-east of Makkah, as part of Hajj last year. EPA
Pilgrims arrive on the plains of Mount Arafat, south-east of Makkah, as part of Hajj last year. EPA

Gulf

Hajj 2023: King Salman offers to host 1,000 Palestinian pilgrims

Saudi Arabia drive has enabled more than 43,000 Palestinians to perform Hajj over the past 22 years

Mariam Nihal

June 11, 2023

  • English
  • Arabic

Saudi Arabia's King Salman on Saturday issued a royal order to host 1,000 Palestinian pilgrims for this year's Hajj.

The hosting of relatives of wounded, killed and imprisoned Palestinians is part of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Hajj Guests Programme in association with the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Call and Guidance, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.

“The continuation of this generous gesture towards the pilgrims of Palestine who perform Hajj every year at the expense of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques comes as an affirmation to the depth of the relationship and his appreciation of the great sacrifices made by the Palestinian people," said Sheikh Dr Abdullatif bin Abdulaziz Al Sheikh, Saudi Minister of Islamic Affairs, Call and Guidance.

Yemeni Muslims prepare to board a flight heading to Makkah. AFP
Yemeni Muslims prepare to board a flight heading to Makkah. AFP
A passport control officer checks the travel documents of a Palestinian pilgrim at the Rafah crossing point with Egypt in the southern Gaza Strip. AFP
A passport control officer checks the travel documents of a Palestinian pilgrim at the Rafah crossing point with Egypt in the southern Gaza Strip. AFP
Iraqi pilgrims prepare to fly to Makkah for Haj, at Baghdad airport. AP Photo
Iraqi pilgrims prepare to fly to Makkah for Haj, at Baghdad airport. AP Photo
Palestinian pilgrims at the Rafah crossing point with Egypt in the southern Gaza Strip. AFP
Palestinian pilgrims at the Rafah crossing point with Egypt in the southern Gaza Strip. AFP
Husin bin Nisan, right, bids farewell to relatives before departure for the Hajj pilgrimage at his house in Tangerang, Indonesia. AP Photo
Husin bin Nisan, right, bids farewell to relatives before departure for the Hajj pilgrimage at his house in Tangerang, Indonesia. AP Photo
Saadiha Khaliq with books she read to prepare for her pilgrimage, in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. The Khaliq family plan to travel together to Makkah in Saudi Arabia for Hajj. AP Photo
Saadiha Khaliq with books she read to prepare for her pilgrimage, in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. The Khaliq family plan to travel together to Makkah in Saudi Arabia for Hajj. AP Photo
Iraqi pilgrims walk around the model of Kaaba during a lecture on performing the Hajj rituals in Tikrit, Iraq. AP Photo
Iraqi pilgrims walk around the model of Kaaba during a lecture on performing the Hajj rituals in Tikrit, Iraq. AP Photo
Syrian pilgrims register for a training session on how to perform Hajj rituals in Hazzanu, Idlib province. AFP
Syrian pilgrims register for a training session on how to perform Hajj rituals in Hazzanu, Idlib province. AFP
A Syrian man bids an elderly woman farewell as Hajj pilgrims board a bus in Sarmada on the first leg of their journey to Saudi Arabia. AFP
A Syrian man bids an elderly woman farewell as Hajj pilgrims board a bus in Sarmada on the first leg of their journey to Saudi Arabia. AFP
A man bids another farewell as pilgrims board a bus in Sarmada town before leaving for the annual Hajj pilgrimage. AFP
A man bids another farewell as pilgrims board a bus in Sarmada town before leaving for the annual Hajj pilgrimage. AFP
People bid relatives farewell as pilgrims board a bus in Sarmada town in Syria's north-western Idlib province. AFP
People bid relatives farewell as pilgrims board a bus in Sarmada town in Syria's north-western Idlib province. AFP
Muslim pilgrims arriving from north-western Syrian areas pass baggage checks at the Bab Al-Hawa border crossing with Turkey. AFP
Muslim pilgrims arriving from north-western Syrian areas pass baggage checks at the Bab Al-Hawa border crossing with Turkey. AFP
Pilgrims arrive at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad, India, as they prepare to fly to Saudi Arabia. AFP
Pilgrims arrive at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad, India, as they prepare to fly to Saudi Arabia. AFP
A Kashmiri pilgrim waves goodbye. EPA
A Kashmiri pilgrim waves goodbye. EPA
A pilgrim is embraced by her relative before leaving for the annual Hajj pilgrimage. AFP
A pilgrim is embraced by her relative before leaving for the annual Hajj pilgrimage. AFP
The first flights from Malaysia have arrived in Saudi Arabia under the Makkah Route Initiative. SPA
The first flights from Malaysia have arrived in Saudi Arabia under the Makkah Route Initiative. SPA
It has been expanded to Turkey and the Ivory Coast this year, joining Pakistan, Malaysia, Indonesia, Morocco and Bangladesh. SPA
It has been expanded to Turkey and the Ivory Coast this year, joining Pakistan, Malaysia, Indonesia, Morocco and Bangladesh. SPA
All Hajj pilgrims this year must be fully vaccinated against Covid-19 and aged under 65. AFP
All Hajj pilgrims this year must be fully vaccinated against Covid-19 and aged under 65. AFP
They must also present a negative PCR test conducted within 72 hours of their departure flight. AFP
They must also present a negative PCR test conducted within 72 hours of their departure flight. AFP
A pilgrim takes his luggage after inspection in Baghdad. AFP
A pilgrim takes his luggage after inspection in Baghdad. AFP
Hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam and a once-in-a-lifetime obligation for every Muslim. AFP
Hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam and a once-in-a-lifetime obligation for every Muslim. AFP

More than 43,000 pilgrims have benefited from the scheme since it was introduced 22 years ago.

This year's annual pilgrimage, which is expected to attract people from all over the world, begins on June 26.

On Friday, a flight from Kerala, south-west India, arrived carrying women pilgrims and an all-female crew as an increasing number of Muslim women participate in Hajj without a male guardian under a new incentive by the Saudi government.

More than 2.6 million people are expected to perform Hajj this year as the number of pilgrims returns to pre-pandemic levels after the kingdom removed Covid-19 restrictions.

You might also like
While you're here
New UK refugee system

 

  • A new “core protection” for refugees moving from permanent to a more basic, temporary protection
  • Shortened leave to remain - refugees will receive 30 months instead of five years
  • A longer path to settlement with no indefinite settled status until a refugee has spent 20 years in Britain
  • To encourage refugees to integrate the government will encourage them to out of the core protection route wherever possible.
  • Under core protection there will be no automatic right to family reunion
  • Refugees will have a reduced right to public funds
Company profile

Company: Rent Your Wardrobe 

Date started: May 2021 

Founder: Mamta Arora 

Based: Dubai 

Sector: Clothes rental subscription 

Stage: Bootstrapped, self-funded 

%3Cp%3EThe%20Department%20of%20Culture%20and%20Tourism%20-%20Abu%20Dhabi%E2%80%99s%20Arabic%20Language%20Centre%20will%20mark%20International%20Women%E2%80%99s%20Day%20at%20the%20Bologna%20Children's%20Book%20Fair%20with%20the%20Abu%20Dhabi%20Translation%20Conference.%20Prolific%20Emirati%20author%20Noora%20Al%20Shammari%2C%20who%20has%20written%20eight%20books%20that%20%20feature%20in%20the%20Ministry%20of%20Education's%20curriculum%2C%20will%20appear%20in%20a%20session%20on%20Wednesday%20to%20discuss%20the%20challenges%20women%20face%20in%20getting%20their%20works%20translated.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Groom and Two Brides

Director: Elie Semaan

Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla

Rating: 3/5

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
If you go

The flights

Fly direct to London from the UAE with Etihad, Emirates, British Airways or Virgin Atlantic from about Dh2,500 return including taxes. 

The hotel

Rooms at the convenient and art-conscious Andaz London Liverpool Street cost from £167 (Dh800) per night including taxes.

The tour

The Shoreditch Street Art Tour costs from £15 (Dh73) per person for approximately three hours. 

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi

Director: Kangana Ranaut, Krish Jagarlamudi

Producer: Zee Studios, Kamal Jain

Cast: Kangana Ranaut, Ankita Lokhande, Danny Denzongpa, Atul Kulkarni

Rating: 2.5/5

White hydrogen: Naturally occurring hydrogenChromite: Hard, metallic mineral containing iron oxide and chromium oxideUltramafic rocks: Dark-coloured rocks rich in magnesium or iron with very low silica contentOphiolite: A section of the earth’s crust, which is oceanic in nature that has since been uplifted and exposed on landOlivine: A commonly occurring magnesium iron silicate mineral that derives its name for its olive-green yellow-green colour

Company profile

Company name: Dharma

Date started: 2018

Founders: Charaf El Mansouri, Nisma Benani, Leah Howe

Based: Abu Dhabi

Sector: TravelTech

Funding stage: Pre-series A 

Investors: Convivialite Ventures, BY Partners, Shorooq Partners, L& Ventures, Flat6Labs

From Zero

Artist: Linkin Park

Label: Warner Records

Number of tracks: 11

Rating: 4/5

SRI LANKS ODI SQUAD

Perera (capt), Mendis, Gunathilaka, de Silva, Nissanka, Shanaka, Bandara, Hasaranga, Udana, Dananjaya, Dickwella, Chameera, Mendis, Fernando, Sandakan, Karunaratne, Fernando, Fernando.

Updated: June 11, 2023, 8:02 AM
Hajj 2025Saudi ArabiaPalestine