Issue

06

September 2016

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Hajj 2016: A True Success

The Development of the Hajj

The Hajj is the fifth pillar of Islam. Able Muslims are obligated to perform once during

their lives. The history of the Hajj goes back more than 4000 years to the time of the

Prophet Abraham.

During early times, only a few thousand tribesmen from areas surrounding Makkah

al-Mukarramah used to come to perform the Hajj.

Along with improvements in the social, economic and security-related spheres on the

local regional and international planes, the number of pilgrims gradually began to

increase.

Another important element in this increase was the marked improvement in means

of transportation between the countries of the pilgrims and Makkah al-Mukarramah.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is keen to comprehensive health services to pilgrims

wherever they may be in Makkah al-Mukarramah and its surroundings. Because

safety and security are also among the most important needs of pilgrims, the

Kingdom devotes great efforts to this aspect as well.

The Kingdom regards as an honour entrusted to it by God the services and facilities it

provides to pilgrims and Umrah performers in Makkah and Madinah in a manner

befitting the sanctity and status of the cradle of revelation and the launching of the

message of Islam and peace to the world carried by the blessed Prophet.

A. Expansion of the Holy Mosque:

The Holy Mosque in Makkah al-Mukarramah, with the Holy Kaba at its center, has witnessed successive expansions since the era of the Caliph Umar ibn al-Khattab, who carried out the first expansion in the year 638. In 1925, King Abdulaziz Al Saud, founder of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, ordered that a full program of maintenance to the Holy Mosque be carried out including its lighting, renovation, modernization and area expansion. After the death of King Abdul Aziz expansion operations continued in the reign of King Saud (1953-1964). The Grand Mosque was expanded during the period (1955 - 1961) to reach a total area of 152,000 square meters, with a capacity of 400,000 worshippers. During the reign of King Fahd (1982 - 2005), the expansion operations continued beginning in 1988. The total area of the Grand Mosque reached 356,000 square meters. King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz ordered that a huge expansion be undertaken, in order to enable it to accommodate two million people at one time. Upon its completion, this latest expansion project will increase the area of the Holy Mosque to one million square meters.

B. The Jamarat Bridge Project:

The Jamarat are three sites located close to each other on a straight line in Mina. Pilgrims stone the Jamarat as a sign of obedience to God. Stoning of the Jamarat is one of the duties of the Hajj and follows the example of the Father of Prophets Ibrahim (Abraham). In response to the huge increase in the numbers of pilgrims year after year, the Saudi authorities sought ways to remove the obstacles created by the increasing crowdsand decided to build a new Jamarat Bridge, which is 950 meters long and 80 meters in width. It consists of five levels, each of which is 12 meters high. To facilitate movement, the bridge has 12 entrances and 12 exits, distributed among all four directions, in addition to emergency exits. This will enable authorities to accommodate 300,000 pilgrims an hour for stoning.

C. The Mas'a Expansion Project in the Holy Mosque:

The Mas;a is the area in which Hagar (wife of Prophet Ibrahim) traveled back and forth between Safa and Marwah in Makkah al-Mukarramah, about four thousand years ago, as she searched for water for her son Ismail. It is situated to the east of the Holy Mosque and is 375 meters in length. The Hajj or Umrah are not complete without the running between Safa and Marwah seven times. In 1925, King Abdulaziz ordered that the course of the Mas'a be paved with granite to protect pilgrims from the dust and dirt of the road. During the reign of King Saud, construction began on a two-story structure to contain the Mas'a, and during the reign of King Fahd, the first floor of the Mas'a was widened. In 2008, King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz gave the order for the expansion of the Mas'a. The number of floors in the Mas'a was increased from two to four, thereby increasing the effective area from 29,000 to 87,000 square meters.

D. The Makkah al Mukarramah Clock Tower:

Four of the five Pillars of the Islamic faith are regulated by time – prayer, alms giving, fasting and the Hajj. The clock is also a symbol of discipline and productivity. Therefore, it is not surprising that the largest clock tower in the world is built adjacent to the Holy Mosque in Makkah al-Mukarramah. Because of the great height and gigantic size of the tower, it is easily visible from anywhere in Makkah al-Mukarramah, as well as from the approach roads to the Holy City from all directions. The Makkah al-Mukarramah Clock Tower reaches a height of 250 meters, and the clock itself is sited on the uppermost part of the fifth tower in the King Abdulaziz Endowment, the total height of which is 600 meters to the top of the clock. This unique clock is covered with more than 98 million pieces of colored glass mosaic in addition to more than two million LED cells for illumination. In addition, the clock is covered with more than 43,000 square meters of advanced carbon fibers. The crescent which crowns the tower is also considered to be the largest in the world, with a diameter of 23 meters. The call to prayer resounds from the pinnacle of the Makkah al-Mukarramah Clock through the most powerful sound system of its kind, and during the call to prayer 21,000 green and white lights illuminate the clock, thereby increasing its visibility in all

areas of Makkah al-Mukarramah.

E. The Sacred Sites Rail Project:

In order to complete the rituals of the Hajj, pilgrims are required to move between several locations in the vicinity of Makkah al-Mukarramah, including the Holy Mosque itself, Arafat, Muzdalifah and Mina, within a precise temporal and geographical framework. The means of transporting pilgrims between these sites have changed along with the changing times. The sacred sites train connects Mina, Muzdalifah and Arafat. It replaces 30,000 buses and will contribute greatly to increasing the safety level of pilgrim movement while also transporting large numbers of pilgrims within a short time frame as compared to traditional methods of transport. This will also contribute to a smoother flow of traffic for those buses that remain in service.

F. Expansion of the prophet’s Mosque:

The Prophet Muhammad PBUH built his mosque in the first year of Hijrah (622). The area at that time was 1030 square meters. In the seventh year of Hijrah the Prophet expanded the mosque to an area of 2475 square meters. The Prophetic Mosque has never seen an expansion greater than what the kings of Saudi Arabia. In 1948, during the reign of King Abdulaziz, the mosque was enlarged to cover a total area of 16,327 square meters. During the following decades, the mosque continued to be enlarged, until it reached its present surface area of 400,500 square meters with a capacity of 707,000 worshippers. This included the addition of 68 awnings to the 182 awnings which provide shade in the externals areas of the Prophet's Mosque in order to protect the worshippers and visitors from the sun and rain. One of the unique features of these awnings is that they can be opened and closed automatically according to need.

Hajj 2016 in Figures

1,862,909 Muslims performed Hajj this year

300,000 Security officers and civilians served those pilgrims

12,700,000 free food baskets and water were distribuited

among the pilgrims

384,000 pilgrims were transported by the sacred sites train

296 Muslims performed Hajj by ambulance cars due to

health issues

The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud statement upon the success of this year's Hajj:

"We are all honored to serve pilgrims and stay up the nights for their comfort. We spare

no effort to provide safety and comfort so that they perform their rites with ease and

peace of mind."