Middle-east Arab News Opinion | Asharq Al-awsat

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Hajj pilgrims in Mecca. Reuters photo

A Brand New Mecca City

by Abdulrahman Al-Rashed | Sep 4, 2017 | Opinion

Muslims make up about 24 percent of the world population. With one and a half billion Muslims worldwide, should one billion of them decide on performing Hajj– which is pillar of Islam–  at least once in a lifetime, it will take up to 500 years for the task to be...

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Pilgrims circle the Ka’aba at the Grand Mosque in Mecca on September 9 (Reuters)

Saudi Arabia Imposes Sanctions on Citizens, Residents for Transferring Pilgrims without Permission

by Asharq Al-Awsat | Aug 30, 2017 | Saudi Arabia

Riyadh – Saudi authorities have imposed sanctions on citizens and residents involved in transporting pilgrims without a permit. The head of the Hajj Passport Authority, Major General Dhaifallah Al-Huwaifi said in a statement on Tuesday that administrative...

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A man embroiders the Kiswa, a silk cloth covering the Holy Kaaba, ahead of the annual Hajj pilgrimage, at a factory in the holy city of Mecca. (Reuters)

Saudi Factory Stitches Gold-Laced Cover for Islam’s Holiest Site

by Asharq Al-Awsat English | Aug 27, 2017 | Features

Dozens of Saudi craftsmen are hard at work in a factory in Mecca preparing an embroidered black and gold cloth to cover the Kaaba, the holiest site in Islam. Known as the Kiswa, the cloth is woven from silk and cotton and adorned with verses from the Qoran. A new one...

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Qatari Hajj pilgrim Saleh al-Marry. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Qatari Hajj Pilgrim: All Services Have Been Available to me since my Arrival in Saudi Arabia

by Tarek al-Thaqfi | Aug 27, 2017 | Saudi Arabia

Mecca – A Qatari Hajj pilgrim has praised the measures taken in Saudi Arabia at the order of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz to facilitate this year’s annual rituals for the Gulf country’s pilgrims. Saleh al-Marry said that since his...

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Preparations are complete to receive 2,400 Qatari pilgrims for the annual Hajj. (AFP)

Saudi Preparations Complete to Receive 2,400 Qatari Hajj Pilgrims

by Tarek al-Thaqfi | Aug 7, 2017 | Saudi Arabia

Mecca – The number of Qatari Hajj pilgrims has risen in 2017 compared to 2016, revealed informed sources to Asharq Al-Awsat on Monday. They said that 2,400 Qatari pilgrims are expected to perform the Hajj this year, compared to 1,200 in 2016, adding that the tents...