By Kouthar Sambo Khidmatul Awaam’s Moulana Dawood Sampson said the second group of Hujaaj arrived at the Cape Town international airport at 11:35 am today after bidding farewell to the holy cities of Mina and Aziziyah (district of Mecca). Moulana went on to say that some Hujaaj will be dressed in their traditional Hajj attire which is also an heirloom to some. “For Hujaaj that are still here in Aziziyah, […]
The annual pilgrimage of Hajj began in Mecca, Saudi Arabia on Sunday, with coordinators expecting record-breaking attendance. Crowds have already begun to build around the Kaaba, the cubed structure at the epicentre of Islam’s holiest site, as worshippers arrive. "This year, we will witness the largest Hajj pilgrimage in history," if things go according to plan, predicted an official with the Saudi ministry of Hajj and umrah. With Covid-19 restrictions fully lifted for the first time in […]
Sitting under a white canopy encrusted with fairy lights at a training session in London for Hajj, Shakil Ahsan listens patiently to the imam as he explains the rites of the pilgrimage in Urdu. The 42-year-old council worker has dreamed of doing the Hajj pilgrimage for several years, and now his hopes of sitting under a canopy in Mina, Saudi Arabia, are coming to fruition. The pandemic and inability to […]
Gaza – Over the past week, four batches of pilgrims departed from the Gaza Strip for Saudi Arabia to perform the rituals of Hajj. About 6,600 people from Gaza and the West Bank left for Mecca to perform Hajj for 2023. According to the Ministry of Endowments and Religious Affairs, the pilgrims travelled from Gaza during a four-day span, with 900 pilgrims in the first group, 900 on the second, 600 […]
The first commercial flight from Yemen's rebel-held capital to Saudi Arabia since 2016 took off carrying Hajj pilgrims on Saturday, in the latest sign of easing tensions after years of war. A Yemenia Airways plane carrying 277 travellers departed at around 8 pm (1700 GMT), an official told AFP, seven years since Sanaa's international airport was blockaded by the Saudi-led coalition fighting the Iran-backed Houthi movement. "Hopefully, the blockade will end, and the airport will remain open. We […]
By Aneeqa du Plessis The atmosphere at the Cape Town International Airport was exhilarating as the second group of Capetonian hujaaj (pilgrims) bid farewell to their loved ones on Tuesday afternoon. This comes as the group of nearly 100 pilgrims travelling with Khidmatul A’waam Pilgrim Services embarked on the journey of Hajj 1444 AH/2023. For many pilgrims it was the first time boarding an aircraft let alone travelling across the […]
By Aneeqa du Plessis Confusion is rife among aspiring Hujaaj [pilgrims] after they’ve been requested to cough up an extra R1 300 or 250 ر.س as part of their fees before embarking on the auspicious journey of Hajj 1444 AH. But, according to the Western Cape Chairperson at the South African Hajj and Umrah Council (SAHUC) Mohammad Groenewald, the announcement from the Saudi Kingdom came as a surprise. “This is […]
By Kouthar Sambo Western pilgrims planning to perform the Hajj in the coming month says they are still awaiting information on packages and costs after Saudi Arabia changed its booking procedure for the second year. The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah announced plans earlier this year to allow Muslims from western countries to reserve their spots for Hajj through a brand-new app called Nusuk. Usually, the Hajj tours are booked […]
Minister to the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO), Dr Naledi Pandor, hosted the opening meeting of the Ministerial Committee on the Efficient Management of the annual Hajj and Umrah Pilgrimages in the Mother City yesterday. The mandate and role of the Ministerial Committee is to provide strategic direction to support the efficiency of the annual Hajj and Umrah pilgrimages and to warrant a well-organised trip for local […]
VOC became the first Muslim radio station in South Africa when a special events license was granted to the station in Ramadan/January 1995. Subsequent temporary broadcast licenses were granted, permitting the station to broadcast for 24 hours.
