Makkah Archives - Page 2 of 6 - Voice of the Cape

Muslim prayer affected by coronavirus in some countries

People around the world are avoiding crowded places, cutting back on inessential travel and taking precautionary measures such as working from home to avoid catching the new coronavirus. Several countries have also urged their citizens to change the way they greet one another, or celebrate certain festivities. Religious authorities, meanwhile, are advising people how to pray or mark holy days without risking spreading COVID-19 further. The virus, which originated in […]

5 March 2020

Tourism – Hajj and Umrah

Kaaba cover folded up to avoid damage

As is the custom every year during the Haj season, the Kiswa (the black cloth covering the Kaaba) has been folded up from the ground by three meters. The folded portion of the Kiswa has been covered on all four sides with a white cloth approximately two meters wide. Director General of the King Abdul Aziz Complex for the Kaaba Ahmad Al-Mansouri said the measure was meant to keep the […]

31 July 2018

News

Hajj biometric system back online

The South African Haj Umrah and Council has confirmed that the biometric recording system for hujjaaj is once again online. This after the retina and fingerprint verification process was halted when VFS TasHeel confirmed that it went offline this week. Hujjaaj are required to undergo the biometric verification prior to having visas issued. https://twitter.com/SAHajUmrahCounc/status/1009690614475173889 The company has offices in Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town. Hujjaaj can visit the Cape Town […]

21 June 2018

Tourism – Hajj and Umrah

Serving and being served

For more Hajj Stories visit www.hajjdoctor.co.za ‘HOW I wish I could be served as the lord of the manor!’ he smirked. The two of us were sitting at breakfast in our hotel in Makkah. Hajj was to commence in about two weeks. We had already spent more than a week in a relatively empty Makkah cherishing every moment gifted to us to be near the Kaabah. Initially, we could complete […]

25 May 2018

Tourism – Hajj and Umrah

Mataf in Makkah to be reserved for Ramadan umrah pilgrims

With the blessed month of Ramdan just more than a week away, Saudi Arabian authorities have announced that the Mataf in the Haram in Makkah will be reserved for Umrah pilgrims. Saudi Gazette reports the directives was issued by the Emir of Makkah, Prince Khaled Al-Faisal, who is also the Chairman of the Central Haj Committee and adviser to Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques. According to Saudi Gazette, regular […]

9 May 2018

News

Cave of Hira closed to pilgrims

In a move that has disappointed pilgrims wanting to experience iconic sites in Islam’s history, Saudi Arabia has barred access to the Cave of Hira, the place where the Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) received the first revelation of the Qur’an. Secretary of the South African Muslim Travel Association and a local Hajj and Umrah operator, Fazila Malek explained that the letter from the Office of the Prince of Makkah in Saudi […]

20 April 2018

Tourism – Hajj and Umrah

Living Life’s Lesson

Hajj Stories is a monthly series written by Dr Salim Parker. More stories at hajjdoctor.co.za THE doors of our medical practice in Cape Town were already closed when she arrived. In fact, we were exiting the premises when her father pulled up. ‘She is not well,’ he said. It was evident that she was quite ill. I saw her in this state before, more than a decade ago. Shivering from […]

19 April 2018

Tourism – Hajj and Umrah

Life and life’s ironies

This is part of a series written by Dr Salim Parker. More stories at hajjdoctor.co.za Hajj is a wonderful journey. We are all detached from the realities of our lives back home where the drudgery, mundaneness, routines and responsibility of everyday life fast forwards time to the extent where we wake up shocked one day and ask ourselves what happened to all our now long forgotten objectives. No, on Hajj […]

20 March 2018

Tourism – Hajj and Umrah

If Only I Knew…….

Hajj doctor Salim Parker pens his latest hajj story. Read more at hajjdoctor.co.za ‘What would you do if you get lost during Hajj?’ she asked her father. This conversation took place before he and her mother were to depart for Hajj. The couple were supposed to have performed the most important journey in the life of a Muslim the year before but his wife had a major medical problem literally […]

3 February 2018

Makkah

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