Hundreds of thousands of pilgrims performed taraweeh prayers and rejoiced as they broke their fasts at the two Grand Mosques in Makkah and Madinah after a two-year hiatus.
Pilgrims from all over the world are now able to perform Umrah at the Grand Mosque in Makkah, for the first time since the Covid-19 outbreak was declared a pandemic.
Unvaccinated pilgrims from abroad can now enter the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque, provided they are not infected with the coronavirus.
Pilgrims have to register for an Umrah permit using the Eatmarna app. This is checked by security at the gates and a separate entrance is allocated to those performing Umrah. If one tries to perform Umrah without having a valid permit, they will be fined SR10,000 ($2,660).
“Thousands of pilgrims from Indonesia, Pakistan and India are arriving every day to perform Umrah and also to spend a few days in Madinah at the Prophet’s Mosque during the Holy Month of Ramadan. The Grand Mosques are full of happy pilgrims, crying tears of joy – just grateful to be back after Covid-19 disrupted travel and limited numbers into the Holy cities,” said Aman Ul Haq, a tour operator in Jeddah.
“It’s like Covid-19 never happened. The mosques are full of large groups of international pilgrims and local worshippers.”
The Presidency of the Two Holy Mosques has granted more than 2,000 permits to provide free iftar meals daily.
They are supplied in accordance with Covid-19 guidelines, with food served in sealed boxes, away from crowded areas such as entrances and corridors.
“We are glad to announce the return of itikaf [prayer in isolation at the mosque] in Haramain [both Grand Mosques]. It will be applied according to specific criteria, and permits will be available through the official website of the presidency soon,” Sheikh Abdulrahman Al Sudais, head of the General Presidency for the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques, said last week.
This year, worshippers can sleep in the mosques during itikaf and leave only for ablution.
Pilgrims from abroad can now apply online for an Umrah visa instead of using foreign Umrah service agents as they did in the past.
Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Hajj and Umrah said the e-registration process would include an Umrah programme including housing and transport services, and that the electronic visa can be printed by pilgrims themselves.
The language of diplomacy in 1853
Treaty of Peace in Perpetuity Agreed Upon by the Chiefs of the Arabian Coast on Behalf of Themselves, Their Heirs and Successors Under the Mediation of the Resident of the Persian Gulf, 1853
(This treaty gave the region the name “Trucial States”.)
We, whose seals are hereunto affixed, Sheikh Sultan bin Suggar, Chief of Rassool-Kheimah, Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoon, Chief of Aboo Dhebbee, Sheikh Saeed bin Buyte, Chief of Debay, Sheikh Hamid bin Rashed, Chief of Ejman, Sheikh Abdoola bin Rashed, Chief of Umm-ool-Keiweyn, having experienced for a series of years the benefits and advantages resulting from a maritime truce contracted amongst ourselves under the mediation of the Resident in the Persian Gulf and renewed from time to time up to the present period, and being fully impressed, therefore, with a sense of evil consequence formerly arising, from the prosecution of our feuds at sea, whereby our subjects and dependants were prevented from carrying on the pearl fishery in security, and were exposed to interruption and molestation when passing on their lawful occasions, accordingly, we, as aforesaid have determined, for ourselves, our heirs and successors, to conclude together a lasting and inviolable peace from this time forth in perpetuity.
Taken from Britain and Saudi Arabia, 1925-1939: the Imperial Oasis, by Clive Leatherdale
GIANT REVIEW
Starring: Amir El-Masry, Pierce Brosnan
Director: Athale
Rating: 4/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
RESULTS
5pm: Sweihan – Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (Turf) 2,200m
Winner: Shamakh, Fernando Jara (jockey), Jean-Claude Picout (trainer)
5.30pm: Al Shamkha – Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,200m
Winner: Daad, Dane O’Neill, Jaber Bittar
6pm: Shakbout City – Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,200m
Winner: AF Ghayyar, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
6.30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup – Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 1,200m
Winner: Gold Silver, Sandro Paiva, Ibrahim Aseel
7pm: Masdar City – Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,400m
Winner: AF Musannef, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
7.30pm: Khalifa City – Maiden (TB) Dh80,000 (T) 1,400m
Winner: Ranchero, Patrick Cosgrave, Bhupat Seemar
Results
5pm: Wadi Nagab – Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (Turf) 1,200m; Winner: Al Falaq, Antonio Fresu (jockey), Ahmed Al Shemaili (trainer)
5.30pm: Wadi Sidr – Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,200m; Winner: AF Majalis, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
6pm: Wathba Stallions Cup – Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 2,200m; Winner: AF Fakhama, Fernando Jara, Mohamed Daggash
6.30pm: Wadi Shees – Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 2,200m; Winner: Mutaqadim, Antonio Fresu, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami
7pm: Arabian Triple Crown Round-1 – Listed (PA) Dh230,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: Bahar Muscat, Antonio Fresu, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami
7.30pm: Wadi Tayyibah – Maiden (TB) Dh80,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: Poster Paint, Patrick Cosgrave, Bhupat Seemar
$1,000 award for 1,000 days on madrasa portal
Daily cash awards of $1,000 dollars will sweeten the Madrasa e-learning project by tempting more pupils to an education portal to deepen their understanding of math and sciences.
School children are required to watch an educational video each day and answer a question related to it. They then enter into a raffle draw for the $1,000 prize.
“We are targeting everyone who wants to learn. This will be $1,000 for 1,000 days so there will be a winner every day for 1,000 days,” said Sara Al Nuaimi, project manager of the Madrasa e-learning platform that was launched on Tuesday by the Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, to reach Arab pupils from kindergarten to grade 12 with educational videos.
“The objective of the Madrasa is to become the number one reference for all Arab students in the world. The 5,000 videos we have online is just the beginning, we have big ambitions. Today in the Arab world there are 50 million students. We want to reach everyone who is willing to learn.”
