Ministry of Hajj and Umrah

The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah is a Saudi government ministry which is in charge of handling issues of Hajj and Umrah in the Kingdom. The ministry assures safe arrival and departure of pilgrims and visitors arriving in Saudi Arabia for Hajj or Umrah.[1][2] The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah is authorized to tackle all Hajj-related issues. It mainly coordinates between different sectors working for Hajj and Umrah operations as well as between different Hajj-related agencies in Muslim countries and worldwide.[3] Moreover, the Ministry is responsible for developing plans, implementing and supervising the services provided to pilgrims and visitors of the Two Holy Mosques.[3]

Ministry of Hajj and Umrah
وزارة الحج والعمرة
MOH / MHU
Government ministry overview
Formed1945 (1945)
JurisdictionGovernment of Saudi Arabia
HeadquartersMecca,  Saudi Arabia
Minister responsible
  • Dr. Mohammad Saleh bin Taher Benten
Websitewww.haj.gov.sa/en

The city of Mecca, where Muslims perform Hajj and Umrah, comes under Saudi Arabian jurisdiction.

The Ministry has recently launched an application to issued e-visa for umrah visitors and pilgrims.[4]

Strategic initiatives

To achieve the strategic goals and targets of vision 2030, the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah launched several strategic initiatives.[5] These initiatives include; the establishment of the electronic control center and system at the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah to provide a control panel for cooperative governmental agencies.[5] Another initiative is introduction of the Hajj pilgrims' e-bracelet program that stores pilgrims information and helps to provide them with the necessary support.[6] The ministry has also increased the capacity of Umrah and hajj where more than 4.1 million visas have been issued in 2019.[7]

In June 2020, following the coronavirus pandemic, ministry of Hajj and Umrah announced to restrict the number of pilgrims to 10,000. “This decision is taken to ensure Hajj is performed in a safe manner from a public health perspective while observing all preventative measures and the necessary social distancing protocols to protect human beings,” the ministry said in a statement.[8]

The Grand Hajj symposium
Main article: Grand Hajj Symposium

The Grand Hajj symposium is a cultural and scientific meeting held annually in Mecca during the Hajj season.[9] The symposium is organized by the Ministry of Haj and Umra with the participation of scholars, thinkers, Intellectuals, and writers of the Islamic world.[9]

References
  1. "About the Ministry | Ministry of Haj and Umra". www.haj.gov.sa. Retrieved 2018-10-11.
  2. "Ministry of Hajj announces registration dates for Saudi Arabia-based pilgrims". Arab News. 2018-05-05. Retrieved 2018-10-11.
  3. "Focusing our Efforts to Serve Hajj and Umrah Visitors". www.saudi.gov.sa. Retrieved 2019-02-10.
  4. "E-service for Umrah expanded". Arab News. 2013-01-07. Retrieved 2019-03-05.
  5. "Strategic Partnerships | Ministry of Haj and Umra". www.haj.gov.sa. Retrieved 2019-04-28.
  6. "Hajj safety: Saudi Arabia introduces hi-tech bracelets for all pilgrims". english.alarabiya.net. Retrieved 2019-04-28.
  7. "Saudi Arabia issues more than 4.1 million Umrah visas". Arab News. 2019-02-25. Retrieved 2019-04-28.
  8. "Saudi Arabia to bar arrivals from abroad to attend the haj". The Star. Retrieved 23 June 2020.
  9. "About the Conference". www.haj.gov.sa. Retrieved 2019-04-28.
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