October 16, 2012 | Posted by admin


JEDDAH: The Arafat Day, when millions of Muslim pilgrims will stand in prayer on the mount of Arafat near Makkah at the peak of the annual pilgrimage, will be on Thursday (Oct. 25), an official announcement said yesterday.
The Supreme Court said that Friday (Oct. 26) would be Eid Al-Ahda or the feast of sacrifice. “As nobody sighted the Dul Hijjah crescent on Monday evening, Tuesday (Oct. 16) is the 30th day of Dul Qaada and Wednesday (Oct. 17) is the first day of Dul Hijjah,” it added.
In accordance with the Supreme Court’s statement, Haj begins on Oct. 24 when pilgrims will gather in Mina, spending a day and night there in worship and meditation before heading to Arafat the next morning.
About three million pilgrims from around the world are expected to perform Haj this year. According to the Passport Department, more than 1.3 million foreign pilgrims have already arrived in the Kingdom.
Culture and Information Minister Dr. Abdul Aziz Khoja said Haj events would be telecast live to all countries free of charge on the instructions of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah, using Arabsat 5A, Asiasat 5, Menos system and Intelsat 60.
Meanwhile, Sheikh Abdul Rahman Al-Sudais, head of the Presidency of the Two Holy Mosques, will hand over today a new Kaaba cover to Abdul Qader Al-Shaibi, senior gatekeeper of the Holy Kaaba.

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