Ministry of Hajj and Umrah (Saudi Arabia)

The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah (MHU) (Arabic: وزارة الحج والعمرة) is a government ministry in Saudi Arabia which is responsible for supervising the facilitation of essential services to the pilgrims arriving in the country for Hajj and Umrah purposes,[1][2] including overseeing their secure transportation and movement to the holy cities of Mecca and Medina.

Ministry of Hajj and Umrah
وزارة الحج والعمرة
MOH / MHU

Tawfig Al-Rabiah, the current Minister of Hajj and Umrah since 2021
Government ministry overview
Formed1945 (1945)
JurisdictionGovernment of Saudi Arabia
HeadquartersMecca, Saudi Arabia
Minister responsible
WebsiteOfficial English Website

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]

The cities of Mecca and Medina, where Muslims perform Hajj and Umrah, both come under Saudi Arabian jurisdiction.

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

The minister of Hajj and Umrah is Tawfig Al-Rabiah, who succeeded Dr. Issam bin Saad bin Saeed in 2021.[5]

Strategic initiatives

To achieve the strategic goals and targets of vision 2030, the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah launched several strategic initiatives.[6] 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.[6] Another initiative is introduction of the Hajj pilgrims' e-bracelet program that stores pilgrims information and helps to provide them with the necessary support.[7] The ministry has also increased the capacity of Umrah and hajj where more than 4.1 million visas have been issued in 2019.[8]

In June 2020, following the coronavirus pandemic, the ministry of Hajj and Umrah announced it would restrict the number of pilgrims to 10,000. It stated that “this decision [was] 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.[9]

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.[10] The symposium is organized by the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah with the participation of scholars, thinkers, Intellectuals, and writers of the Islamic world.[10]

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. "King Salman issues several royal orders, appoints Al-Rabiah as new Hajj minister". Saudigazette. 2021-10-15. Retrieved 2021-10-16.
  6. "Strategic Partnerships | Ministry of Haj and Umra". www.haj.gov.sa. Retrieved 2019-04-28.
  7. "Hajj safety: Saudi Arabia introduces hi-tech bracelets for all pilgrims". english.alarabiya.net. Retrieved 2019-04-28.
  8. "Saudi Arabia issues more than 4.1 million Umrah visas". Arab News. 2019-02-25. Retrieved 2019-04-28.
  9. "Saudi Arabia to bar arrivals from abroad to attend the haj". The Star. Retrieved 23 June 2020.
  10. "About the Conference". www.haj.gov.sa. Retrieved 2019-04-28.
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