Day: July 20, 2021

NEOM, The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud delivered a speech to citizens, residents, pilgrims, and all Muslims worldwide on the blessed Eid Al-Adha today, saying:

Praise be to Allah and peace be upon His Prophet,

Dear citizens and pilgrims,

Dear personnel stationed in the face of risks and crises,

Dear citizens and residents of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,

Dear Muslims worldwide,

Allah’s peace, mercy, and blessings be upon you.

I congratulate you all on the blessed Eid Al-Adha, may Allah bring it back to us, our country and the Arab and Islamic nation with good health and blessings.

I pray to Allah Almighty to reward everyone who intends to perform Hajj this year and return them to their families safe.

I thank Allah Almighty for the great success of the Kingdom’s efforts in reducing the effects imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic on all aspects of life and works to increase society immunity by providing more than (22) million doses of COVID-19 vaccine to citizens and residents, which contributed to raising the operational capacity of the Two Holy Mosques and enabling those who visit them to perform rituals in a healthy and safe environment.

I praised the great awareness of visitors to the Two Holy Mosques for their commitment to the precautionary measures, and one of the most important results was that more than seventeen million beneficiaries of government applications launched during the pandemic have been able to perform Umrah, and pray in the Two Holy Mosques with ease and tranquility, safe from the effects of the spread of the Covid-19.

Dear Citizens,

In view of the world is going today through the spread of the Covid-19 and its continuous mutation, and emanating from our concern for the safety of pilgrims, and contributing to besieging this epidemic and preventing its spread, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has taken a set of organizational and preventive measures during this year’s Hajj season, as required by the regulations as per international health standards, and the authorities concerned with serving pilgrims have implemented the digital Hajj system, which aims to focus on technology and reduce human cadres in crowd management and organizing Hajj, to ensure the safety and health of pilgrims, and the safety of personnel working in the service of pilgrims, the official authorities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will continue to evaluate health conditions and take all measures to preserve public health with the help of Allah Almighty.

Dear Muslims worldwide,

The Islamic cooperation has resulted in the success of holding this year’s Hajj season, through the solidarity of the sisterly Islamic countries in which they have always been accustomed, and the concerted religious bodies that supported and valued the measures taken by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in Hajj this year, thus contributing to the protection of pilgrims, and preventing the spread of the epidemic and emanating from our concern, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has held the fifth pillar of Islam in light of this pandemic and many measures necessitated, it has taken into account that the segments of pilgrims represent all Islamic countries and our brothers and sisters residing on the land of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, to give the opportunity for all nationalities to perform Hajj, and perform their rituals with ease, safety and security.

Dear Citizens,

I praise and thank Allah Almighty for the honor that this blessed country has been bestowed on serving the Two Holy Mosques and their visitors to the fullest, and for success in managing the Hajj and Umrah seasons in light of this pandemic and the restrictions and effects that it imposed on the entire world, I also thank the personnel who are stationed to ensure the safety of the pilgrims, and also to the workers and volunteers in all government and private sectors who contributed to the success of this year’s Hajj season.

I pray to Allah Almighty to accept their Hajj and from all Muslims their good deeds, and bring this blessed Eid back to the Islamic nation in security, stability, safety, and prosperity, and every year and you are well.

Source: Saudi Press Agency

Jeddah, Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Dr. Yousef bin Ahmed Al-Othaimeen offered warm congratulations to Their Majesties, Highnesses and Excellencies, leaders of OIC Member States and the entire Muslim Ummah on the occasion of the blessed Eid El-Adha.

The Secretary General also extended warm congratulations to the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, OIC headquarter country and chair of the Islamic summit, under the leadership of Custodian of The two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince.

He commended the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s commitment to organizing this year’s Hajj in line with health precautions such that limited number of pilgrims participate and that the rites are conducted safely, ensuring that everyone is safe from the danger of the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Secretary General reiterated his appreciation for the heightened and constant care deployed by the Kingdom to protect the pilgrims’ health and ensure their safety while providing them with the necessary services.

Al-Othaimeen underscored that ever since it was honored by Allah to serve the Two Holy Mosques, the leadership of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, has prioritized provision of services and comfort to the pilgrims. He also praised the huge projects and expansions in the holy sites and the hefty capabilities deployed by the Kingdom to organize the Hajj under most difficult circumstances.

The Secretary General prayed to Allah the almighty to accept the devotions of the pilgrims, to reward and forgive them, and to enable them to complete their Hajj rites in comfort.

Source: Saudi Press Agency

Riyadh, Muslims performed today’s morning the prayer of the blessed Eid Al-Adha in the Grand Holy Mosque, the Prophet’s Holy Mosque, and in various regions of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, as per a set of precautionary measures and regulations to prevent the spread of the Coronavirus pandemic.

Muslims performed the Eid Al-Adha prayer in the Grand Holy Mosque. The prayer was attended by Prince Khalid Al-Faisal, Advisor to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and Governor of Makkah Region, his deputy Prince Badr bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz, and a number of princes.

The prayer was also performed in the Prophet’s Holy Mosque, and attended by Prince Faisal bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Governor of Madinah region, and his deputy Prince Saud bin Khalid Al-Faisal.

In Riyadh, Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Abdulaziz, Governor of Riyadh region attended the Eid Al-Adha prayer at Imam Turki bin Abdullah Mosque.

The prayer was performed in mosques in other regions of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Source: Saudi Press Agency

Riyadh, The General Directorate of Passports has started to automatically extend the validity of residence permits (Iqama) for expatriates outside the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in addition to extending the validity of visit visas and exit and re-entry visas without fees or charges for all expatriates until 31/08/2021. This comes in implementation of the directives of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.

This extension, which was issued by the Minister of Finance, comes among the continuing efforts of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s government to deal with the effects and repercussions of COVID-19 pandemic. It also falls within precautionary and preventive measures that guarantee the safety of citizens and residents and contribute to mitigating financial and economic impacts.

The Directorate indicated that the extension will be carried out electronically in cooperation with the National Information Centre without the need to visit the departments of passports. The extension process is as follows:

First: Extending the validity of residence permits as well as exit and re-entry visas for residents who are in the countries from which entry is suspended as a result of Coronavirus until 31/08/2021.

Second: Extending the validity of visit visas for visitors who are in the countries from which entry is suspended as a result of the Coronavirus until 31/08/2021.

Source: Saudi Press Agency