Faizel Patel, Radio Islam News – 04-09-2018
After a successful hajj season, the Ministry of Haj and Umrah has started taking practical steps to implement the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 aimed at ensuring the arrival of about 30 million Umrah pilgrims annually.
Saudi Gazette reports the ministry has announced that the Umrah season for 2018-2019 has been advanced by 30 days to begin in Muharram (September) instead of Safar (October).
According to Saudi Gazette, the Umrah season used to start in Safar, the second month of the Islamic calendar, but this has been changed this year to allow Umrah pilgrims to start arriving in the Kingdom about eight days after the 1st of Muharram.
The ministry says it will work with the Foreign Affairs department to start issuing Umrah visas to pilgrims at its diplomatic and consular missions abroad.
The South African Hajj and Umrah Council’s (SAHUC) Moaaz Casoo has welcomed the move.
“The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, Alhamdulillah had a very successful hajj 1439 and Insha’Allah with this move by allowing the pilgrims to come a lot earlier for Umrah, this is in-line with their vision 2030. Insha’Allah they will have a successful Umrah and successful hajj for the years to come.”
According to the ministry, more than seven million pilgrims performed Umrah last season.
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