Tag: Umrah

  • Indian Minister Smriti Irani visits Madina

    Indian Minister Smriti Irani visits Madina

    Indian Union Minister for Minority Affairs Smriti Irani, accompanied by Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan, visited Madinah city on Monday.

    Irani, who also holds the portfolio of Minister of Women and Child Development, along with the delegation, met up with Indian volunteers catering to Indian Hajj pilgrims and also spoke to Indian Umrah pilgrims.

    “Undertook a historic journey to Madinah today, one of Islam’s holiest cities included a visit to the periphery of the revered Prophet’s Mosque, Al Masjid Al Nabwi, the mountain of Uhud, and periphery of the Quba Mosque – the first Mosque of Islam,” she posted on X (formerly Twitter).

    “The significance of the visit to these sites courtesy Saudi officials, intertwined with early Islamic history, underscores the depth of our cultural and spiritual engagement,” she added.

    According to an official statement, the aim of the visit was to get a first hand look into the arrangements essential to ensure an easy Hajj in 2024 for Indian pilgrims.

    “The Government of India is deeply committed to assist in providing facilities and services to Indian Muslims who undertake the Hajj pilgrimage, thereby providing them with a comfortable and fulfilling experience,” it further stated.

  • Rakhi Sawant plans to keep getting married until she finds the right partner

    Rakhi Sawant plans to keep getting married until she finds the right partner

    Rakhi Sawant is not going to let people’s opinions stop her from leading her best life.

    The Bollywood actress has said that she will keep getting married until she finds the right life partner.

    The Indian dancer who performed Umrah a few months ago, has gone to court to divorce businessman Adil Khan Durrani. In an interview she said that she wants the marriage ended as soon as possible so that she can get married again.

    A clip from the interview has gone viral on social media. “I hopes the court will give me back my money and also a divorce so that I can marry a good guy again in the future and live my life in peace.”

    Rakhi expressed her intention to marry again and again, stating, “I will stay married until I die until I find the right life partner, till then I will continue to love because this is my life, I have only one life.”

    She continued, “If you go to Hollywood, you’ll see people marrying multiple times, numerous boyfriends, and relationships, and it doesn’t matter there. All the boundaries are only in India.”
    At the beginning of this year, news came out that Rakhi Sawant has married Adil Khan Durrani after accepting Islam last year. Adil denied the marriage, then went silent before finally admitting to the marriage.
    However, with the death of Rakhi’s mother, the news of problems in her marriage began to circulate. Rakhi approached the court for divorce citing Adil Khan’s affairs, physical violence, indecent videos and disputes over money.

  • ‘I think your clothes don’t define you as a good or a bad person’; Ushna Shah on wearing hijab

    ‘I think your clothes don’t define you as a good or a bad person’; Ushna Shah on wearing hijab

    Actress and model Ushna Shah shared her thoughts on wearing a hijab in a recent interview. The superstar pointed out that some people believe that wearing a hijab automatically makes someone a good person. However, she emphasized that one’s clothing choices do not determine whether they are a good or bad person.

    Ushna Shah highlighted that wearing a hijab is a personal choice, and during the interview.

    Reminiscing about her Umrah experience two years ago, during the COVID-19 pandemic, she explained that there’s a misconception in society that if you wear a hijab or cover yourself, you are automatically considered a good person. She presented these views to highlight the contrasting perspectives that exist in society: “If you wear lehenga choli or sleeveless in your marriage then you are the opposite of good.”

    “I know many of those who cover themselves but I don’t believe them as good human beings. I think your clothes don’t define you as a good or a bad person,” she said.

    Ushna Shah shared that choosing to wear a hijab is a personal decision, and it’s something between an individual and God, so others shouldn’t interfere.

    She also expressed her belief that modest clothing is both comfortable and stylish. According to her, opting for modest clothes has its advantages, such as freeing us from worries about weight gain and complicated hairstyling.
    She added: “I enjoy wearing hijab and I understand why so many women enjoy this. It freed us from so many problems and in such clothing, you represent your religion.”

  • Nine beggars offloaded from Umrah flight

    Nine beggars offloaded from Umrah flight

    The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has arrested nine alleged beggars at Multan International Airport who were all set to travel to Saudi Arabia under the guise of Umrah pilgrims.

    There were six men and three women in the group that was arrested. Authorities were able to figure out their intentions as they were unable to produce evidence of hotel reservations or other legitimate purposes for their visit to Saudi Arabia.

    As they were subjected to scrutiny, the nine people admitted to engaging in begging activities during their stay in Saudi Arabia.

    Subsequently, they were taken into custody by the anti-human trafficking unit for further investigation.

    The operation marks the latest in a series of efforts by the FIA to stop begging rings that exploit individuals seeking to perform Umrah in Makkah. Earlier in October, FIA aimed at blacklisting people who malign the name of the country.

    Previously, a report was submitted to the Senate Standing Committee on Overseas Pakistanis about a shocking percentage of professional beggars who were arrested in the Middle East, 90 per cent of whom are Pakistanis.

  • Hajjis to get mobile sims and free internet

    Hajjis to get mobile sims and free internet

    Caretaker Minister for Religious Affairs and Inter-faith Harmony Aneeq Ahmed has said that the government will provide free-of-cost mobile SIMs with roaming internet packages for pilgrims, on Tuesday.

    He further stated that female abayas having a Pakistani flag on the backside and 13 Kg suitcases will also be provided to pilgrims performing hajj this year.

    The minister said that it was a historic step that the caretaker government has declared a significant reduction of one lac in government Hajj expenses, adding that a further Rs50,000 will also be reduced in the coming few days after which Hajjaj will get back their money in their accounts.

    He further revealed that a new mobile application has been designed to assist pilgrims, which will provide navigation support and enable constant communication between pilgrims and relevant officials.

    Initially available in English and Urdu, the application will later incorporate various regional languages, he said, adding that, the app will also provide digital training programs to every pilgrim.

    The minister also disclosed a project that the Ministry of Hajj in collaboration with the Ministry of Education has planned to convert city mosques into schools to enroll out-of-school children where the Imam of mosques will play a leading role.

    Minister said that mosques will play their role as community centers in every city area, adding that imams will resolve community issues as well after offering prayers.

    He said that the Ministry of Hajj is taking all four provinces on board and enhancing the connectivity of mosques.

    While describing another project, minister for religious affairs said that his ministry with the collaboration of health ministry has another project in which medical clinics will also be part of mosques.

    Lady health workers and other essential staff of doctors will also be provided in all masajid where they will facilitate to citizens visiting inside the masque of areas, he added.

  • Council of Islamic Ideology gives ‘conditional permission’ for women to perform Hajj without mehram

    Council of Islamic Ideology gives ‘conditional permission’ for women to perform Hajj without mehram

    In response to a query from the Ministry of Religious Affairs, the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) has given conditional permission to women to perform Umrah without mehram, The News has reported.

    The detailed response from the CII states that Jafria, Maliki, and Shafi’i schools of thought allow women to perform Hajj or Umrah without a mehram while Hanbali and Hanafi schools of thought do not consider Hajj and Umrah an obligation for women if their mehram is not available.

    Last year in October, the Saudi government allowed women from across the world to perform Haj and Umrah without a male relative.

    The CII, however, has said the performance of Hajj for a woman without a mehram should be in the company of trustworthy women in a group. It also asserted that the Ministry of Religious Affairs should properly scrutinise a Haj group in which a woman wants to perform Haj without a Mehram.

  • Passport delivery delayed due to shortage of ‘lamination paper’

    Passport delivery delayed due to shortage of ‘lamination paper’

    People waiting for their new passports will have to wait a bit longer. The Directorate General of Immigration & Passport has reportedly run out of lamination papers for new passports.

    As per Samaa, sources have said that the relevant authorities did not take timely measures to ensure a sufficient supply of lamination paper. Last week, there was no improvement in the supply chain, and there is now a fear that the printing and delivery of new passports will be affected across the country.

    One of the immediate consequences of the lamination paper shortage is an expected increase in the duration of passport delivery. For instance, the delivery of passports with a normal fee will likely be extended to approximately one month. This delay poses significant challenges for applicants across the country, especially those with urgent travel plans.

    Despite the alleged non-availability of lamination paper, the passport department continues to accept new applications, further fueling concerns that the number of pending passports will surge due to printing problems.

    As of now, the passport department has not issued an official statement on the matter, leaving many in the dark about when the shortage of lamination paper will be resolved and how long the delays will persist.

    The shortage of lamination paper is causing substantial disruptions in passport issuance, and it is vital for the authorities to swiftly address this issue and keep the public informed about their efforts to resolve the problem. The impact of this situation on individuals urgently needing to travel for various reasons underscores the urgency of resolving the issue promptly to minimize inconvenience for applicants.

  • Passenger arrested for carrying Ihram towels soaked in heroin on flight

    Passenger arrested for carrying Ihram towels soaked in heroin on flight

    The Airport Security Force (ASF) has recovered Rs. 70 million worth of heroin in a raid from a passenger flying to Istanbul from Islamabad International Airport.

    The suspect, Imran, was travelling for Umrah when 5 kg and 448g of drugs were found on his person. He had soaked three Ihram towels with a solution of heroin.

  • CII grants conditional permission to women performing Hajj without a mehram

    CII grants conditional permission to women performing Hajj without a mehram

    The Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) on Wednesday gave conditional permission to women to perform Hajj without a mehram under certain conditions, a spokesperson for the body confirmed.

    Pakistan’s Ministry of Religious Affairs had sought the views of CII to determine whether or not women would be allowed to perform Hajj without a mehram (close-male relative) or male guardian.  

    In October 2022, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Hajj and Umrah, Dr. Tawfiq Al-Rabiah, announced that women all over the world would be able to perform Hajj and Umrah without a mehram or male guardian. The Ministry of Religious Affairs sought clarity on the matter from the CII.

    A CII spokesperson stated it is acceptable, citing the Islamic Jafri, Maliki and Shafi’i schools of thought, which state that women are permitted to perform Hajj without a mehram under Sharia law.

    The Council clarified that according to Hanafi and Hanbali fiqh, a woman is not obligated to perform Hajj if she does not have a mehram.

    However, the CII stressed the permission is dependent on certain conditions.

    What are the conditions?

    Firstly, a woman can only travel sans mehram if granted explicit permission by either her parents or husband. Secondly, if a group of women are to travel for Hajj together, the religious ministry is entitled to a thorough investigation to ensure the group is fit to embark on the pilgrimage.

    The CII spokesperson did note that if a woman wanted to solo travel for Hajj and Umrah, and she did not feel insecure while traveling, she had the right to go (of course dependent on her parents’/husband’s permission).

    Writer and former advisor to the Minister of Hajj, Faten Ibrahim Hussein, praised the new ruling. According to him, allowing women to perform Umrah without a mehram makes the pilgrimage more attainable, as many come from difficult social situations and may not find a mehram.

  • Nawaz isn’t coming back to Pakistan, leaving for London from Saudi

    Nawaz isn’t coming back to Pakistan, leaving for London from Saudi

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif has concluded his tour of Saudi Arabia and is set to return to London.

    The former Prime Minister, who was accompanied by his daughter and Senior Vice President of his party, Maryam Nawaz, will fly back to the British capital where he has been living since 2019 after leaving Pakistan for medical treatment. Maryam Nawaz, however, is expected to return home on Wednesday around midnight.

    Nawaz was in the Kingdom from April 11 on the invitation of the Saudi royal family. His meeting with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman made headlines back home, especially given that Maryam Nawaz was a part of it.

    During his stay, Nawaz also performed Umrah and also visited the Roza-e-Rasool (PBUH).

    Speculations were rife among political circles that Nawaz might come back to Pakistan after almost three years of living abroad. However, the Sharif family never confirmed the rumour.

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