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.
| وزارة الحج والعمرة MOH / MHU | |
 | |
_(cropped).jpg) Tawfig Al-Rabiah, the current Minister of Hajj and Umrah since 2021 | |
| Government ministry overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | 1945 |
| Jurisdiction | Government of Saudi Arabia |
| Headquarters | Mecca, Saudi Arabia |
| Minister responsible |
|
| Website | Official 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
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]
See also
References
External links
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