The Saudi Ministry of Hajj announced on Sunday the arrival of the first flight of pilgrims this year, and the news received interaction on social media.
The ministry led – in a tweet through its verified account on Twitter – the arrival of the first flight of pilgrims in 1444 AH and attached a set of pictures of pilgrims dressed in white amid joy on their faces.
The arrival of the first flight of pilgrims 1444 AH 🕋 #أذن_بالناس #مكة_والمدينة_في_انتظاركم_بشوق pic.twitter.com/ytvZdyuKf3
— Ministry of Hajj and Umrah (@HajMinistry) May 21, 2023
The Saudi Press Agency explained that the first flights of pilgrims benefiting from the "Makkah Road" initiative in Bangladesh arrived on Sunday at King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah from the initiative hall at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in the capital, Dhaka.
It is noteworthy that the Makkah Road initiative is one of the initiatives of the Ministry of Interior, and aims to end the procedures of pilgrims from their countries, so that they reach their place of residence immediately after their arrival in the Kingdom.
﴿And he authorized people to go on pilgrimage, men will come to you, and on every atrophy they will come from every deep hole﴾
Under the slogan #أذن_بالناس, the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah launches the media identity for the Hijri #حج_1444 season.#مكة_والمدينة_في_انتظاركم_بشوق pic.twitter.com/JjOzIeBWeA
— Ministry of Hajj and Umrah (@HajMinistry) May 21, 2023
In a related context, the Ministry of Hajj announced the launch of the media identity for this year's Hajj season under the slogan #أذن_بالناس, in reference to the words of God Almighty, "And authorized people to go Hajj, men will come to you, and on every atrophy they will come from every deep hole."
Under the announcement of this launch, she wrote on her Twitter account, a hashtag (hashtag) #مكة_والمدينة_في_انتظاركم_بشوق.
Welcome to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia 🇸🇦
The arrival of the first pioneers of pilgrims for the year 1444 AH, amid an integrated system that works on their comfort during the performance of their rituals.#أذن_بالناس #مكة_والمدينة_في_انتظاركم_بشوق pic.twitter.com/JfscDNZRFL
— Abdel Fattah Mashat (@asmashat) May 21, 2023
On the ninth of February, Minister of Hajj and Umrah Tawfiq Al-Rabiah announced during a press conference that his country expects to host more than two million pilgrims during the 2023 Hajj season.
On his Twitter account, Al-Rabiah said: "Welcome to the guests of Rahman, with the beginning of the month of Dhu al-Qi'dah, we receive the first vanguards of pilgrims for the year 1444 AH, may God accept from us and from you the benefit of business," and attached the tweet with two pictures of the first arrivals.
﴿And he authorized people to go on pilgrimage, men will come to you, and on every atrophy they will come from every deep abyss.
Welcome to the guests of Rahman, with the beginning of the month of Dhu al-Qi'dah, we receive the first pioneers of pilgrims for the year 1444 AH.
May God accept from us and you the good deeds 🤲🏻 #أذن_بالناس #مكة_والمدينة_في_انتظاركم_بشوق pic.twitter.com/Y8LO8xBSZr
— Tawfiq Al-Rabiah (@tfrabiah) May 21, 2023
For his part, the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah for Visit Affairs in Medina, Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman Al-Bijawi, said, "Labbayk, Oh God, Labbayk, welcome to the guests of the Most Merciful, visitors to the Prophet's Mosque, may God accept from you, and help us all to serve you."
(Labbaik Allah Labbayk)
Welcome to the guests of the Most Merciful, visitors to the Prophet's Mosque, may God accept from you and grant us all success to serve you.#حج_1444 #مكة_والمدينة_في_انتظاركم_بشوق pic.twitter.com/LsAB8eQ9mn
— Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Bijawi (@m_bejawi) May 21, 2023
COVID-19 restrictions lifted
It is noteworthy that the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia said, at the beginning of this year, that the Kingdom will cancel Covid-19 restrictions in the 2023 Hajj season, and will host numbers of pilgrims comparable to what it was before the spread of the pandemic, pointing out that the Kingdom will not impose any restrictions, including age requirements, this season.
Over the years, the kingdom has spent billions of dollars to make pilgrimage venues, home to one of the world's largest religious gatherings, safer.
A Saudi plan aims to increase Umrah and Hajj capacity to 30 million people a year and generate revenues of 50 billion riyals ($13.32 billion) by 2030.
About 19 million Muslims performed Umrah annually before the pandemic.