Saudi offers foreign muslim journalists aerial view of sacred places in Makka

 Saudi authorities had offered opportunities for international muslim journalists who had a glimpse of the aerial view of sacred places in Makka and environs ahead of the commencement of this year’s holy pilgrimage.  More than three million Muslims from across the world are expected to take part in this year’s pilgrimage which would reach its […]

 Saudi authorities had offered opportunities for international muslim journalists who had a glimpse of the aerial view of sacred places in Makka and environs ahead of the commencement of this year’s holy pilgrimage. 

More than three million Muslims from across the world are expected to take part in this year’s pilgrimage which would reach its peak on Monday, August 20, at the vast plain of Arafat. 

Select foreign journalists including this reporter have been invited by the Kingdom’s Ministry of Media to cover this year’s hajj. 

At the instance of Saudi General Security Aviation Command, the journalists on Wednesday boarded a helicopter for an aerial view of various spiritual sites where multi billion dollar expansion programs had been carried out. 

The Saudi Kingdom had also invested heavily in security architecture around sacred places as it continued with ongoing improvements in Makkah and the Mosque of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) in Madinah. 

The flight which lasted 40-minutes took the pressmen round the Arafat, Muzdalifah, Mina and the Holy Mosque of Masjid Al-Haram where hundreds of bridges, underpass, tunnels, railways and dual carriage ways had been completed. 

Gen. Khalid who briefed us during aerial view said the Kingdom attaches preference to the safety of every pilgrim more than any other thing. 

The Masjid Al-Haram which houses the Ka’aba now has the capacity to accommodate 1.8 million worshippers at a time; while nearly 3 million would be accommodated on completion. 

There are 210 gates and doors that lead to the mosque; more than 250 security cameras and hundreds of air conditioners, restrooms, ablution areas and other conveniences. 

On Sunday, August 19, all prospective pilgrims would move to Muna, a huge city dotted with thousands of air conditioned tents where they would pass the night for onward movement to the plain of Arafat on Monday. 

The pilgrims would move to Musdalipha towards the evening of Sunday where they would pass the night ahead of the commencement of stoning of the devil, the sacrifice of animals and other rituals on Monday.