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07 September 2010
Final phase of SR4.2 billion Jamarat Bridge project completed (SPA)
Tuesday, 10, November, 2009
Holy City of Makkah, 10/11/2009
The 5th and final phase of the SR 4,200 million Jamarat Bridge Project has been completed. This phase includes the fifth storey of the Bridge and is fully ready for utilization by Pilgrims during the current Hajj Season.
The entire multi-level project will be air-conditioned and the roof of the Fifth floor will be covered with advanced ready-tents during the next Hajj season, said Dr.Habeeb Zainalabedeen, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Municipalities and rural affairs.
The Bridge allows pebbles-throwing from the five levels of the Bridge. The ground (first) floor and second floor are allocated for pilgrims coming from the east of Mina; the Third floor is reserved for those coming from Makkah, Al Adl and Al Sheshah; The fourth floor, however, is for those coming from the north and also from Al Muaisem, the Eastern and western “Shebs”. The Fifth and top floor is for those coming from Al Azizeyah and camps located the south of Mina, he added.
The Bridge is 950 meters long and 80 meters wide. It consists of Five floors. A single floor is 12 meter high. The entire project is designed to hold as many as 12 stories and as much as five million pilgrims in the future if the need arises.
The project also included three tunnels and cover other construction works with the possibility of future development.
The project provides 12 entrances and 12 exits in all four directions. It has Helipad for facilitating landing of helicopters in an emergency.
It is incorporated with an air-conditioning system backed by water sprinklers that can reduce temperature to about 29 degrees.
A number of side projects that have also been accomplished included the re-organization of the Bridge premises and facilitating access to the bridge over the six directions, including three on the south and three others to the northern side. The Bridge areas have been organized in order to avoid over-crowding and control illegal sittings across the bridge on the paths of pilgrims.
The project will help to organize and allocate the appropriate places for services such as food and barbers shops" areas, toilets, medical and emergency services, civil defense forces and public security.
The Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) advanced monitoring technology facilities are installed in several locations and connected to the main operations room, which oversees the Bridge and the surrounding areas to monitor the situation in general and take appropriate action at the time of emergency.
The Saudi Ministry has lifted swine flu restrictions for Hajj.
Thursday, 24, September, 2009
Additional requirement for Vaccine for Hajj Pilgrims 2009. A new requirement for Hajj visas has been announced by the Ministry of Health in Saudi Arabia.
Incoming travellers for Hajj from all countries must now provide a valid certificate of vaccination against seasonal flu before acquiring a Hajj Visa.
This certificate should be at least two weeks old.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/8255612.stm
Source: Hajj Information – Hajj ministry
Telephone Problems 11 Aug
Tuesday, 11, August, 2009
We have been informed that as of 11am this morning (Tuesday 11 August 2009) there has been a problem with our BT exchange and we are receiving calls intermittently and of lower quality. BT engineers have been informed and are doing what they can to fix the problem urgently.
If you have any queries, or booking requests – please send us an email at “info @ whitejewel . com” either detailing the query or with your phone number and we will call you back insha’Allah.
We apologise for this inconvenience and we hope this situation is resolved shortly, insha’Allah.
New ‘impending’ Hajj Regulations
Tuesday, 11, August, 2009
In the last two weeks it has been declared that all Hajj operators must leave Madinah on the 5th Dhul Hijjah (22nd November) and obtain accommodation in Makkah for the 2 days prior to moving to Mina and Hajj.
Unfortunately for reputable Hajj operators, we book and pay for our hotels almost 12 months in advance and our hands are tied by last-minute decisions such as these by the Saudi Arabian Hajj Ministry. Although our itinerary has not changed in the last 5 years, this year we will be obliged to leave Madinah on all our packages on the 5th Dhul-Hijjah. We will make our way to Al-Aziziyyah, a district in Makkah, and stay there for a period of two nights before hajj. Standard package guests will also be there after hajj.
The accommodation will be basic yet functional and all rooms will be air-conditioned. This will give us all an opportunity to perform our Umrah before Hajj and prepare ourselves spiritually for the 5 days of Hajj to follow, insha’Allah. Please note that the number of people per room as per your booking applies in all places except during the stay in Al-Aziziyyah.
May Allah give us an accepted Hajj. Amin.
White Jewel Launch in USA and Canada
Thursday, 11, June, 2009
Due to popular demand, we are pleased to announce that alhamdu lillah we are now extending our services to the USA and Canada.
We are now taking bookings for Hajj this year from the USA and Canada.
As with our Hajj packages from the UK, we will be offering both Deluxe and Standard packages, with the same high-quality and exceptional services that our UK customers have become accustomed to.
You can book online now.
Book now as places are very limited. Early bird discounts available for a limited period only.
Hajj Bookings for 2009 Now Open – Early bird discounts
Friday, 20, March, 2009
We are please to announce that we are now taking bookings for Hajj 2009 packages. We are currently offering for a limited period only early bird discounts per person.Book now with a small deposit to secure your place and avoid disappointment (we were one of the first agencies to get fully booked last year).
Watch Prayers from Makkah and Madinah
Wednesday, 03, September, 2008
We will be regularly uploading videos of the Tarawih prayers from Makkah and Madinah inshaAllah.
Please click on the links below to watch the prayers:
Night 1 – 31 August 2008
Makkah – Sh Mahir and then Sh Sudais
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3.
Madinah – Sh Hudhayfi and then Sh Abdul-Muhsin Al-Qasim
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3.
Night 2 – 1 September 2008
Makkah – Sh Shuraim and then Sh Juhni
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3.
Madinah – Sh Aal Al-Shaikh and then Sh Budair
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3.
Night 3 – 2 September 2008
Makkah – Sh Mahir and then Sh Sudais
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3.
Madinah – Sh Hudhayfi and then Sh Abdul-Muhsin Al-Qasim
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3.
Night 4 – 3 September 2008
Makkah – Sh Shuraim and then Sh Juhni
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3.
Madinah – Sh Aal Al-Shaikh and then Sh Budair
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3.
Night 5 – 4 September 2008
Makkah – Sh Mahir and then Sh Sudais
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3.
Madinah – Sh Hudhayfi and then Sh Abdul-Muhsin Al-Qasim
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3.
Standard Package Quota Increased While Deluxe Package Full 2008
Monday, 01, September, 2008
We are pleased to confirm that our Deluxe Package is now fully booked and there are no spaces left. You will be able to register for our waiting list on the Deluxe Package from Tuesday 2 September 2008 inshaAllah.
Likewise, as announced previously, we are also fully booked on our initial quota on the Standard Package.
However, we are increasing the number of Standard Package places inshaAllah subject to availability. Nonetheless, we may not be open to the public. We will only contact customers who have paid their deposits on the waiting list. Your place will be confirmed within a few days subject to availability and on a first come, first served basis. Due to unprecedented demand, we would urge all those who want to go with us to book immediately on the waiting list.
Ramadan Mubarak
Sunday, 31, August, 2008
White Jewel would like to wish all our customers and indeed all of the Muslims Ramadan Mubarak.
May Allah make this month a blessed one in which we can all get closer to Him, have our sins all forgiven, and may He make this month a means for us to enter the highest levels of Jannah.
Amin
Imams in Makkah and Madinah During Ramadan
Saturday, 30, August, 2008
MAKKAH: Sheikh Saleh Bin Abdur-Raman Al-Hussayyin, chief of the Presidency of the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques, said that the Imams Dr. Abdur-Rahman Al-Sudais, Dr. Saud Al-Shuraim, Sheikh Abdullah Al-Juhni and Sheikh Maher Bin Hamad Al-Mu’aiqili will be leading the tarawih prayers this year in the Grand Mosque in Makkah inshaAllah.
Dr. Saleh Bin Humaid, the President of the Shura Council, will lead the Fajr prayers, Dr. Usama Bin Al-Khayyat, the Zuhr prayers, Dr. Khalid Bin Al-Ghamdi the Asr prayers and Sheikh Salih Aal-Talib the Isha prayers. This arrangement will continue for the whole month of Ramadan, Al-Hussayyin added.
Other news sources suggest that the Imams expected to lead the tarawih in Madinah this coming Ramadan are Sheikh Ali Al-Hudhaifi, Sheikh Abdul-Bari Al-Thubaiti, Sheikh Hussain Aal-Al-Sheikh and Sheikh Abdul Mohsin Al Qasim.
Renovated Sa’i Area to be Ready in Ramadan
Friday, 22, August, 2008
MAKKAH: The Presidency of the Two Holy Mosques is set to open the ground floor of the entire area between Safa and Marwah this Ramadan.
“The ground floor and the first phase of the first floor and second floor of the Sa’i area will be available for pilgrims in Ramadan to undertake the ritual running,†Muhammad Al-Khozaim, the vice president of the presidency, told Arab News yesterday.
Source: Adapted from Arab News
Standard Package Triple Rooms Fully Booked
Friday, 22, August, 2008
We are pleased to announce that all triple room places in the Standard Package are now full and our waiting list is also full.
In the Standard Package, we only have two more places left for one brother and one sister in quad rooms. Book now to confirm your place.
Standard Package Double Rooms Fully Booked
Wednesday, 20, August, 2008
We are pleased to announce that all double room places in the Standard Package are now full and our waiting list is also full.
We only have a few more places left for all other packages. Book now to confirm your place.
White Jewel Announces Islamic Holidays
Friday, 04, July, 2008
We are pleased to announce that we are now taking bookings for hotels in cities in Muslim countries all over the world.
Please call 08456 80 80 80 or email us at info@whitejewel.com for more information or to book.
Holy Cities Brace for Holiday Rush
Friday, 04, July, 2008
MAKKAH/MADINAH: With the start of the summer holidays in the Kingdom and the neighboring countries, huge numbers of people have begun flocking to Makkah and Madinah to perform Umrah and visit the Prophet’s Mosque.
As the summer holidays this year also include Ramadan, government departments in the two cities have made preparations for enormous numbers of pilgrims.
Markets in Makkah are already crowded, and most hotels and furnished apartments are fully booked. The problem with accommodation is compounded by the demolition of buildings in the eastern and northern side of the Grand Mosque to make way for an expansion of the courtyard surrounding the massive prayer complex.
“It has become very difficult to find accommodation in the central area of Makkah,†said one foreign pilgrim, adding that prices have gone up to astronomical levels.
Rooms at five star hotels for one week near the Grand Mosque now cost SR30,000. Despite the increase in charges, all five star hotels in the city are fully occupied.
A real estate expert told Arab News that there is a shortage of hotel rooms in the city, as many small hotels in the Jabal Omar, Shamiya, Gazza and Harrat Al-Bab areas have been razed.
Meanwhile, markets in the Otaibiya, Aziziya and Mansour areas are busy with shoppers buying gifts and souvenirs for friends and relatives back home.
Street vendors are also making a lot of money by selling readymade dresses and bric-a-bracs.
Security officers have been deployed all over the city to ensure a smooth flow of pilgrims and prevent traffic jams.
Madinah
The holy city of Madinah is also witnessing an increase in sales at shops, hotels and restaurants. Occupancy rate at hotels and residential apartments located near the Prophet’s Mosque has reached 97 percent.
The prices of residential units currently range from SR150 to SR500 per night; hotels are charging between SR350 and SR2,000 per night.
Adel Muhammad, who works for a hotel in the central area of Madinah, said prices at his hotel start from SR250 and go up to SR500 per night.
Muhammad Al-Harbi, the owner of a restaurant in Madinah, said he is employing a number of Saudis to meet the extra rush during the summer. “Sales have tripled in our restaurant since the beginning of the summer season,†he told Arab News.
Sales have also increased at jewelry shops in the city despite an increase in the price of gold.
Source: Arab News by Badea Abu Al-Naja
Phone Line Problems
Wednesday, 02, July, 2008
For the last few weeks we have been experiencing some intermittent problems with our telephone system. We believe that all problems have now been addressed and inshaAllah things are now back to normal.
We apologise if this has caused you any inconvenience.
Umrah Bookings Now Closed for 2008
Wednesday, 02, July, 2008
Due to excess demand, we have now completed all Umrah bookings and are no longer taking any more bookings for this year. We apologise for any inconveniences that this may have caused to any customers still wishing to book at this late stage.
Please note that we are still taking bookings for Hajj places for this year.
Hajj Bookings Now Open
Monday, 28, April, 2008
We are please to announce that we are now taking bookings for Hajj 2008 packages. Please note that due to the demolition of many hotels in Makkah, prices are continuing to increase. We may also have to increase our prices in turn. However, those who book now, will not be subject to any price increases.
Book now to secure your place. You can find details of our Hajj Packages below:
White Jewel Announces New Two-Week Deluxe Package
Monday, 28, April, 2008
Due to popular request, our Deluxe Package is now a ‘two-week’ package. This will give the opportunity to those who are working and unable to take more holidays to perform Hajj. We thank all who gave us feedback and request that you continue to show us your support.
Makkah rail project to take off by year-end
Tuesday, 25, March, 2008
The railway project connecting Makkah with Jeddah and Madinah is set to commence by the end of the year, Transport Minister Jabara Al-Seraisry said yesterday.
Speaking to Arab News on the sidelines of the Saudi International Ports & Maritime Transport Forum, which ends today, Al-Seraisry said: “Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah is greatly interested in the project, which aims at easing the heavy traffic between the two holy cities of Makkah and Madinah, particularly over the Haj and Ramadan seasons.â€
The Makkah-Madinah Rail Link Project, which covers a distance of 500 km at an estimated cost of SR20 billion, will be executed next year and will open for service soon thereafter, he added. Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah approved the high-speed electrified railway network in February this year.
Source: Arab News
Demolitions Begin to Make Room for More Worshippers
Wednesday, 12, March, 2008
JEDDAH, 12 March 2008 — Demolition of property to the north and northwest of the Grand Mosque in Makkah has begun to create more prayer space for a growing number of pilgrims and worshippers.
The new expansion project ordered by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah will add more than 300,000 square meters to the existing mosque complex and help accommodate 500,000 more worshippers.
As many as 1,000 properties in the Shamiya and Shubaika neighbourhoods will be demolished and the government has allocated SR6 billion in compensation for property owners.
The Saudi Electricity Company and Saudi Telecom Company have disconnected services to houses and hotels in those areas.
The Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs is supervising the project, considered the largest expansion in the mosque’s history. At present the mosque can accommodate more than a million worshippers.
“This is one of the largest development projects related to the Grand Mosque and will change the face of the holy city,†said Makkah Mayor Osama Al-Bar.
Al-Bar said pedestrian tunnels would be constructed linking the northern areas with the mosque’s new courtyard as part of the expansion.
The project has dramatically increased real estate prices in the central area of the holy city.
Al-Sharief Mansour Abu Rayash, chairman of the Real Estate Committee at the Makkah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said that the announcement of the expansion itself had resulted in prices increasing to SR250,000 per square meter in some areas. He expects prices to shoot up to SR1 million eventually.
Hani Al-Amri, a real estate analyst, said owners of hotels, furnished apartments and other properties in Shamiya, Marwah, Raquba and Jabal Al-Kaaba areas would demand high prices in compensation because of their proximity to the Grand Mosque. “This would in turn lead to increasing prices of real estate in the area,†he added.
Mohammed Shaker Al-Dahlawi, director of compensation at the Ministry of Transport, said those who purchase land in the area would be able to make huge profits by constructing multistory buildings.
Al-Dahlawi, however, pointed out that low-income people, including pilgrims, would find it difficult to get accommodation close to the Haram after the demolitions.
The project will cover an entire area starting from Masjid Al-Haram Street and Gazza on the east to Jabal Al-Kaaba Street and Shubaika Graveyard on the west. It will also run through Abu Sufyan Street, Raquba Street, Abdullah ibn Zubair Street, Jabal Hindi and Khaled ibn Walid Street reaching Jabal Kaaba Street.
Source: Arab News
New Contact Number
Wednesday, 09, April, 2008
We are pleased to inform you that our contact number has changed to:
08456 80 80 80
Please use this number for all enquiries relating to Umrah and Hajj.
New Imams in the Grand Masjid in Makkah
Tuesday, 08, January, 2008
Dr. Faisal Ghazzawi and Dr. Khaled al-Ghamdi have both been appointed as imams at the Grand Mosque in Makkah.
Dr. Khalid al-Ghamdi is a professor at Umm Al-Qura and Dr. Faisal Ghazzawi holds the post of Dean of the Qiraat Faculty at the same university.
Dr. Khalid bin Ali al-Ghamdi
Place of Birth: Makkah.
Date of birth: 1388 AH
College graduate: Usul Al-Din at Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah
Bachelors: Shariah (Islamic Law)
Masters: The Qur’an and Its Sciences
Previous experience:
(1) Imam of Masjid Amirah Shaykhah in Khalidiyyah
(2) In front of a mosque recording
(3) A member of the Advocacy Center to educate the pilgrims.
Dr. Faisal Jameel Hassan Ghazzawi
Assistant Professor and Chairman, Department of the Faculty of Qira’aat
Born 27-12-1385 AH
Masters: A chapter of the book explaining clarification of Jami’a Sahih
PhD: Presentation of qira’aat and its impact on interpretation.
Provisional Hajj Packages Released
Saturday, 22, March, 2008
We are pleased to inform you that we have released provisional hotels, prices and itineraries for this year’s Hajj 1429AH, corresponding to 2008CE.
Like previous years, we have two packages: a Deluxe 5 Star Package and a Standard 3 Star Package. More details can be obtained by clicking on the Hajj menus at the top of this page.
Please note that we will be taking bookings for Hajj shortly inshaAllah. If you would like more information, or would like to be informed when we begin taking bookings for Hajj this year, please subscribe to our mailing list from the homepage.
New White Jewel Website Launched
Saturday, 22, March, 2008
Welcome to our new website. We have totally revamped our site to make it look nicer and easier to navigate. The work is continuously in development and we hope to introduce new features on our site as time goes on inshaAllah.
Please have a look at our new Custom Made Umrah Package page, which gives you an instant quotation for accommodation in many hotels in Makkah, Madinah and Jeddah. It also allows you to select transport between the cities as well as ziyarat (sight-seeing) trips in Makkah and Madinah.
We hope you like the site. Please do give us your feedback, if you have any, by emailing us at info@whitejewel.com.
Umrah Season Officially Open
Monday, 17, March, 2008
We are pleased to announce that the Saudi Authorities have opened the Umrah Visa system effective 17 March 2008.
Please allow a minimum of two to three weeks for Visa processing by the Saudi
Embassy. The Saudi Embassy has stated that it will only accept passports for
submission on a Monday or Tuesday.
There have been major delays in the embassy and they are even working Saturdays to turn around visas, we ask customers to be patient in this period as there is nothing we can do if passports are returned later than expected. Although we try our utmost in order to get your passports cleared in the allotted time.
Delays to the season opening by over a month have been attributed to a new construction plan on the Shaamiyah side of the Grand Mosque and new regulations for Umrah this season, the backlog has lead to a huge build up of passports all wishing to travel early in the season.