Following the sighting of the crescent moon of Dhu Al-Hijjah, it has been officially confirmed by the Saudi Supreme Court that Hajj will begin on Friday 9 August, pilgrims will spend the day on the plains of Mount Arafat on Saturday 10 August, and Eid Al-Adha will start on Sunday 11 August.
In Kuwait, according to the Civil Service Commission (CSC) since Saturday 10 August will be Arafat Day, the Eid Al-Adha holidays will be from Sunday to Tuesday (11 to 13 of August). Accordingly, Wednesday, 14 August will be the first working day after the holidays.
Meanwhile, it was announced by the Saudi General Directorate of Passports that as of Wednesday, 31 July, a total of 1,249,951 Hajj pilgrims had arrived in the Kingdom for the pilgrimage.
This year many pilgrims have chosen to arrive in the country through the more efficient ‘Makkah Route’ initiative. Pilgrims from Pakistan, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Malaysia and Tunisia have been arriving in Saudi Arabia as part of the first batch to use this channel. Launched last year, the Makkah Route initiative includes processing of requirements for Hajj pilgrims such as issuance of visas, ensuring compliance with health requirements, and codifying and sorting luggage at airports in the pilgrims’ own countries.
Pilgrims who get cleared through the program can bypass the procedures upon arrival in Saudi Arabia and head directly to buses waiting to transport them to accommodations in Makkah and Madinah, thus easing congestion at airports. Service authorities then deliver pilgrims’ luggage to their accommodation in the holy cities.
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