Pilgrims descend on Mecca for ‘smart hajj’

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Two million Muslims gather in Saudi Arabia this week for the hajj as the annual pilgrimage becomes increasingly hi-tech with apps to help the faithful navigate Islam’s holiest sites.

This year the hajj comes with the ultra-conservative kingdom witnessing an unprecedented pace of change, finally ending a ban on women driving while remaining firm in the face of any dissent.

One of the five pillars of the world’s fastest-growing religion, the hajj is expected to draw two million people from around the globe this year.

By Thursday, more than 1.6 million people had already arrived in Saudi Arabia for the pilgrimage, which runs from Sunday to Friday.
Thousands could be seen arriving in Mecca, with groups from different countries wearing distinct colours to set them apart.

Some pilgrims pushed their elderly relatives on wheelchairs while others stopped to call family members back home on video chat or buy ice cream as temperatures soared above 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit).

For many, it is their first time away from home.
Every Muslim is required to complete the hajj at least once in their lifetime if they have the means to do so.

– ‘Smart hajj’ –
Many were visibly moved to be so close to Islam’s holiest site — the Kaaba, a black masonry cube in the centre of Mecca’s Grand Mosque.

"I feel as light as a feather,” said Senegalese Fame Diouf, who travelled from Amsterdam. Laughing, she recounted the story of how she couldn’t stop crying near the Kaaba.

“This was my dream from childhood,” said Raja Amjad Hussein, who made the trip to Mecca from Pakistan.



“I can’t explain. I have no words,” the 40-year-old told AFP.
“For many Muslims this is the big, the biggest, dream of life, to see Kaaba and pray for yourself and the whole Muslim nation.”

No matter their race or nationality, for every pilgrim hajj begins with “ihram”, the donning of an all-white outfit.
For men, this is a seamless tunic worn over baggy pants; for women, a loose dress with only the face and hands exposed.

Pilgrims then perform rituals around the Kaaba and on the Mount Arafat plain east of Mecca.
The hajj ends with Eid al-Adha, a three-day feast which starts with the “stoning of the devil”.
Eid al-Adha also includes the slaughter of sheep, with the meat distributed to Muslims in need. The ritual symbolises Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son, Ishmael, on the order of God.

The hajj presents the Saudi authorities with major logistical challenges.
The Pew Research Center says the number of Muslims in the world is expected to rise from 1.8 billion in 2015 to three billion in 2060.

This year, the Saudis have launched a “smart hajj” initiative, with apps to help pilgrims with everything from travel plans to medical care.

Asefny, for example, is an app launched by Saudi Arabia’s Red Crescent to help pilgrims request emergency medical attention.
Authorities are able to locate those in need through the app.

The Saudi hajj ministry also runs the Manasikana app, which provides translation for pilgrims who do not speak Arabic or English.
(AFP)

AgegePulse Magazine

Policemen extort N100,000 from building contractor through POS

Oluwatosin Omojuyigbe

Some policemen attached to the Anti-Kidnapping Unit of the Edo State Police Command, have been accused of extorting N100,000  from a building contractor, Emmanuel Alabede.

The operatives allegedly collected the money using Point Of Sale (POS) machine after threatening to kill him if he failed to give the bribe.

PUNCH Metro learnt that Alabede was travelling from Ibadan to Abuja when the car he was travelling in was stopped by the cops on the Ibilo-Okene Expressway and the bags of the occupants of the car were searched.

Alabede said the operatives told him to give them his mobile phone but he declined, telling them to state what his offence was.

Twenty eight year-old  Alabede, who said that the operatives raised their voice and threatened to kill him, added that he eventually released his phone to them.

He said, “They searched my phone but they found nothing incriminating; all they saw were pictures of uncompleted buildings. They asked me if the buildings belonged to me and I told them that they were not mine but they belonged to my clients.

“They said I was lying and accused me of being an Internet fraudster but I told them I was not and showed them my ID card and my company’s card, but they did not release me.

“While they were with my phone, a notification of alert of over N200,000 popped up on my phone from a client and they said they were going to collect the N200,000 from me.

“I told them that the money was not for me; that it was for a client that wanted me to work on his building, but they told me that if I didn’t give them the money they would kill me and nobody would hold them responsible.”

Alabede said when he refused to give the cops the bribe demanded, they told the driver of the car he was travelling in to go.

The Oyo State indigene added that he had to cooperate with the operatives to save his life.

He said, “I told them that I could not give them the whole money but I can give them part of it; so they told me that they would not collect anything less than N100,000 from me.

“They took me to a POS operator and I made a transfer of N100,000 to the operator  who charged N2,500 for the transaction and gave the cops N97,500.”

Alabede further stated that the operatives who were in their uniform when stopped his car, changed to mufti when they were going to the POS operator’s stand.

 He said he reported to the police helpline (0805700000) immediately he left the scene but was rebuked by the person that picked the call for not calling when he was with the cops.

Punch