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British Muslims express delight towards the inauguration of the Hajj exhibition by Prince Charles

The British Muslim community expresses its heartiest gratitude and delight towards the Hajj Exhibition "Journey to the heart of Islam" organised by the British Museum in London with the cooperation and help of Government of Saudi Arabia.

The Association of British Hujjaj (Pilgrims) UK, a national Hajj/Umrah specific organisation, working for the welfare and wellbeing of British Pilgrims stresses that there was a pressing need in UK and Europe to shed light on Hajj Pilgrimage, a pillar of Islam. This Hajj exhibition of its kind in Europe offers the opportunity to Muslims and non-Muslims alike to see and understand this spiritual journey that is part of the Muslim faith.

This exhibition was officially opened in a prestigious event at the British Museum London by Prince Charles and Prince Abdulaziz bin Abdulla deputy minister of foreign affairs in Saudi Arabia. British Government ministers, ambassadors of Muslim countries, and dignitaries from all walks of life were also present at the event.
In his inauguration speech, Prince Charles highlighted the importance of Hajj Pilgrimage for Muslims and paid a tribute to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdulla bin Abdulaziz and the Government of Saudi Arabia in providing hospitality to over 3 million Pilgrims each year during Hajj.

In his welcome speech, Prince Abdulaziz bin Abdulla, deputy foreign minister of Saudi Arabia, said that "Saudi Arabia is proud to participate in this event. It hosts the largest annual gathering for peace, goodness and devotion to God the creator. Since its foundation, Saudi Arabia has been honoured by the service of the two Holy Mosques, the pilgrims, and religious visitors; hence, its participation in this cultural event comes to highlight the humanitarian aspects of the Hajj journey and to display in this museum the rare objects and artefacts as living evidences of the humanitarian values from diverse Muslim cultures and civilizations."

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New Saudi Arabia Hajj Minister urged to adopt a zero tolerance policy

The Association of British Hujjaj (Pilgrims) UK (ABH); a National Hajj specific organisation working for the welfare and wellbeing of Hajj and Umrah pilgrims welcomes the appointment of Dr. Bandar bin Mohammed bin Hamza Asaad Al-Hajjar as the new Saudi Arabia Hajj Minister. The Association of British Hujjaj (Pilgrims) UK congratulates the Minister for taking this prestigious responsibility. The Association also appreciates the hard work and efforts which are being made by the Custodian of the two Holy Mosques and the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to facilitate Hajj/Umrah arrangements for the guests of Allah (SWT).

However, Association of British Hujjaj (Pilgrims) UK expresses its extreme concern that a vast majority of the pilgrims around the world are suffering from extreme hardship, difficulties, mental anguish, and financial exploitation at the hands of some Hajj/Umrah service providers including airlines and the hotel industry.

It is a disgrace that these service providers are preying on vulnerable pilgrims including sick, elderly, and women cheating and charging them at extortionate and unjustified prices for the Hajj & Umrah packages, which is a total rip-off compared to travel packages to other destinations around the world, in view that many pilgrims are likely to have spent their life-savings to fulfil their desires and wishes to perform their religious obligation.

The situation had got to such a point that stern action had to be taken by the British Crown Court, in its milestone judgement, sentencing a Hajj/Umrah tour operator to jail for deception and exploitation of Hajj/Umrah Pilgrims in December 2011. Therefore, The Association of British Hujjaj (Pilgrims) UK strongly urges the new Hajj Minister Dr. Bandar bin Mohammed should also adopt a zero tolerance policy to crack down on those who are responsible for this growing culture of deception and immoral practices in the Hajj & Umrah service provider industry. This will ensure the welfare and wellbeing of millions of pilgrims from around the world in order to allow them to perform their religious obligation in peace and harmony. 

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British Muslim Community welcomes milestone judgement by Crown Court

Association of British Hujjaj (Pilgrims) UK, a National Charity working for the welfare and wellbeing of British Hajj/Umrah travellers has welcomed an important and landmark court judgement by sending travel agent, Chowdhury Haffiz Ahmed to jail for 15 months after he ripped off a family of prospective Hajj Pilgrims who paid 10,000 for their 5-star accommodation, food, and direct flights package but he failed to provide the promised services to the family.

Every year, over 125,000 British Muslims travel to Saudi Arabia to perform Hajj and Umrah. However, a large number of these travellers including disabled, sick, and elderly have been experiencing extreme hardship and difficulties over the past 30 years due to fraudulent, illegal activities, and the inhumane and degrading treatment from a number of unscrupulous and rogue Hajj/Umrah Tour and Travel Operators. The Muslim Community was angry and frustrated due to lack of a decisive action taken by the relevant law enforcement authorities to address this issue.

This outcry caused Association of British Hujjaj (Pilgrims) UK to organise a vigorous campaign to highlight the plight of vulnerable British Hajj/Umrah travellers and violation of the Package Tour and Travel Regulations (PTRs) 1992. This violation has become a common practice amongst a substantial number of Tour and Travel Operators.

The Muslim Community welcomes this milestone judgement which has condemned the exploitation of vulnerable Hajj/Umrah travellers by the Crown Court. While sentencing the tour operator, the judge commented:

“There was a gross dereliction of his obligations as a Travel Operator.  He induced Mr Noori to pay 10,000 in the belief he would receive 4 and 5 star accommodation close to the place of worship and direct flights. He only made cheap and shabby arrangements. The Noori family ended up not with direct flights but at the last moment found there was an overnight stopover.”

“Instead of luxury accommodation they had to stay in a 'cockroach infested hovel'.  The whole package could not have been more different to what they had expected.  Mr Ahmad made no attempt to help them and neither did the tour guide.  The Noori family were placed in dangerous and insanitary conditions. He falsely claimed to have ATOL and AITA. He failed to provide the information required by the Regulations.  He even tried to blame Mr Noori for some of the problems.”

Association of British Hujjaj (Pilgrims) UK, on behalf of the Muslim Community highly commends the hard work and efforts made by the Birmingham Trading Standards for achieving a successful conviction in the Chowdhury Haffiz Ahmed case. This has sent a strong message to other Tour and Travel Operators and will ensure rule of law is adhered to in the future.

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Kingdom of Saudi Arabia commended for their efforts to ensure a safer Hajj

Association of British Hujjaj (Pilgrims) UK, a National Hajj/Umrah specific Organisation, working for the welfare and wellbeing of Hajj/Umrah Pilgrims, congratulates King Abdullah, the custodian of the two Holy Mosques and the Government of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for all their efforts to ensure the safety and welfare of Guests of Allah SWT during this year’s Hajj.

Association of British Hujjaj (Pilgrims) UK specifically praises the Health Minister, Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah and his Departments for their hard work to prevent the outbreak of any infectious diseases amongst Pilgrims, making this year’s Hajj a great success.

The Hajj/Umrah Pilgrims are always at greater health risks of contracting infectious diseases while they are amongst huge crowds of people who converge from all over the world. Pilgrims in the past experienced significant difficulties and problems due to ignorance, lack of awareness of pre-travel Health and Safety precautions and lack of understanding the needs of good preparation for the journey to perform Hajj/Umrah.

It is vital that Kingdom of Saudi Arabia should encourage all relevant Governments worldwide to take the Hajj/Umrah Pilgrimage seriously to help and protect their prospective Pilgrims from hardship, difficulties, and to prevent loss of innocent human lives. They must make every effort to promote the culture of pre-travel Health and Safety awareness to enable the Pilgrims to perform the Hajj/Umrah in the safest and best possible manner.

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British Muslims extend their congratulations to Ummah and Pilgrims on a safe Hajj

The Association of British Hujjaj (Pilgrims) UK (ABH), a National Hajj specific organisation working for the welfare and wellbeing of Hajj and Umrah pilgrims, congratulates the Muslim Ummah and millions of pilgrims from all over the world on performing a safe Hajj this year. The Muslim community expresses its delight and satisfaction that there have been no major incidents or tragedies reported during this year’s Hajj. The communicable diseases can be transmitted through direct person-to-person contact with droplets of nasal or throat secretions of infected individuals. Close and prolonged contact (e.g. sneezing and coughing on someone, etc.) facilitates the spread of infection.

The Health experts also reminded the prospective British Hajj pilgrims that they must take meningitis threat seriously. Over 20 British Hajj returnees have lost their lives due to the meningitis outbreak in the recent past. The most common symptoms specifically for meningitis are stiff neck, high fever, sensitivity to light, confusion, headaches and vomiting. Therefore, it is vital that all prospective pilgrims must get 'quadrivalent meningococcal' vaccine (ACWY) before leaving for Saudi Arabia. A valid certificate of meningitis vaccine from the doctor is required by the Saudi authorities.

The health experts specifically reminded the pilgrims with diabetes about the high risk of hypoglycaemia (low blood glucose) due to the extremely excessive physical activities being undertaken amongst a large crowded environment. Therefore it is crucial that diabetic people must visit their doctor for a pre-travel consultation and medical examination to make sure that their diabetes is well controlled. They need to protect themselves from the sun, dehydration, exhaustion, foot problems, respiratory and bronchial illness. Travellers on medication should take an adequate supply of medicines with them, accompanied by their doctor’s note describing the medicine and their medical history.

Some barbers around the Holy places pose a risk of spreading diseases, such as Hepatitis and other blood borne pathogens by using the same razors repeatedly. The health experts also warned pilgrims to be aware of the risk of using the services provided by these barbers and they must insist that the barbers use disposable razors to shave.

"Protect yourself and your family; don't ruin your journey with illnesses. Make the most out of this life time experience," said the Health experts from Association of British Hujjaj (Pilgrims) UK.

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Last Minute Health Warning to Hajj Pilgrims

The health experts from Association of British Hujjaj (Pilgrims) a National Hajj specific organisation in the UK has issued a last minute warning to prospective British Hajj pilgrims that they must safeguard their health against the risk of communicable diseases due to over crowding at ceremonies, accommodation sites and public transports during Hajj pilgrimage. “All the credit goes to King Abdullah, The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for all their hard work and providing the highest level of services to ensure the safety and welfare of the Guests of Allah (SWT).”, said Khalid Pervez, General Secretary of ABH.

In the past, the pilgrims had been suffering from significant difficulties and hardships due to ignorance and lack of awareness of pre-travel Health & Safety precautions. They were also not fully aware about the importance of good preparation for the journey to perform the safest Hajj & Umrah in the best possible manner.

It is vital that all concerned countries must take appropriate action towards the welfare and wellbeing of the pilgrims and make every effort to promote an awareness culture amongst their prospective pilgrims. Lessons must be learned from past experiences and training programs should be made mandatory for these prospective pilgrims to perform a safe Hajj & Umrah.

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Hajj Seminar to raise awareness of Health

The Association of British Hujjaj (Pilgrims) UK a National Hajj/Umrah specific organisation held a Hajj Seminar to raise awareness about Health & Safety issues amongst prospective British Hajj pilgrims to enable them to perform Hajj in safest and in the best possible manner.

Every year, over 25,000 British Hajj Pilgrims travel to Saudi Arabia and a substantial number of these pilgrims suffer hardship and difficulties’ including the tragic loss of human lives as a result of stampedes, traffic accidents and outbreaks of Meningitis and other infectious diseases.

The British Parliamentarians including Lord Phil Hunt, Deputy Leader of the House of Lords, Steve McCabe MP, John Hemming MP during their address at this event, assured their help and support to the prospective pilgrims. They further went on to say that “so much progress has been made due to the Association British Hujjaj and the tremendous work it has done toward the welfare and well being of British Hajj/Umrah Pilgrims.

They also expressed their outrageous that on what should be a profoundly significant event in anyone’s life going on pilgrimage, should be undermined by a small minority of unscrupulous Hajj tour & travel operators.

The Chairmen’s of Community Safety and Public Protection committee of Birmingham City Council, Councillor Barrister Ayoub Khan, Councillor Neil Eustace, including the Senior Trading Standards officers, Vir Ahluwalia and Mohammad Tariq strongly condemned unscrupulous and rogue tour and travel operators. They issued a strong warning to those operators that authorities are ready to take decisive actions against them to help and protect innocent Hajj/Umrah Pilgrims from exploitation. They also strongly urged the pilgrims that if they have any complaints then they must not suffer in silence but to report it to the authorities.

The Senior doctors from Association British Hujjaj Pilgrims UK, Dr Rashid Bhatti and Dr Sayed Raza Hussain have warned all prospective pilgrims that they must safeguard against the additional risks to their health such as Meningitis, Hepatitis and other communicable diseases due to the over crowding at the ceremonies, accommodation sites and public transport during Hajj.

“The Religious Scholars Jameel Shair Khan Al Umary and Aftab Parwaz enlighten the prospective Hajj Pilgrims how to perform Hajj ritual according to Quran & Sunnah. Khalid Pervez General Secretary advised the pilgrims about necessary safety precautions they must take to avoid hardship and difficulties during Hajj. He also conveyed the Foreign office Minister Jermy Brown’s message in which the Minister assured Government’s support to the British Pilgrims and said if any pilgrims require assistance during Hajj then they should contact British Hajj Consular Delegation at the Elaf Al Khalil Hotel, Ibrahim Al Khaleel Street in Makkah.

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Hajj Health and Safety awareness week launched at House of Lords

Lord Nazir Ahmed has called upon both British and Saudi governments to take steps to ensure health and safety of Hajj pilgrims and repeated his demand for sending a Hajj delegation to Saudi Arabia on the eve of Hajj this year.

He was speaking at the launching of Hajj and Umrah Health and Safety awareness week at the House of Lords held under the auspices of Association of British Hajjis UK the other day. He said during the tenure of Labour government a doctors’ delegation was sent at the government’s expenses but due to budget cuts the government has not yet announced to send such a delegation this year while the health and safety of Hajjis is the responsibility of the government.

He said Hajj delegation would have saved hundreds of thousands of pounds of the NHS while it would have contributed towards communal harmony as well. He reminded that health advice issued by the Saudi government for vaccination and other necessary precautions should be strictly followed. This orientation week would ensure necessary information to those departing on this great sacred journey he said and suggested that such programmes should also be introduced in all mosques across the UK.

Lord Nazir noted that Saudi Arab is a leading oil producer but the condition of bathrooms there is very substandard. During the last ten days of Ramadan and Hajj hotel and other service charges shoot up tremendously. This needs to be checked and controlled so that the low income group could also perform this religious obligation. He said some people get Hajj booking without proper thinking because of which the Hajj tour operators charge them higher rates.

He advised the people not to be impressed by colourful advertisements and be careful of bogus tour operators and travel agents.

Deputy leader in the House of Lords, Lord Phil Hunt said that the Hajj delegation also sent a positive message to other communities too and it is deplorable that decision has not been taken about it as yet as the Hajjis would be facing problems in its absence. Referring to the orientation programme, he said that the ABH has done commendable work as it has benefitted thousands of people in performing this religious obligation with content.

MP John Hemming MP said although the government has been facing financial problems yet sending of Hajj delegation is necessary in view of the health and safety of the pilgrims.

MP Anas Sarwar said the Hajjis should embark upon their journey with full preparation.

MP Yasmin Qureshi said that earlier, Hajjis suffered problems such as stampede and falling on the ground in throwing stones at Satans but such incident have become very rare thanks to measures taken by the Saudi government. Referring to the price hike she said that it seemed that now only well off could be able to perform Hajj. There is a lot of difference in meningitis inoculation charges she lamented and asked to address these points. She called for launching a campaign to restore Hajj delegation.

General Secretary ABH Khalid Pervez said that his organisation has been looking after the interest of Hajjis since 1998 and arranging seminars and conferences and distributing pamphlets and leaflets to guide the intending pilgrims round the year. During the tenure of Labour government sending of Hajj delegation was started thanks to the efforts made by his organization which is now struggling to resume this practice once again. Besides, it has filed a petition with the cooperation of Lord Nazir, Lord Bent and others to save Hajjis from the clutches of bogus tour operators.

Dr Rashid Bhatti said around 25000 Hajjis from the UK would perform Hajj this year and advised the TB and Hepatitis patients intending to perform Hajj should complete their treatment before leaving so that other people could not catch these diseases from them. He also laid stress on them to get themselves vaccinated for meningitis, flue and hepatitis B. Those suffering from some heart disease or diabetes should get their complete check up and keep necessary medicines with them. It is necessary to carry out physical exercise 10 days before running between Safa and Marwa he advised. They should take care of personal cleanliness and hygiene and use balanced food.

Dr Syed Raza Hussain said that meningitis is a lethal diseases that had taken lives of 20 Hajjis last year, therefore the Hajjis should get their complete medical check so that if found suffering from any such disease they could timely treatment.

Consul General for Pakistan in Birmingham Dr Saeed Khan also addressed the function. Nazir Ali of Trading Standard Service Centre at Tower Hemlet borough spoke on consumers and traders’ duties and responsibilities. Batool Al-Toma from New Muslim Project spoke on women and Hajj. Qaisra M. Khan briefed about an exhibition to be held in January under the auspices of British Museum. Dr Shabana Subhan Begum presented her research paper over Hajj to Lord Nazir Ahmed. Earlier, plank of the Hajj and Umrah Health and Safety week was unveiled. Community services awards were given to Sheikh Sarbuland and Dr. Mozammel Haque. Chair of the organization Javed Aziz thanked the participants while Mr. Ibrahim -First Secretary, Saudi Embassy London was also attended the launch.

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British Hajj Pilgrims assured of Government support by the Foreign Office Minister

The National Hajj and Umrah (Health & Safety) awareness week was launched yesterday at the House of Lords by the Association of British Hujjaj (Pilgrims) UK (ABH). The purpose of this launch was to raise awareness of the health & safety issues amongst the 25,000 prospective British pilgrims who will start travelling soon to join over 2 million other pilgrims in Makkah to perform Hajj. Members of the House of Lords, Members of Parliament, Government officials, Diplomats and community dignitaries were present to support this prestigious launch event.

The Foreign Office Minister Jeremy Browne MP, in his message at this occasion said, "I wanted to extend my support and endorse the work that the Association of British Hujjaj UK does in helping prepare pilgrims for Hajj. This event provides an excellent opportunity to inform British pilgrims of the health and safety issues and precautionary measures to take, ensuring that what will be the journey of a lifetime is a safe and fulfilling one." He also outlined his plans to provide necessary comfort to British pilgrims, he stated, "the delegation will be on hand to provide consular assistance to any British pilgrim who requires help. I wish all those undertaking Hajj this year a peaceful, successful and rewarding pilgrimage".

In his welcoming remarks, Lord Ahmed of Rotherham went on to highlight the importance of this event, saying, "by launching this awareness week will enhance Hajj related health & safety awareness amongst British pilgrims. It is important that pilgrims must be aware of all aspects of Hajj to enable them to perform Hajj in the safest and best possible manner". He also praised the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for providing admirable facilitates for pilgrims.

Lord Phil Hunt (Deputy Leader House of Lords) praised the hard work and continuous efforts made by the Association of British Hujjaj (Pilgrims) U.K. to help and protect the British Hajj pilgrims from hardship, difficulties and he assured his full support towards this noble and humanitarian cause.

Members of the House of Parliament, John Hemming, Anas Sarwar, Yasmin Qureshi, also assured their help and support towards the prospective Hajj pilgrims and stressed the importance of the awareness of health & safety and other issues related to performing hajj amongst pilgrims and urged the relevant government departments to provide help and assistance to them.

Senior doctors from Association British Hujjaj (Pilgrims) U.K., Dr. Syed Raza Hussain and Dr. Rashid Bhatti strongly urged the prospective pilgrims to safeguard against infectious diseases such as Meningitis, Hepatitis and Influenza etc. They warned that the main factor behind these risks is crowded conditions at ceremonies, accommodation sites and public transports.

"The tragic accidents that took place during Hajj pilgrimage in recent years and the outbreak of infectious diseases where a substantial number of British pilgrims lost their lives caused a great amount of grief and distress to the British Muslim community. The Association of British Hujjaj (Pilgrims) UK (ABH) the National Hajj specific organisation is organising high profile publicity campaign through press and electronic media, and also organising seminars and educational training programs to raise awareness of pre-travel Health & Safety issues amongst prospective Hajj pilgrims. General Secretary of Assoc. of British Hujjaj (Pilgrims) U.K.

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The Hajj and Umrah (Health and Safety) Awareness week launch at the House of Lords to help and protect pilgrims

Over 25,000 British pilgrims will join more than 2 million from all over the world converging at Makkah to perform this years Hajj pilgrimage in the first week of November 2011. The Government of Saudi Arabia requires all countries to conduct necessary educational programmes to enhance Hajj related Health & safety awareness of their pilgrims before they arrive in the Kingdom. This is in order to enable them to perform their Hajj pilgrimage in the safest and best possible manner. The Association of British Hujjaj (Pilgrims) UK (A.B.H), a National Hajj & Umrah specific organisation working for the wellfare and well being of pilgrims have been carrying out this task for a number of years in the UK.
 
The tragic accidents that took place during the Hajj pilgrimages in the past where a substantial number of Hajj pilgrims lost their lives (including a number of British pilgrims) due to stampedes, accidents and outbreks of infectious diseases caused a great amount of grief and distress.
 
ABH has been working hard year after year to help and protect the prospective Hajj/Umrah pilgrims, by raising their awareness of Hajj/Umrah related Health and Safety issues through high profile publicity campaigns, via press & electronic media, by organising conferences, seminars, educational training programmes and producing/distributing relevant informative literature. The epitome of this campaign is the launch of the National Hajj/Umrah Health & Safety Awareness week at the House of Lords which takes place on an annual basis. This years Awareness week launch at the House of Lords will be on the 14th September 2011.
 
This prestigious event will be attended by a number of Members of the House of Lords, Members of Parliament, Diplomats from various Muslim embassies in London and distinguished guests and dignitaries from the community.
 The Association of British Hujjaj (Pilgrims) UK (A.B.H) strongly urges the relevant Government Departments, Organisations and Religious Scholars to take their responsibility seriously and make every effort to protect the Hajj/Umrah pilgrims from facing hardships, difficulties and to prevents the loss of innocent human lives.

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Health and Safety of Millions of Pilgrims' Must Not be Compromised

The Association of British Hujjaj (Pilgrims) UK - ABH, a National Hajj specific organisation welcomes the recent health guidelines issued by the Saudi Ministry of Health for Hajj and Umrah pilgrims to ensure the containment of spread of infectious diseases. According to these guidelines, Saudi Embassies worldwide have been asked to not issue visas unless pilgrims produce the required vaccination certificate.

However, ABH has expressed grave concern that this policy is not being implemented vigorously and a vast majority of pilgrims are travelling without getting the required vaccination. Therefore it is vital that Saudi authorities should look into this issue and make efforts for a strict implementation of this policy.

Millions of pilgrims from around the world travel to Saudi Arabia every year to perform Hajj & Umrah. These pilgrims have always been at high risk of contracting infectious diseases due to living, travelling and praying in extremely close quarters, usually in hot weather conditions. This environment is an ideal ground for outbreak of infectious diseases. Carriers of these infections can also put their family, friends and the community at risk upon their return home.

ABH also strongly supports the Ministry of Health's call to the relevant governments around the world to take appropriate action to raise awareness of health risk prevention measures amongst the prospective pilgrims. It is highly regrettable that some countries are compromising the health & safety of millions of pilgrims by not addressing this issue seriously. Hence, the risk of outbreak of infectious diseases remains a serious threat to the pilgrims and the world at large.

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British Muslims express sadness on the tragic death of 12 Egyptian Umrah pilgrims

The Association of British Hujjaj (pilgrims), a National Hajj specific organisation in the UK expresses its deepest sorrow and sadness at the death of 12 prospective Umrah pilgrims. The bus which was carrying these pilgrims was involved in a tragic road accident en-route from Egypt to Makkah.

“We are all shocked and extremely saddened by this tragic incident and on behalf of the British Muslim Community we would like to convey our heartfelt sorrow and condolence to the families of those pilgrims who have lost their loved ones” said Khalid Pervez, General Secretary of the Association of British Hujjaj (pilgrims) UK.

He also strongly urged that “the Egyptian authorities should take stringent measures to prevent this sort of tragedy occurring again. Every effort should be made to help and protect Hajj/Umrah Pilgrims from hardship, difficulties and prevent loss of innocent human lives. The Association of British Hujjaj (Pilgrims) UK also stresses that the families and relatives of the deceased pilgrims must get all the appropriate help and support at this difficult time”.

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KSA and OIC urged to eliminate crimes against Hajj & Umrah pilgrims

The Association of British Hujjaj (Pilgrims) UK (ABH), a National Hajj and Umrah specific organisation working for the welfare and wellbeing of British pilgrims strongly urged the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to crack down on those who are responsible for the growing culture of deception and immoral practices in the Hajj travel and tour industry and also urges the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC) to take their responsibilities seriously and make every effort to ensure the welfare and wellbeing of millions of pilgrims from around the world.

ABH also highly commends the action taken by the Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Choudhry and other members of the Supreme Court to hold accountable those culprits who were responsible for causing enormous misery, mental anguish and hardship to thousands of Pakistani Hajj pilgrims during last year's Hajj.

This crime against the guests of Allah (swt) is condemned in the strongest word by ABH; it is shameful that these culprits took advantage of vulnerable and innocent people, including the sick, elderly and women at what could have been their once in a life-time trip to perform Hajj and Umrah. Most pilgrims spent their entire life-savings to fulfil their desires and wishes to perform the pilgrimage and it is a disgrace that these vulnerable people were preyed upon ruthlessly.

It is extremely vital that the OIC, in conjunction with the KSA, should setup an authority to oversee Hajj & Umrah industry and eliminate the malpractice and fraudulent activities within it to allow the guests of Allah (swt) to perform their religious obligations in peace and harmony.

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British Muslims welcome Saudi Minister of Health’s UK visit

The Association of British Hujjaj (Pilgrims) UK - ABH, a National Hajj & Umrah specific organisation working for the welfare and wellbeing of British Hajj & Umrah pilgrims has welcomed the Saudi Minister of Health Dr Abdullah Al-Rabeeah’s visit to the UK in anticipation that it will improve the present collaboration between the UK and Saudi Arabia particularly in areas of Health and Education.

This collaboration will enhance the capability of the Saudi Health Ministry to develop and deliver better services and facilities for the citizens in Saudi Arabia.

Millions of people from around the world converge in the holy cities Makkah and Madinah every year to perform Hajj / Umrah pilgrimage. The pilgrims, specifically arriving from developing countries with poor health care systems live, travel and pray in extremely close quarters, creating an ideal ground for an outbreak of infectious diseases. There is always high-risk that pilgrims could exacerbate the problem when they return home and passed their infection on to family, friends and in the community.

The Saudi Health Ministry is to be commended for its continuous hard work to ensure the health and wellbeing of millions of pilgrims while they are in Saudi Arabia. However, the health experts and seniors doctors from the Association of British Hujjaj (Pilgrims) UK also strongly urge the British government that it must learn the lesson from the tragic death of over 20 British returnee pilgrims in UK who lost their lives due to an outbreak of Meningitis in the recent past. Therefore, it is vital that the government must make efforts to help and protect British pilgrims by taking appropriate actions towards their welfare and wellbeing.

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Pilgrims advised to take health precautions

As millions of pilgrims converge on the Holy City of Makkah for Umrah and Hajj, all pilgrims are advised to follow the instructions of the Saudi Ministry of Health in order to protect themselves against any infectious diseases. "Health experts from the Association of British Hujjaj (Pilgrims) UK, a National organisation working for the welfare and wellbeing of British Hajj & Umrah pilgrims have issued a warning to those planning for the Umrah trip to take extra care to protect themselves and their families against infectious diseases like Meningitis and Hepatitis."

Full article:
Umrah pilgrims are warned to safeguard against health risks

In the new Umrah season over 100,000 British Umrah pilgrims and millions of others from around the world are converging in the Holy city of Makkah. In such crowded environment the pilgrims are at extra risk of contracting infectious diseases.

umrah-ass-ukHealth experts from the Association of British Hujjaj (Pilgrims) UK, a National organisation working for the welfare and wellbeing of British Hajj & Umrah pilgrims have issued a warning to those planning for the Umrah trip to take extra care to protect themselves and their families against infectious diseases like Meningitis and Hepatitis.

The communicable diseases can be transmitted through direct person-to-person contact with droplets of nasal or throat secretions of infected individuals. Close and prolonged contact (e.g. sneezing and coughing on someone) facilitates the spread of infection. The most common symptoms specifically for meningitis are stiff neck, high fever, sensitivity to light, confusion, headaches and vomiting. It is vital that all travellers get 'quadrivalent meningococcal' vaccine (ACWY) before leaving for Saudi Arabia. A valid certificate of meningitis vaccine from your doctor is compulsory to obtain visa from the Saudi Embassy.

The health experts specifically reminded the people with diabetes about the high risk of hypoglycaemia (low blood glucose) due to the extremely excessive physical activities being undertaken amongst a large crowded environment. Therefore it is crucial that diabetic people must visit their doctor for a pre-travel consultation and medical examination to make sure that their diabetes is well controlled. They need to protect themselves from the sun, dehydration, exhaustion, foot problems, respiratory and bronchial illness. Travellers on medication should take an adequate supply with them, accompanied by their doctor’s note describing the medicine and their medical history.

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Umrah pilgrims warned not to violate the sanctity of Haramain Al-Shareefain

LONDON, 19 Rabi 1/Feb 22 (IINA)-As this year’s Umrah season begins, the Association of British Hujjaj (Pilgrims) UK – A National Hajj specific organisation issues a strong warning to all prospective Umrah pilgrims around the world not to indulge in activities that will violate the sanctity of the Al-Haramain Al-Shareefain.

The growing culture of disregard to the sanctity of House of Allah and the Prophet’s mosque in recent years is simply unacceptable. It is extremely disturbing that a vast majority of pilgrims in the Haram-e-Ka’bah are busy with their cameras taking or posing for photographs, making videos and chatting over the mobile phones with their family and friends even during Tawaf-e-Ka’bah rather than concentrating on their prayers. They are showing total disrespect to the House of Allah and the prescribed holy pilgrimage.

This nuisance is causing great discomfort and disturbance to other pilgrims. The most alarming aspect of this growing culture is that musical tones from mobile phones are heard frequently from the vicinity of the House of Allah and the Prophet’s mosque. Even during salah the sound of musical ringtones distracts the prayers. All in all, this has taken away the peace and serenity of the Haramain Al-Shareefain and the essence of the pilgrimage.

The Association of British Hujjaj (Pilgrims) UK also appeal to all the relevant Governments and Religious Scholars worldwide to take this extremely sensitive issue seriously. They must make every effort to raise awareness amongst the pilgrims to ensure that they do not treat Al-Haramain Al-Shareefain as a tourist attraction site and refrain from the activities that violate the sanctity of the Haramain Al-Shareefain so that all pilgrims are able to perform their pilgrimage in peace and tranquillity.

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Eid Reception at 10 Downing Street welcomed by British Muslim community

Association of British Hujjaj (pilgrims) UK (ABH) a National Hajj specific organisation working for the welfare and wellbeing for Hajj-Umrah pilgrims welcomed the initiative taken by the British Prime Minister, David Cameron to host Eid Reception at his official residence No 10 Downing Street, London. A large number of dignitaries from Muslim and other communities including the Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, Baroness Sayeeda Warsi (Chairperson), MPs and Members of House of Lords were present at this event.

ABH along with the British Muslim community highly appreciated the comments made by the Prime Minister during his address at this event in which he praised the immense contribution of the Muslim community towards the advancement of the British economy and their role in the public services, and in UK cultural life and also immense contribution in charitable activities to provide relief to those suffering around the world.

The Prime Minister also said that the British Muslims have an enormous role to play in that more generous and tolerant and open society that we all want to build.

Khalid Pervez General Secretary of Association of British Hujjaj (pilgrims) UK said “the hosting of the Eid reception by the Prime Minister at Downing Street is a positive step and a new era towards the integration of the British society. He also congratulated Baroness Sayeeda Warsi (Chairperson and Cabinet Minister) for performing Hajj this year.

ABH General Secretary Khalid Pervez at Eid reception hosted by Prime Minister David Cameron and Baroness Sayeeda Warsi

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The plight of Hajj and Umrah pilgrims must not go unheard

The Association of British Hujjaj (Pilgrims) UK (ABH) a National Hajj specific organisation working for the welfare and wellbeing of Hajj and Umrah pilgrims, expresses its grave concern about the plight of a large number of Hajj & Umrah pilgrims from UK and around the world who are suffering from extreme hardship, difficulty, mental anguish and financial exploitation at the hands of rogue Hajj tour and travel operators, some of whom disappeared with the pilgrims hard-earned money and abandoned them.

The Association of British Hujjaj (Pilgrims) UK has condemned this ruthless crime in the strongest word and is disgusted at the fact that someone could take advantage of vulnerable and innocent people including the sick, elderly and women at what could have been their once in a life-time trip to perform Hajj/Umrah.

It is a disgrace that these rogue tour operators are preying on vulnerable pilgrims, cheating and charging them at extortionate and unjustified prices for the Hajj & Umrah packages, which is a total rip-off compare to travel packages to other countries around the world, in view that many pilgrims are likely to have spent their life-savings to fulfil their desires and wishes to perform the pilgrimage.

Most pilgrims have been bitterly disappointed and distressed by the substandard services, lack of guidance and degrading behaviour of their tour operators and this situation has significantly worsened in the last few years.

The Association of British Hujjaj strongly urges all the concerned Governments and specifically the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to crack down on those who are responsible for this growing culture of deception and immoral practices in the Hajj & Umrah travel and tour industry.

The Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC) and Muslim World League (MWL) should also take their responsibilities seriously and make every effort to ensure the welfare and wellbeing of millions of pilgrims from around the world. It is extremely vital to set up permanent arrangements or an authority to eliminate the malpractice and fraudulent activities from the Hajj & Umrah industry in order to allow the guests of Allah (swt) to perform their religious obligations in peace and harmony.

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British pilgrims trained to perform a safe Hajj at Hajj Seminar

A Hajj seminar was held over the weekend by the Association of British Hujjaj (Pilgrims) UK (ABH), a National Hajj specific voluntary organisation where religious scholars, senior doctors and safety experts provided up to date practical advice and training to prospective Hajj pilgrims to enable them to perform Hajj in a safe and best possible manner.

Every year, over 25,000 British Hajj Pilgrims travel to Saudi Arabia to perform Hajj. A substantial number of these Hajj pilgrims suffer hardship and difficulties due to ignorance, lack of awareness of pre-travel Health & Safety precautions and understanding of the need of good preparation of the journey.

Members of Parliament Steve McCabe and John Hemming during their address to the prospective pilgrims acknowledged and complimented the work that the Association of British Hujjaj (Pilgrims) UK has been doing since 1998 in the UK for the welfare and wellbeing of British Hajj and Umrah pilgrims. Maqsood Ahmed (Senior Advisor for the Dept. for Communities & Local Government) extended his best wishes to the pilgrims. They also assured their help and support towards the efforts which are being made to protect the British Hajj and Umrah pilgrims from hardship and difficulties.

Dr Rashid Bhatti and Dr Syed Raza Hussain, senior doctors from ABH warned the prospective pilgrims that they should safeguard against the additional risks to their health due to the over crowding at the ceremonies, accommodation sites and public transport. Dr Rashid Bhatti warned that some barbers around the Holy places pose a risk of spreading blood-borne diseases, such as Hepatitis by using the same razors repeatedly. Pilgrims who suffer from diabetes are specifically reminded about the high risk of hypoglycaemia due to the extremely excessive physical activities being undertaken in hot weather and difficult conditions. Pilgrims need to protect themselves from the sun, dehydration, exhaustion, foot problems, respiratory and bronchial illness. Dr Syed Raza Hussain also advised pilgrims about meningitis which is a life threatening disease and he stated that it is vital for all Hajj pilgrims to get ‘quadrivalent meningococcal’ vaccine (ACWY vac) before they leave for their journey.

Khalid Pervez (General Secretary of ABH) strongly urged the prospective British Hajj pilgrims that they must take health and safety issues seriously and be aware of every aspect of performing Hajj in comfort and ease. In case of any difficulties they should contact the British Hajj Delegation in Makkah. He also expressed his grave concern about the growing culture of complete disregard to the sanctity of the House of Allah. Pilgrims are busy with their cameras and chatting over the mobile phones even during Tawaf-e-Ka’bah. The most alarming thing is that musical tones from mobile phones are heard frequently from the vicinity of the Ka’bah. This nuisance is causing great discomfort and disturbance to other pilgrims and has taken away the peace and serenity of the holy place and the essence of the pilgrimage.

Vir Ahluwalia (Senior Officer, Trading Standards) said that all Hajj and Umrah tour and travel operators are bound by the rules set out by the Package Travel & Tour Legislation. He assured the pilgrims that they will make every effort to protect them from the malpractices and illegal activities of the unscrupulous tour and travel operators. He also urged pilgrims that if they have any complaints then they must come forward and contact their local Trading Standards Department.

Religious scholars Muhammad Sarfraz Madni, Siraj-ul-Haque and Aftab Parwaz also enlightened the pilgrims about they importance of performing Hajj and gave training on how to perform all the rituals of Hajj and Umrah.

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Prospective Hajj pilgrims warned about risks to their Health

Health experts from the Association of British Hujjaj (pilgrims) UK (ABH), a National Hajj and Umrah specific organisation working for the welfare and wellbeing of British pilgrims have warned that pilgrims are at a higher risk of contracting infectious diseases due to crowded conditions at ceremonies, accommodation sites and on public transports. In such situations, infections are bound to spread easily. Germs spread by droplets from our mouth as we speak, when we cough, or by direct contact as in sharing utensils.

They strongly urged pilgrims to take preventative measures against life threatening infectious diseases like Meningitis and Hepatitis. Meningitis is a well known notorious killer disease. It is highly infectious and rapidly spreads from one person to another. It is literally incurable and the mortality rate is very high and those few who do manage to survive through most intensive hospital treatment often end up with all the miserable sequelae like damage to the brain, kidneys, lungs and the limbs etc. Sadly, their quality of life is very poor indeed. In recent years, over 20 British pilgrims have lost their lives due to meningitis outbreak.

The health experts also warned that some barbers around the Holy places pose a risk of spreading blood-borne diseases, such as Hepatitis by using the same razors repeatedly. Therefore, pilgrims are advised to be aware of the risk of using the services by these barbers and must insist the barbers to use disposable razors to shave.

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The National Hajj (Health & Safety) Awareness Week launched in the UK

The National Hajj and Umrah (Health & Safety) awareness week was launched yesterday at the House of Lords by the Association of British Hujjaj (Pilgrims) UK (ABH). The purpose of this national event was to raise awareness of the health & safety issues amongst the 25,000 prospective British pilgrims who will start travelling soon to join over 2 million other pilgrims in Makkah to perform Hajj. Members of the House of Lords, Members of the House of Parliament, Government officials and community dignitaries were present to support this prestigious launch event.

In his welcoming remarks at the launch Lord Ahmed of Rotherham said, “by launching this awareness week will enhance Hajj related health & safety awareness amongst British pilgrims. It is important that pilgrims must be aware of all aspects of Hajj to enable them to perform a safe Hajj”. He also praised the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for making the best facilitates available for pilgrims.

Lord Phil Hunt (Deputy Leader, Labour) praised the hard work and continuous efforts made by the ABH to help and protect the British Hajj pilgrims from hardship and difficulties and he assured his full support towards this noble and humanitarian cause.

Baroness Uddin, Member of House of Lords and Rushanara Ali, MP of East London also stressed the importance of the awareness of health & safety and other issues related to hajj amongst pilgrims and urged the relevant government departments to provide help and assistance to the prospective British pilgrims specifically during Hajj in Makkah.

Abdulrahman D. Al-Anexi, representative from the Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia (London) said that “the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will make every effort to provide and improve the services to the Hajj pilgrims to ensure that they perform Hajj in comfort and ease.”

Senior doctors from ABH Dr. Syed Raza Hussain and Dr. Rashid Bhatti strongly urged the prospective pilgrims to safeguard against infectious diseases. They emphasised that pilgrims are at great risk of infectious diseases such as Meningitis, Hepatitis, Influenza and Typhoid etc due to crowded conditions at ceremonies, accommodation sites and public transports. Therefore, it is extremely vital that all prospective pilgrims must get vaccinated, specifically against Meningitis, before travelling. And, if they suffer from any ailment such as a heart or chest condition, high blood pressure or diabetes then they must tell their doctor about their intention to undertake this journey and seek advice as to how they can reduce the chances of becoming ill during the pilgrimage.

“The tragic accidents that took place during Hajj pilgrimage in recent years and the outbreak of infectious diseases where a substantial number of British pilgrims lost their lives caused a great amount of grief and distress to the British Muslim community. The Association of British Hujjaj (Pilgrims) UK (ABH) the National Hajj specific organisation is organising high profile publicity campaign through press and electronic media, and also organising seminars and educational training programs to raise awareness of pre-travel Health & Safety issues amongst prospective Hajj pilgrims to protect them from hardship and difficulties and prevent loss of innocent human lives”, said Khalid Pervez, General Secretary of Association of British Hujjaj.

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The growing culture of disregard to the sanctity of Haramain Shareefain is deplorable

The British Muslim community is shocked and saddened about the recent media report regarding the culture which has developed amongst pilgrims to Makkah and Madinah.

The British Muslim community is shocked and saddened about the recent media report regarding the culture which has developed amongst pilgrims to Makkah and Madinah that disregards the sanctity of the two holy sites of Islam.

It is extremely disturbing that a vast majority of pilgrims in the Haram-e-Ka'bah are busy with their cameras taking or posing for photographs, making videos and chatting over the mobile phones with their family and friends back home even during Tawaf-e-Ka'bah. They are showing total disrespect to the House of Allah and the prescribed holy pilgrimage and not concentrating on their prayers.

This nuisance is causing great discomfort and disturbance to other pilgrims. The most alarming aspect of this growing culture is that musical tones from mobile phones are heard frequently from the vicinity of the Ka'bah. Even during salah the sound of musical ringtones distracts the prayers. All in all, this has taken away the peace and serenity of the holy place and the essence of the pilgrimage.

The Association of British Hujjaj (pilgrims) UK (A.B.H), a National Hajj and Umrah specific organisation working for the welfare and wellbeing of Hajj and Umrah pilgrims appeals to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz, Governor of Makkah Prince Khalid al Faisal and the Governor of Medina Prince Abdulaziz bin Majed to take appropriate action to protect the sanctity of Harmain Shareefain so that all pilgrims are able to perform their pilgrimage in peace and tranquillity.

ABH also strongly urges all the relevant governments and religious scholars worldwide to take this issue seriously and to make every effort to raise awareness amongst the pilgrims to ensure that they do not treat Al Haramain Shareefain as a tourist attraction site and refrain from the activities that violate the sanctity of the House of Allah.

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‘Your Passenger Rights’ campaign by European Commission welcomed by Association of British Hujjaj (Pilgrims) UK

For many years a substantial number of airline travellers have been deprived of their statutory rights due to lack of knowledge and awareness and so they have been suffering hardship, difficulties, mental anguish and financial exploitation. The Association of British Hujjaj (Pilgrims) UK (ABH), a National registered charity working for the welfare and wellbeing of British overseas travellers welcome the ‘Your Passenger Rights’ campaign launched by the European Commission to raise awareness amongst airline passengers about their statutory rights under the EC Regulation 261/ 2004, which came into effect on February 2005. This Regulation establishes common rules on compensation and assistance to airline passengers in certain situations.

There are statutory entitlements for all travellers who experience flight delays and for overbooking by the tour operators and travel agents. If your flight was overbooked, you are automatically entitled to monetary compensation; €250 and €600 depending on the distance of the flight and the delays experienced before being re-routed. Airlines are also obliged to give you assistance depending on the circumstances, if you are denied boarding or your flight is cancelled or delayed due to late arrivals or technical faults, you may be entitled to receive assistance ‘in kind’ (catering, communications, and an overnight stay if necessary). In the event of denied boarding or cancellation, you may be offered the option of continuing your trip or a refund of your ticket.

If you your baggage is lost, damaged or delayed then you can get compensation up to €1220. You must lodge a claim to the airline for your damaged baggage within 7 days of receiving your baggage and within 21 days in case of delayed receipt of baggage.

The Association of British Hujjaj (Pilgrims) UK (ABH) UK strongly urges passengers to be aware of their rights provided by the UK and European travel legislations.

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Take Preventative Measures Against Infectious Diseases: British Overseas Travellers Warned - Association Of British Hujjaj (Pilgrims) UK

Health experts from the Association of British Hujjaj (Pilgrims) UK (A.B.H) have issued a warning to all British families who are planning to visit their friends and families specifically to South Asian countries and Saudi Arabia during the summer holiday period, that they must take preventative measures against life- threatening infectious diseases like Meningitis, Hepatitis and Malaria. 

Travellers are strongly urged to speak to their GP, practise nurse or travel clinic up to eight weeks before travelling to get the best advice on protection. If they have to take medication, they should follow the instructions carefully and remember they might need to start taking medication some time before their trip and be continued for a period after returning to the UK. 

Health experts reminded travellers that Meningitis vaccination is a mandatory legal requirement by the Saudi authorities to issue you an entry visa for Saudi Arabia. If you are travelling to Pakistan, Bangladesh, India and other South Asian countries, then your health is always at risk. South Asian countries are Malaria; Hepatitis high risk areas- Take this threat seriously and prevent Malaria by taking anti-Malarial drug and by protecting yourself against mosquito bites. 

"Similarly get the vaccination against Hepatitis. The risk of infection is greater for travellers who are visiting places where sanitation is basic. Most people catch Hepatitis abroad by consuming contaminated food or water. You must not share needles, razors, toothbrushes, manicure tools or other items that could bear contamination blood to avoid Hepatitis. Be safe than sorry." Said the health experts in their joint statement. 

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Pilgrims are warned to protect the sanctity of the House of Allah

The Association of British Hujjaj (pilgrims) UK (A.B.H), a National Hajj and Umrah specific organisation working for the welfare and wellbeing of Hajj and Umrah pilgrims expresses its grave concern about the growing culture of complete disregard to the sanctity of the House of Allah and warns all the pilgrims that Kabah and Haram-e-Madinah are not tourist places and they must refrain from activities which are violating the spirit of their pilgrimage.

A spokesperson from A.B.H said that "a great majority of Hajj and Umrah pilgrims are being witnessed to ignore the sanctity of Al Haramain Shareefain in the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah. There seems to be no regard or respect for the holiest place on earth, the house of Allah as these people are busy taking or posing for photographs and videos while standing by the Kabah and spend most of their time chatting over the mobile phone, even during the tawaf-e-Kabah when they should be concentrating on their ibadah. It is highly regrettable that musical tunes from mobile phones are frequently heard at the time of tawaf and prayer, distracting others from their prayers and the young people are showing total disrespect by wearing shorts as if they are on holidays and visiting a tourist place."

The Association of British Hujjaj (Pilgrims) UK also strongly urges all the relevant governments and religious scholars to make every effort to raise awareness of this issue amongst the pilgrims to ensure and protect the sanctity of the Al Haramain Shareefain.

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Condemnation of such an atrocious proposal to build Kabah in Egypt.

Association of British Hujjaj (pilgrims) UK a national Hajj and Umrah specific organisation condemns in its strongest words the proposal by the Egyptian sociologist Sayed El-Qamni to build another Kabah on the Egyptian land, specifically in the Sinai desert, into a place of religious gathering and also a tourist place, in order to prevent Egyptian from overspending for Hajj and Umrah. El-Qamni also stated that "the Egyptians are paying $ 3 billion per year to wash their sins"

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Last minute warning over Swine Flu vaccine for Hajj

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Health experts from the Association of British Hujjaj (ABH) have expressed concerned concerns over the number of people travelling on Hajj who are not properly vaccinated.



Health experts are concerned that despite clear advice from the Saudi Arabian Government and the World Health Organisation (WHO) a substantial number of high risk categories are travelling to perform Hajj without getting vaccinated against the swine flu virus.

They are now issuing a last-minute warning to prospective pilgrims that they should be prepared for the screening process that is taking place at all ports of entry to Saudi Arabia.

If pilgrims are suspected of having swine flu then they will be temporarily quarantined and if tested positive they will be admitted to hospital for isolation.

The pilgrims must take the threat of swine flu seriously and they should take all necessary precautionary measures to safeguard their health. They should make personal hygienic habits such as covering the nose while sneezing, coughing into a tissue and washing hands with water and soap.

They should also utilise the personal hygiene kit that includes face masks and hand sanitizers which will be made available to them by the Saudi authorities at the airport upon arrival.

Khalid Pervez, General Secretary of ABH said, "Prospective British Hajj pilgrims should take lead of Egypt which has made health insurance coverage mandatory for all their pilgrims so that they would not have any problem in getting treatment in Saudi hospitals”.

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Swine flu: complacency or inoculation

This rather wonderful picture from The Association of British Hujjaj shows Lord Ahmed of Rotherham being inoculated by a Dr Hussain, with government minister Lord Hunt looking on. I am tempted to run a caption competition. But the message is serious. Because of swine flu, they are urging Hajj pilgrims to take health precautions before leaving for Mecca.

They believe that swine flu could be a particular threat this year because of the large numbers from all over the world. But in fact a possibly more serious threat is meningitis. More than 20 British Muslims have died from meningitis after returning from Hajj in recent years, causing enormous grief.

A week on Wednesday, at the House of Lords, the British Hajj Association will launch its annual Hajj safety awareness week.

The impetus for this seems to be coming from Saudi Arabia itself.

Because in Britain, in the country's Christian communities at least, a sense of complacency is settling in.

Many churches are ignoring the Archbishop of Canterbury and York's recent instruction not to shake hands or kiss during the peace. And reports have reached me from several Roman Catholic churches in London, where communion is being taken in two kinds once more and the shared cup has returned.

When the annual autumn flu outbreaks begin, I wonder if anyone will do a comparison between the rate of infection in the two communities.

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Swine Flu And Meningitis: A Serious Threat To Hajj Pilgrims- Health Experts Warn, UK

Health experts from Association of British Hujjaj (Pilgrims) a National Hajj specific organisation in UK has warned over 25,000 prospective British Hajj pilgrims that they must safeguard their health against the risk of communicable diseases such as swine flu, meningitis and hepatitis due to over crowding at ceremonies, accommodation sites and public transports during Hajj pilgrimage.

"The communicable diseases can be transmitted through direct person-to-person contact with droplets of nasal or throat secretions of infected individuals. Close and prolonged contact (e.g. sneezing and coughing on someone, etc.) facilitates the spread of infection. The most common symptoms for swine flu are similar to those of seasonal flu, including unusual tiredness, headache, runny nose, sore throat, shortness of breath or cough, loss of appetite, aching muscles and diarrhea or vomiting. People aged older than 65, pregnant women, people suffering from chronic diseases i.e. lungs, heart, kidney, lever etc and children under 12 years old are more at the risk of catching swine flu." said the Health Experts from ABH.

The Saudi Government has advised that pilgrims planning to perform Hajj pilgrimage must be vaccinated against seasonal flu or the swine flu at least two weeks before applying for a visa depending on the availability of swine flu vaccine.

The Health experts from Association of British Hujjaj (Pilgrims) UK also reminded the prospective British hajj pilgrims that they should take meningitis threat seriously as well. Over 20 British Hajj returnees have lost their lives due to the meningitis outbreak in the recent past. The most common symptoms specifically for meningitis are stiff neck, high fever, sensitivity to light, confusion, headaches and vomiting. Therefore, it is vital that all prospective pilgrims must get 'quadrivalent meningococcal' vaccine (ACWY) before leaving for Saudi Arabia. A valid certificate of meningitis vaccine from your doctor is compulsory to obtain a visa from the Saudi Embassy.

Some barbers around the Holy places pose a risk of spreading diseases, such as Hepatitis and other blood-borne pathogens by using the same razors repeatedly. The Doctors also warned pilgrims to be aware of the risk of using the services provided by these barbers and they must insist that the barbers use disposable razors to shave.

"Protect yourself and your family; don't ruin your journey with illnesses. Make the most out of this lifetime experience," said the Health experts from Association of British Hujjaj (Pilgrims) UK.

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British Hajj pilgrims are warned to take health & safety issues seriously

The Association of British Hujjaj (Pilgrims) UK has warned about 25,000 prospective British Hajj Pilgrims who are joining over 2 million others from all over the world in Makkah that they are at extra risk of contracting infection diseases and getting involved in accidents in such a crowded environment. The tragic deaths of over 32 British Hajj pilgrims in recent years due to stampedes, road accidents and meningitis outbreaks have caused a great amount of grief and distress to the community in the UK.

Performing the rituals of Hajj is physically demanding and requires patience. The large crowds can be daunting specifically for the elderly or frail. Therefore they are strongly urged to take all precautionary measures to safeguard themselves from potential risks to their safety and health particularly at the stoning of the Satan’s in Mina and while circumambulation of the Ka’bah.

The Association of British Hujjaj would also like to remind British pilgrims to make sure that their passport and visa for Saudi Arabia are in order and that their return airline ticket is fully confirmed, a photocopy of all the travel documents should be with them at all times and they must take out full travel insurance to cover any illness, injury, loss of money, baggage and tickets. They should also take care of their money and be aware of pickpockets and always carry their hotel or accommodation address. People can get lost and separated from their families or friends easily. Agree a meeting point with family and friends in case that they become separated while going to Harram or Mina and Arafat. Keeping a mobile phone with them could be very useful to stay in touch with family or friends.

“It is vital for the pilgrims to get vaccinated against seasonal flu or swine flu and meningitis before travelling. And, in case of any difficulties or if they require medical assistance they should contact the British Hajj Delegation based at Dar Alkhaleel Hotel, Ibrahim Khalil Street, Makkah.”, said Khalid Pervez, General Secretary of the Association.

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British Hajj pilgrims are warned to take Health & Safety issues seriously

Every year, over 25,000 British Hajj Pilgrims travel to Saudi Arabia to perform Hajj. A substantial number of these Hajj pilgrims suffer hardship and difficulties. In the past there have been tragic incidents where many lives have been lost due to stampedes, traffic accidents and outbreaks of infectious diseases.

After launching the National Hajj/Umrah Health & Safety Awareness Week at the House of Lords, the Association of British Hujjaj (Pilgrims) UK (ABH) a national Hajj specific voluntary organisation, held a seminar over the weekend where religious scholars, senior doctors and safety experts provided up to date, practical advice and training to prospective Hajj/Umrah pilgrims to enable them to perform Hajj/Umrah in a safe and best possible manner.

Lord Phil Hunt (Minister), Steve McCabe MP, Councillor Neil Eustace (Chairman, Public Protection), Councillor Zaker Choudhry (West Midlands Police Authority), Chris Roe (Senior Trading Officer) and Maskeen Ali (Chairman, West Mids. Muslim Police Assoc.), Kahlid Pervez, Maulana Sarfraz Madni, Sardar Ahmad Qadri, Dr Rashid Bhatti, Dr Syed Raza Hussain, Qamar Bhatti, Aftab Parwaz, Javed Aziz, Farhan Khalid, Hamza Qamar addressing the participants at the Hajji Camp.

Every year, over 25,000 British Hajj Pilgrims travel to Saudi Arabia to perform Hajj. A substantial number of these Hajj pilgrims suffer hardship and difficulties. In the past there have been tragic incidents where many lives have been lost due to stampedes, traffic accidents and outbreaks of infectious diseases.

After launching the National Hajj/Umrah Health & Safety Awareness Week at the House of Lords, the Association of British Hujjaj (Pilgrims) UK (ABH) a national Hajj specific voluntary organisation, held a seminar over the weekend where religious scholars, senior doctors and safety experts provided up to date, practical advice and training to prospective Hajj/Umrah pilgrims to enable them to perform Hajj/Umrah in a safe and best possible manner.

Lord Phil Hunt OBE (Deputy Leader of the House and Government Minister) during his address to the prospective pilgrims acknowledged and complimented the work done by ABH since its inception in 1998. He said “much progress has been made due to the Association and the tremendous work it has done; first of all for bringing the attention of government to the issues that have to be faced but secondly its campaign on health and safety awareness amongst many pilgrims.”

Senior doctors from ABH warned the prospective pilgrims that they should safeguard against the additional risks to their health such as Swine flu, Meningitis, Hepatitis and other communicable diseases due to the over crowding at the ceremonies, accommodation sites and public transport. Dr Rashid Bhatti warned about the risk of contracting swine flu that “pilgrims must take the threat very seriously and get vaccinated before leaving for the pilgrimage”. Dr Syed Raza Hussain also advised pilgrims about meningitis which is a life threatening disease. He said, “it is vital that all travellers must get ‘quadrivalent meningococcal’ vaccine (ACWY vac).”

In his presentation, Khalid Pervez (General Secretary of ABH) made the prospective Hajj pilgrims aware of the necessary precautions which they need to make in order to perform a safe Hajj.

Steve McCabe (Member of Parliament), also addressing the participants at this event, said “I find it outrageous that on what should be a profoundly significant event in anyone’s life going on pilgrimage, should be undermined by a small minority of unscrupulous tour operators.” He urged the prospective pilgrims to send their complaints to the local trading standards for further investigation.

Councillor Neil Eustace (Chairman, Public Protection), Councillor Zaker Choudhry (West Midlands Police authority), Police inspector Maskeen Ali (Chairman West Midlands Muslim Police Assoc.) and Chris Roe (Senior Officer, Trading Standards) assured the community that they will make every effort to protect them from the malpractices and illegal activities of the unscrupulous tour and travel operators.

The feedback received from the British Muslim community about this event was tremendously positive. The community appreciated the efforts of ABH UK for bringing this event together and for the support from various government departments towards the welfare and wellbeing of the British Hajj pilgrims.

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National Hajj and Umrah (Health & Safety) Awareness Week Launch

The National Hajj and Umrah (Health & Safety) awareness week was launched yesterday at the House of Lords by the Association of British Hujjaj (Pilgrims) UK (A.B.H).

Delegates at the Hajj & Umrah awareness week launch 2009 including Lord Ahmed of Rotherham, Steve McCabe MP, Roger Godsiff MP, Hazza Al-Hasher from Saudi Embassy London and ABH Executive Members.

The purpose of this national event was to raise awareness of the Health & Safety issues amongst the 25000 prospective British Hajj & Umrah pilgrims who will start travelling from next week to join over 2 million other pilgrims in Makkah to perform Hajj. Lord Ahmed of Rotherham, Steve McCabe MP, Roger Godsiff MP, Hazza Al Hasher from Saudi Embassy (London), officials from various Government departments and community dignitaries were present to support this prestigious event.

The British Pilgrims are at greater risk of accidents and contracting infectious diseases such as meningitis, hepatitis, influenza etc due to crowded conditions at ceremonies, accommodation sites and public transports. “It is particularly important that pilgrims must be aware of the precautionary measures towards the recent Swine flu threat and that they must get vaccinated before their departure to Saudi”, said Lord Ahmed of Rotherham.

Officials from Business, Innovation & Skills Department (BIS) and Metropolitan police also highlighted the issue of exploitation of the pilgrims by some tour operators.  Members of Parliament Steve McCabe and Roger Godsiff commended the hard work of the Association of British Hujjaj (Pilgrims) UK towards the welfare and well being of the pilgrims. They strongly urged the British Muslim community that they should be aware of the illegal activities of some unscrupulous and rogue Hajj tour operators who are causing tremendous hardship and difficulties to the British Hajj & Umrah pilgrims and they also expressed their full support to ensure that the Hajj & Umrah travel industry is regulated.

The tragic accidents that took place during Hajj pilgrimage in recent years where a substantial number of travellers lost their lives including over 12 British Hajj pilgrims due to stampede and over 20 tragic deaths due to meningitis outbreak amongst British Hajj returnees caused a great amount of grief and distress to the British Muslim community in UK.

“The Association of British Hujjaj (Pilgrims) UK (A.B.H) the National Hajj specific organisation is organising high profile publicity campaign during this week through press and electronic media, and also organising seminars and educational training programs to raise awareness of pre-travel Health & Safety issues amongst prospective Hajj pilgrims to prevent such tragic incidents in future”, said Khalid Pervez, General Secretary of the Association of British Hujjaj.

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