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  India, Saudi Arabia sign agreement for Hajj 2026; pilgrims to get improved facilities | Details

  India | November 10, 2025 8:41 IST

  India and Saudi Arabia have signed the Hajj 2026 agreement, confirming a 1,75,025 pilgrim quota for India. Both nations have stressed better logistics, better facilities and deeper cooperation to ensure a smooth pilgrimage.

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  Qatar opens Hajj 2026 registration: All you need to know about health certificate, online payment

  World | October 01, 2025 13:14 IST

  The Ministry of Endowments (Awqaf), through its Department of Hajj and Umrah Affairs, said registration for the 1447 AH Hajj season (2026) will be open from October 1 to October 31, 2025, through its online portal: hajj.gov.qa.

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  Hajj 2025: No kids, scorching heat, flexible payment plans | All you need to know

  World | June 04, 2025 14:47 IST

  Hajj 2025 sees a mix of ancient ritual and modern-day adaptation. From managing deadly heat and enforcing age bans to introducing flexible payment plans and tightening entry protocols, the pilgrimage continues to evolve amid new global realities.

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  Hajj 2025: Saudi Arabia announces strict penalties for rule violations | Check regulations, details

  World | May 05, 2025 14:54 IST

  An advisory has been issued by the Saudi Arabia's Interior Ministry warning of substantial fines, deportations, and entry bans for those who attempt to perform Hajj without proper permits or aid others to do so.

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  Hajj 2025: First batch of pilgrims depart for Mecca from Srinagar today

  Jammu and Kashmir | May 04, 2025 14:45 IST

  The group, consisting of 178 pilgrims, was flagged off from Srinagar International Airport by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.

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  How does Saudi Arabia decide the Hajj quota for each country every year? Explained

  Explainers | April 17, 2025 13:32 IST

  Hajj is an annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca-- the holiest city for Muslims. In Islamic terminology, Hajj is a pilgrimage made to the Kaaba, the "House of Allah", in the sacred city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia.

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  Saudi Arabia temporarily suspends visas for 14 countries, including India | Here's why

  World | April 07, 2025 12:06 IST

  Saudi Arabia has temporarily suspended visa issuance for 14 countries, including India, ahead of Hajj 2025. The suspension, which affects Umrah, business, and family visas, aims to curb unauthorised Hajj participation and illegal employment by travelers during the pilgrimage season.

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  Big embarrassment for Pakistan, Saudi Arabia warns Islamabad to 'stop sending beggars'

  World | September 25, 2024 12:05 IST

  Pakistani beggars travel to the Middle East under the guise of ziarat (pilgrimage) and are also involved in pickpocketing activities. Saudi authorities warned Islamabad that if the situation is not controlled, it could negatively affect Pakistani Umrah and Hajj pilgrims.

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  Hajj: Deadly heatwaves kill over 1,300 Muslims, Saudi Arabia accuses travel agencies for deaths

  World | June 24, 2024 9:24 IST

  In Saudi Arabia, temperatures soared above 46 degrees Celsius and 49 degrees Celsius in Mecca and sacred sites in and around the city. This resulted in a high number of deaths this year, according to authorities.

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  Over 1,000 pilgrims died during Hajj in 2024 due to record-breaking heatwaves, nearly 100 from India

  World | June 23, 2024 20:23 IST

  More than half of the 1,000 deceased pilgrims were from Egypt - 672 - and the Ministry of External Affairs announced that at least 98 Indians had also died. Deadly heatwaves have swept across the Northern Hemisphere this year due to climate change, including the Islamic holy sites in Saudi Arabia.

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  5 places to visit during HAJJ Pilgrimage

  Travel | June 13, 2024 12:15 IST

  Explore the top 5 places to visit during the Hajj pilgrimage, from the sacred sites in Mecca to the historic landmarks in Medina. Enhance your spiritual journey with these must-see destinations.

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  Delhi: Smriti Irani issues Haj guidelines for 2024, launches pilgrimage specific mobile app

  India | March 03, 2024 22:49 IST

  Every year, millions of Muslims around the world embark on a sacred pilgrimage known as Hajj/Haj. This spiritual journey holds immense significance in the lives of believers, offering an opportunity to connect with Allah, seek forgiveness, and strengthen their faith.

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  Hajj 2023: Check date, history, significance and rituals of largest Muslim pilgrimage

  Lifestyle | June 26, 2023 13:41 IST

  Hajj is an incredibly important time in Muslim life and an opportunity to spiritually reconnect with Allah.

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  EXPLAINER: What is the Hajj pilgrimage and what does it mean for Muslims?

  Explainers | June 25, 2023 15:07 IST

  In 2020, amid worldwide coronavirus lockdowns, Saudi Arabia limited the pilgrimage to a few thousand citizens and local residents. This is the first year it returns to full capacity.

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  Hajj pilgrimage to be more affordable as govt set to reduce its prices I CHECK DETAILS

  India | February 06, 2023 22:43 IST

  There will be 25 points marked this time through which a pilgrim can proceed comfortably for his Hajj.

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  Hajj: First flight with 145 J&K pilgrims departs from Srinagar after 2-year COVID hiatus

  India | June 05, 2022 10:59 IST

  The annual Muslim pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia re-starts this year after remaining suspended for two years due to the Covid pandemic.

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  With pandemic in mind, pared-back hajj in Mecca for 2nd year

  World | July 19, 2021 7:18 IST

  The hajj pilgrimage, which once drew some 2.5 million Muslims from all walks of life from across the globe, is now almost unrecognizable.

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  No vaccine, no Hajj: Saudi Arabia makes Covid-19 shot mandatory for pilgrims

  World | March 03, 2021 15:54 IST

  Hajj pilgrimage in Mecca is the fifth and final pillar of Islam. Saudi had in 2020 annulled the annual pilgrimage due to the pandemic. Later it allowed a limited number of pilgrims to perform the Hajj.  

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  Saudi Arabia to allow nearly 1,000 pilgrims in scaled-down hajj

  World | July 21, 2020 8:41 IST

  Saudi Arabia's decision to hold a "very limited" hajj is fraught with political and economic peril and comes after several Muslim nations pulled out of the ritual that forms one of the main pillars of Islam. The hajj -- a must for able-bodied Muslims at least once in their lifetime -- could be a major source of the contagious outbreak, as millions of pilgrims would be offering prayers within enclosed religious sites.

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  First batch of Hajj 2019 pilgrims leaves for Saudi

  India | July 04, 2019 11:21 IST

  First batch of 304 Hajj pilgrims left Srinagar on Thursday for Saudi Arabia to perform this year's Hajj pilgrimage.