Awqaf minister tours camps of Qatar's pilgrims in holy sites of Mina, Arafat

Qatar Tribune

03-06-2025

MAKKAH AL MUKARRAMAH: Minister of Endowments (Awqaf) and Islamic Affairs and Head of the Qatari Hajj Mission HE Ghanem bin Shaheen bin Ghanem Al Ghanim has visited the camps of Qatari pilgrims in Mina and Arafat to assess the level of readiness and ensure the full availability of services.
He further toured the public facilities allocated to the nation's pilgrims to verify their safety, functionality, and high operational efficiency, as well as their distribution across the seventeen Qatari campaigns for the 1446 AH Hajj season in accordance with the number of pilgrims in each campaign.
The State of Qatar, as enjoined by the prudent leadership, highly prioritizes pilgrims' safety and comfort and continues to have the most premium logistical, medical, and religious services in place in order to make this year's pilgrimage an exceptional model in terms of preparation, execution, and organization, Al Ghanim underlined.
He added that this model should best suit pilgrims from Qatar and reflects an honorable image of the nation in serving the fifth pillar of Islam.
Al Ghanim commenced his tour from Arafat, where he carefully listened to a detailed explanation about all equipment, services, and utilities in place that were executed by the company under the supervision of the Advisory Committee and the Holy Sites Services Unit of the Qatari Hajj Mission, in line with the highest approved standards and specifications and with the refined design and layout prepared for camp facilities, rendering it one of the most exceptional camps in Arafat in terms of organization and integrated amenities.
During his tour in the Holy Site of Mina, he inspected the Qatari camps that were outfitted with specifications that best suit the pilgrims' needs, designed as per best raw materials, along with the men's camps that have been separated from the women's camps. They have been entirely equipped with all utilities, in addition to fitting toilets with the state-of-the-art devices based on the highest standards customarily observed by Qatar's pilgrims.
Upon concluding his tours, Al Ghanim lauded the energized efforts made by the Makkah Hospitality Company through its positive collaboration with the advisors and the missionâ€s Holy Sites Services Unit and backed by the facilitation provided by the Government of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, HRH the Crown Prince, and the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah in the sisterly Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
These incredible services underscored a resolute commitment to delivering seamless and comprehensive services to pilgrims, enabling them to perform the fifth pillar of Islam with utmost ease and reassurance.
The Holy Site of Arafat camp has undergone a full-scale infrastructure revamp and comprehensive upgrade, featuring purpose-built tents of diverse sizes allocated to the Qatari Hajj campaigns.
The camp has been outfitted with fully furnished and air-conditioned rest areas, while the grounds were paved with premium-grade interlock tiles and lined with misting fan corridors to moderate the temperature and enhance comfort.
A diverse array of designated rest zones has been arranged to accommodate all pilgrims, allowing them to devote themselves to prayer and supplication. Additionally, two separate air-conditioned lounges, one for men and the other for women, have been prepared to ensure maximum comfort and meet the full spectrum of needs for the nation's pilgrims.
The mission made it a top priority to provide heat-insulated PVC tents equipped with high-efficiency air conditioning systems tailored to withstand the soaring temperatures in Arafat.
These units were rigorously tested in recent days to verify their operational readiness and durability under extreme weather conditions, ensuring optimal cooling inside the tents and enabling pilgrims to perform the rites of Hajj in full comfort and reassurance. The facilities have been reinforced with top-tier services and outfitted with all essential supplies in accordance with the highest established standards.
Each tent has been fully carpeted with premium-quality flooring and outfitted with a high-grade multi-functional seat for every pilgrim, designed to serve interchangeably as a bed or chair depending on individual need.
A personal table has been allocated to each pilgrim to facilitate dining, reading, and the safekeeping of belongings. Every tent has been reinforced with two open buffets, stocked with refrigerators and a wide array of cold and hot beverages, light meals, sweets, and fruits, ensuring comprehensive food options that cater to diverse preferences.
In addition, eight dedicated zones have been established to deliver sanitation facilities equipped with state-of-the-art systems and configured in line with the highest benchmarks.
These were strategically distributed between the men's and women's camps. In parallel, two separates, fully equipped medical clinics, one for men and another for women, have been readied, comprising examination rooms, isolation units, inpatient care, a pharmacy, and a fully integrated emergency section, supported by a high-spec ambulance to ensure rapid response and adherence to top-tier medical standards.
The mission has given foremost priority to ensuring dedicated facilities for persons with disabilities, including customized pathways, restrooms, and access points designed to fully accommodate their needs, guaranteeing their ability to perform the rites with complete ease and autonomy.
The mission has catered all these generous services to pilgrims as part of its unflagging commitment to providing them with the highest levels of comfort and safety in the camps at the Holy Site of Mina, where they spend the Day of Tarwiyah and the Days of Tashreeq.
Furthermore, the mission outfitted each tent with a high-grade multi-purpose seat for every pilgrim, designed for dual use as a bed or chair. Each pilgrim has also been provided with a personal table, suitable for dining or reading, in line with the mission's broader objective of ensuring individualized comfort throughout the performance of the rituals.
All seats have been reinforced with individual electrical outlets featuring integrated mobile charging capability, a value-added feature first rolled out last year across the Qatari pilgrims' camps.
Each seat is further enhanced with overhead lockers to safeguard personal belongings. And multiple dining lounges and open buffets have been provisioned, fully outfitted with refrigerators stocked with water, juices, and a wide array of chilled beverages, ensuring uninterrupted access to refreshments and catering to the full spectrum of pilgrims' needs.
The camps at the Holy Sites of Mina and Arafat have been reinforced with comprehensive safety and security measures, alongside the full provisioning of healthcare infrastructure and critical medical equipment to ensure the health and safety of pilgrims.
Facilities include medical clinics, an on-site pharmacy, examination rooms, isolation units, inpatient wards, and fully equipped emergency sections for both men and women, all supported by a high-spec ambulance outfitted in accordance with top-tier medical standards.
These services are further bolstered by the deployment of highly skilled medical personnel, including elite doctors, nurses, paramedics, and pharmacists from both genders across multiple specialties.
This professional medical cadre will escort the pilgrims throughout their movements, from Arafat to Muzdalifah, ensuring uninterrupted care and rapid response capacity. All these provisions are delivered by the mission as part of its strenuous commitment to enabling them to perform the rites under optimal conditions, with full ease and serenity.