BY Rokiah Mahmud & Azlan Othman

The Haj Management Department of the Ministry of Religious Affairs held a practical course for intending Haj pilgrims of 2022/1443 Hijrah at the Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Hajah Saleha Girls Arabic Religious Secondary School in Kampong Katok on Sunday.

The course was a follow-up to the theory sessions held every Friday and Sunday since May 13.

Intending pilgrims were shown the proper way of wearing an ihram, performing Tawaf (circling of Kaabah seven times), Saie (journey from Safa to Marwah seven times), and stone throwing at Jamarat.

Acting Assistant Director of Haj Management Hajah Zunainah binti Haji Gunong also advised intending pilgrims to look after their health and improve their fitness prior to their departure for Saudi Arabia.

The Ministry of Health will hold a briefing for intending Haj pilgrims at the Religious Teachers University College of Seri Begawan (KUPU SB) on June 10.

Meanwhile, 352 intending Haj pilgrims, registered under Darussalam Holdings Sdn Bhd (DHSB), attended a pre-departure briefing at Tarindak D’Seni in the capital on Sunday.

They were provided information on the Haj pilgrimage and how to get the most out of their journey.

They were also briefed on the logistics of the pilgrimage as well as given tips for common encounters in Saudi Arabia.

DHSB Managing Director Haji Mahmud bin Haji Mohamed, who will lead the delegation, said the company has been entrusted to manage all facilities for the comfort of intending pilgrims.

“Alhamdulillah, after two years of COVID-19, the government of Saudi Arabia permitted the Haj pilgrimage this year. Brunei Darussalam has been provided a quota of 453 Haj pilgrims, compared to 1,000 in the previous years,” he said, adding that the quota was announced at the end of this year’s Ramadhan.

“DHSB and other operators have been working hard to ensure all preparations, including logistics, accommodations and other facilities, have been made.”

The managing director also advised intending pilgrims to monitor their health status regularly as COVID-19 remains a threat to the world, adhere to standard operating procedures (SOPs) and take extra precautions to avoid getting infected by the coronavirus or other diseases at the holy cities.

DHSB has also appointed 10 officers to assist the pilgrims in terms of Haj rituals, welfare, logistics and general matters.

Two officials, including the managing director, will leave for Saudi Arabia today to ensure all preparations are in place before the arrival of the pilgrims.

on Sunday also saw DHSB’s Assistant General Manager of Haj and Umrah Department Pengiran Haji Ibrahim bin Pengiran Haji Bakar deliver a briefing and religious officer Hajah Zaleha binti Haji Ibrahim facilitating a question-and-answer session with the intending pilgrims.

The Sultanate will operate two chartered flights for the Haj pilgrimage, with the first departing for Madinah on June 15, and the second on June 16.

Advance check-ins will be carried out a day before departure.

-- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin