Useful Information for People Performing Hajj in 2015 (Updated)

Originally Posted on 21 May 2015 :

As per Department of Statistics and Information of Saudi Government, there were 1,952,817 Hajjis in 2015.

Who offers Hajj Services?
Every year, Ministry of Hajj in Saudi Arabia (http://haj.gov.sa/en-us/Pages/default.aspx) calculates total number of Hajjis they can accommodate in Makkah and based on that they allocate quotas to 1000s of Hajj Service Providers/Hajj Operators throughout the world. These service providers (also known as Hajj Agents) can be:

• Governments of various countries
• Hajj and Umrah service provider organizations/companies/agents
• Travel agencies who specialize in Hajj and Umrah services or Normal travel agencies offering Hajj services

How to register for Hajj?
For performing Hajj you have to visit any of the above mentioned Hajj agents near your location. Usually Hajj services offered by the government is cheaper/discounted than the Hajj services offered by private agents. Also Hajj services provided by the government are considered more reliable.

Cost of Hajj Package:
The cost of the Hajj Package is dependent on various factors like:

• Cost of Visa etc
• Mode of Transportation to Saudi Arabia (Flights/Buses) and inside Saudi Arabia (Flights/Buses/Trains)
• Duration of stay in Saudi Arabia during Hajj
• The standard of accommodation provided in Saudi Arabia
• The location of Camp in Mina which is also known as Category, like Category A Hajj etc (Allocated by Ministry of Hajj)
• Cost of Sacrifice/Qurbani/Hadi

Understanding Categories and Allocation of Camps in Mina and Arafat
Hajj services advertise themselves with categories, that they are in Category A or B or H etc. Usually it is considered that Category A is the best and than B and so on. Let me explain what does these categories actually mean: The Camps in Mina are geographically divided into blocks. The columns are divided into A, B, C …. and the rows are divided into 1, 2, 3… Plz note that all blocks do not contain camps.
Jamaraat is present in A1, A2, B1 and B2. So if your camp is in these blocks or near these blocks then you are nearest to Jamaraat and that would mean ease in doing rami. Also ease in going to haram because you are nearest to Haram in Mina. This area is most expensive.
When there were no trains then these locations were extremely important because people from farther side of Mina had to walk or had to travel by Bus to reach Jamaraat and it use to take hours and hours. Now due to trains, the blocks which are near to the train stations are also considered Hotspots.

• Mina 3 Train Station is in A3
• Mina 3 Train Station is in F5
• Mina 1 Train Station is in H6

If you are near these blocks then you can use train relatively easily to reach Jamaraat and also to reach Arafat and Muzdalifah.
(Download and Zoom In the following Image with your favorite Image Viewer)



Another important point is that the allocation of camps in Mina is according to Nationalities. i.e. different countries are given different locations so if you are coming from a country outside KSA, it might not be possible to get a camp near Jamaraat. Below snapshot shows allocation of different countries in Mina with the help of colors:


Below snapshot shows allocation of different countries in Arafat with the help of colors:

 

How to perform Hajj

There is difference of opinion among different schools of thoughts about a few aspects of Hajj. You can follow the scholars of the school of though you follows, here are a few guides:

1. eBook: Hajj Mabroor by Molana Mohammad Najeeb Sambhali (in URDU)

2. A walk through the Essentials of Hajj in a easy to follow Series

3. GETTING THE BEST OUT OF HAJJ - Ismail Davids–Online Seminar

4. Words of Advice to Pilgrims Before Performing Hajj and Q&A by Mohammad Al-Arefe

5. ProudUmmah - Importance of Shoe Bag in Hajj & Umrah pilgrimage

6. Hajj(pilgrimage) Short Animated Guide

7. Hajj: The best place & the best time by Karim AbuZaid

8. Summary on How to Perform Hajj - Najeeb Qasmi (in URDU)

9. Hajj Orientation Video by  Najeeb Qasmi (in URDU)

10. Hajj e Mabroor – Mobile App for Hajj and Umrah - Najeeb Qasmi (in Urdu, English, Hindi)

11. Hadith about Hajj

12. This is not exactly related to Hajj but this can give you a feel of importance of Hajj for some people. I would highly recommend to listen to it without interruptions. It is in Urdu: Zia Mohyeddin reads Asad Muhammad Khan - basawday ki maryam

Tips:

• If you are not used to regular physical activity like exercise or sports then you should start regular walking before hajj, keep a target of 4km walk in one go.

• Locations: Ask your Hajj Service Provider to provide you with the accommodation locations in Makkah, Madina, Mina, Arafat and Muzdalifah, preferably GPS coordinates so that you can see them on Google Maps. It is handy in case you get lost or if you want to travel at your own. It will also give you an idea how good the locations are (near to Jamarah and Train Stations).

• Mina Tent Locator - Android Apps on Google Play

• Transportation: Ask your Hajj Service Provider about the mode of transportation they will provide for traveling inside Saudi Arabia:
  • From Jeddah Airport to Makkah (and Vice Versa)
  • From Haram to Mina (and Vice Versa)
    • It took us less than an hour on Bus provided by our Hajj agent
    • We took private bus from Mina to Haram on another occasion and it charged us SR50/head
    • We took taxi from Haram to Mina on another occasion and it charged us SR50 but it dropped us far from our camp because taxies were not allowed beyond that point thus it was not much useful
  • From Mina to Arafat (It took us 1.5 hr on Foot and Train)
  • From Arafat to Muzdalifah (It took us 2.5 hr on Foot and Train)
  • From Muzdalifah to Mina (It took us 1 hr on Foot and Train)
  • From Makkah to Madina (and Vice Versa)

• While Performing Tuwaf: There are 7 locations for performing Tuwaf in Haram, you can chose the appropriate location:
  • Metaf which is nearest to Kaba (Open Air)
  • Basement Floor
  • Ground Floor
  • 1st Floor (It took us 1.5hr to perform Tawaf ul Widah)
  • 2nd Floor (Open Air)
  • 1st Ring
  • 2nd Ring (usually dedicated for Wheelchairs) (Open Air)

• While Performing Sa’ee: There are atleast 3 locations for performing Sahi in Haram, you can chose the appropriate location:
  • Basement Floor
  • Ground Floor (Most Crowded)
  • 1st Floor (Least Crowded)

• While in Muzdalifah: It is highly recommended that you plan yourself in a way that you don’t have to use washroom in Muzdalifah due to (usually) very limited availability of washrooms and water in Muzdalifah.

• While Performing Rami: It is recommended to choose 3rd or 4th floor of Jamaraat to avoid crowd.

• Medical Emergency: If you need Emergency Medical Services (an Ambulance) you can call Red Crescent KSA Ambulance Emergency Number: 997.

• Wheelchair in Makkah: If you are looking to buy a wheelchair then you can find it in pharmacies near Bin Dawood Mall. If you want to buy a better one with better built quality and features then you can ask for directions for Tareeq(road) Ibrahim Khalil, it is not far from haram. You would find pharmacies there but it is expected to be expensive. For relatively cheaper wheelchair you can take taxi and visit Azizia area near City Plaza, there is a big Nahadi pharmacy and there are other pharmacies as well. A more cheaper option is to go to Kakiya, where you would find wholesales shops but this place is far from haram.

• While in Madina: The following link has information about places you can Visit/See in Madina, with their location information:

urShadow's Blog: Places to Visit/See in Madina, Saudi Arabia–Tour/Travel Guide (Updated) http://naumankhan.blogspot.com/2013/06/places-to-vi… View Now

Performing Hajj from within Saudi Arabia:
Like international setup, Ministry of Hajj also allocates quotas to local Hajj agents who are present throughout Saudi Arabia. Their prices also varies based on the services they provide. Every year Ministry of Hajj also offers discounted packages to some of the Hajj agents also known as “الحج المخفض”, the information about these Hajj Agents for the year 2015, 2014 and 2013 can be found on the following links:

Low Cost Hajj Packages in Saudi Arabia for year 2015 - qSaudi.com Where and how can you get the Low cost Hajj packages for year 2015? What is included the package and which categories provide the best pricing plans? http://qsaudi.com/low-cost-hajj-packages-in-saudi-a… View Now

List of Low Cost Hajj Agents in Saudi Arabia - 2015 ~ Life in Saudi Arabia http://life-in-saudiarabia.blogspot.com/2015/07/lis… View Now

urShadow's Blog: Low Cost Hajj Package for 2014 in Saudi Arabia (Men Only) (Updated) http://naumankhan.blogspot.com/2014/08/low-cost-haj… View Now

urShadow's Blog: Important and Urgent News for People Planning to Perform Hajj in 2013 in KSA! (Updated) http://naumankhan.blogspot.com/2013/10/important-an… View Now

The process for registering for Hajj, online in Saudi Arabia, in 2015 is given in the below link:

Discover Islam In Tamil: Registration Steps of Hajj 1436 (2015) for Resident Pilgrims!! http://ajmal-mahdee.blogspot.com/2015/08/registrati… View Now

HAJJ REGISTRATION FOR RESIDENT PILGRIMS Saudi-Expatriates is a blog of updated information in bulk for foreigners who are staying in Saudi Arabia or who are keen to visit Saudi. http://saudi-expatriates.blogspot.com/2015/08/hajj-… View Now

Online Procedure to Apply for Hajj from Saudi Arabia ~ Life in Saudi Arabia http://life-in-saudiarabia.blogspot.com/2015/08/onl… View Now

Benefits of Online Procedure to Apply for Hajj from Saudi Arabia ~ Life in Saudi Arabia http://life-in-saudiarabia.blogspot.com/2015/08/ben… View Now

Hajj 2015 Orientation Program in Riyadh by Najeeb Qasmi:

urShadow's Blog: Hajj 2015 Orientation Program in Riyadh by Najeeb Qasmi http://naumankhan.blogspot.com/2015/08/hajj-2015-or… View Now

Requirements of Performing Hajj from within Saudi Arabia:
Plz note that the residents of Saudi Arabia can perform Hajj only once in 5 years and during Hajj days the entrance in Makkah is not allowed to anyone who don’t have Hajj permit (tasreeh).
When I performed Hajj the agent requested for the following docs:

• Hajj Form (Signed by your qafeel to confirm you are allowed to perform Hajj as per your employment contract) - An Online Copy of the Hajj Form
• 4x6 photos (2 each) - Name written on the back
• Copy of My Iqama and my Wife’s Iqama on separate pages
• Copy of the passports
• Meningitis Injection for Hajj (Vaccination)’s document
• Blood group’s document

 

To check the Status of Tasreeh online:
Tasreeh is the Hajj Permit from the Ministry of Hajj which makes you eligible to perform Hajj. Without tasreeh you are considered doing illegal Hajj as per Saudi Government Law.
To check if your Hajj Permit (tasreeh) has been issued by the Ministry of Hajj you can visit the following link and can enter your Iqama number:

Ministry of Haj - eServices http://eservices.haj.gov.sa/eservices3/haj/hajInque… View Now

A more detailed process of checking tasreeh is given on the following link:

How to check Hajj Tasreeh (Permit) is genuine? ~ Life in Saudi Arabia http://life-in-saudiarabia.blogspot.com/2014/09/how… View Now

Tips:

• We got Hajj vaccination from Kingdom Hospital which cost us SR350/head. They gave us a small card with a stamp which would be used as a proof of our vaccination. Later I got to know that in a cheaper hospital/clinic it would cost less. Thus we got our Blood Group checked from Mursalat Clinic and it cost us SR25/head. They gave us a plain printed paper with blood group mentioned on it.
• Odorless Soups: We found QV Bar Soups of SR 29 each from Kunooz Alseha, Takasussi Street, Riyadh. (It was good that we bought these soups because the soups provided to us by our Hajj service in Mina, Arafat and Muzdalifah were all perfumed soups.)

Hajj Agents in Saudi Arabia (Contact information, Rates, Feedback):
You can find information about all Hajj Operators in KSA on the following link:

Ministry of Haj - eServices http://eservices.haj.gov.sa/eservices3/haj/ho.xhtml View Now

Discover Islam In Tamil: Approved Hajj Agents in Saudi Arabia.. http://ajmal-mahdee.blogspot.com/2015/08/approved-h… View Now

• “Saoud A. Al-Joma’a & Companions Co.” famously known as “Al-Joma’a”, Riyadh

This service has been working in Riyadh for last 23 years. This is an Arabic Speaking Group.

Rates:
In 2013 :

• SR11,500 by Bus, Location: Category A, (600 for sacrifice)
• SR13,400 by Plane, Location: Category A (600 for sacrifice)

Location:

Coordinates: 24.592039,46.650111
Google Maps Link: http://goo.gl/maps/cfaPY
I performed Hajj through this service in 2013, you can read my detailed Review at:

urShadow's Blog: How to perform Hajj from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – Step by Step Guide (Updated) http://naumankhan.blogspot.com/2013/10/how-to-perfo… View Now

• Asad Madni Group (AMG), Riyadh

This is a famous hajj service for Urdu speaking people. It is operating since 1999.

urShadow's Blog: Advertisement from Asad Madani Hajj Group for the year 2015 http://naumankhan.blogspot.com/2015/07/advertisemen… View Now

Contact Numbers:
Shaikh Asadullah Othman Madni
050 342 5235
055 965 6109
054 158 6461
Shaikh Asad Madani 0503425235
Mahmood 050 945 6721

Related Link: https://groups.google.com/forum/#!msg/nijangal/Uj_2lq4m7vA/24rYkGwwUygJ
Rates:
In 2014:

• SR 7,000 by bus, Location: Mina Extension
• SR 9500 by bus, Location: Location: Category B1
• 8,700 by Plane, Location: Mina Extension

In 2013 : SR10,500
In 2012 : SR5000, Location: Category H
Feedback:

• Anonymous: Worst Servcie, no control of Mr. Asad Madni over Silfa Shirka organizors, terrible bus services. no cooling in camps, flight people have there flight delayed and reached on 8th Zilhaj due to unavailability of Boarding Passes/and unsurety.
  Please try some other agents(Please prefer Jeddah agents), they are much arranged and organized and real facility in the camps.

• Anonymous: I would like to share my experience of Hajj with Asad madni group we took by air package which cost us 9200 per head including qurbani and train. Our tasree and boarding passes were given before hand,Our flight was on time from riyadh and upon reaching jeddha airport we were guided towards our buses and after waiting for 1.5 hour in the bus for other passengers we left jeddha for makkah,Our ameer in the bus explained everything in detail as per his instructions he gave us all 5 hours for our sayeee and tawaf we reached makkah at 10.30 as we were alone without kids we managed to do our tawaf, sayee and food within 2.5 hrs then we came back to our bus as instructed our bus was chilled ac was on so it was a perfect environment to sleep bcoz the bus was empty, the last passenger came at 5 then we finally left for minna,upon reaching our tent we were guided to our rooms it was a large room consisting sofa cum beds on each was a bed no,ac were good at night but hot in day time as we all know saudias climate,the bathrooms were clean there were maids who are there to clean them at once it was impressive as it was imp to me, there were large fridges loaded with mineral water, soft drinks and juices, tea, coffee green and gahwa was 24hrz available with rainbow milk, food was average and daily we were given fruits 3 types plus sweet, breakfast was good, on arafat day we left the camp soon after fajer prayer so it was the best time as we didnt cross any crowd, our camp was very near to the station as we were in Mina extension, in arafat they gave us breakfast boxes and in lunchh yummyyy bakra mandi ac at arafat was bad then we left reached muzalifa no food was provided by the group but we had albaik someone was selling there, then back to mina rami was on us as we had those train bands,on the last day they arranged buses for haram and then. To jeddha while coming back they treat us with pakistani nasta and for lunch albaik or flight was on time and we reached Riyadh safely alhumduallah Luckily all the fellow hajis were nice, clean people we had a great time too. We shared we laughed and prayed together there were around 10kids in my room but hardly any mess diapers were being dispose off properly no smell even in the toilets i can give 8/10 to this group alhumduallah we had a good experience.

• Al Faris Hajj Group, Riyadh

This is English Speaking Hajj Group. Their office is at backside of Black Box (on King Fahad Road). Call Khalid at Al Faris on 0506401144
Rates:
In 2014:

• SR 11,800 to SR 13,000 (700 for sacrifice)
• SR 4,000 for Low Cost Hajj

Alfaris International Travel And Tourism Creating Innovative Travel Solutions http://www.alfaristours.com/ View Now

• Al-Tayyar (AlFajr) Hajj Group, Riyadh Rates:
  In 2014: SR 14,800
  
  

  Internal Hajj Programs http://www.altayyargroup.com/English/our_services/h… View Now

• Al Athari Hajj Group, Riyadh and Jeddah

Urdu Speaking Group.
Riyadh Contact :: 053 026 4732, 0530264775, 966508579371
Jeddah Contact: 0530264694, 0554902022, 966508579371

Riyadh Office Locations: 6500 Ash shaikh Abdul Rahman Ibn Hasan, Al Wizarat, (Harra), Riyadh
Coordinates: 24.669233, 46.711708
Google Maps Link: https://goo.gl/maps/SEnsK
 
Rates:
In 2014:

• SR 7300 By Bus, Location: Category D1.
• SR 2500 (Low Cost Hajj without food and train tickets)
• SR 3,000 (Low Cost Hajj with food and train tickets)

Feedback:

• Anonymous: A review I am writing this to benefit all those who plan on going for Hajj next year InshAllah and are looking for groups. We went with the Athari/Ethari group. Their office is in Hara and it is an Indian group. They were charging SAR 7800 this year inclusive of round-trip bus ride from Riyadh to Mina and qurbani.

1. Our tasreeh was given to us on time. Everything was well organized in that department.
2. The bus ride. We were supposed to reach at 6.00 am to the designated venue so the buses could leave by 7. But because some people were late (as there were about 22 buses) we left at around 8 or 9. I don't remember. But at that point you are so excited that waiting does not matter. Our bus was in bad luck as we had a Jordanian number plate and while the remaining 20 buses got ahead, ours got stuck on a checkpoint which sent us back to Riyadh. After some more delays we reached Makkah for the first Tawaf and Sayee after 24 hours of travelling. To be honest, I did not feel tired at all because I slept most of the way and we stopped often for food and snacks.
3. We reached the Mina camp early morning on the 7th (If I am correct. Very bad with dates and times). It was an ordinary camp - lots of rooms. Carpeted flooring. small mattresses lined side by side. The bigger halls accommodated up to 60-70 women whereas I opted to stay in the small room which had about 18 women. When I reached the ACs weren't working and there was no water. Apparently this is from the Government's side and they had not yet opened these two facilities since most pilgrims were going to arrive the next day. Anyway after 2-3 hrs they opened. But the ACS were still not working. There was just fan-type air coming from the ac vents. I was extremely annoyed but after calling a few people who were in other groups (more expensive ones) i found out that all the camps in Mina had this common problem. So overall, during the day time it was EXTREMELY hot but at night it got very cool and easy to sleep.
4. Bathrooms. The Mina camp from Ethari had horrible bathrooms. But again, all camps have more or less the same. Our good luck was that the government public toilets were opposite our camp and the first day it was easy to use those since the illegal pilgrims hadnt arrived and the washrooms were extremely new and clean. But afterwards it was impossible to use them. I think Ethari group should have arranged for female cleaners to clean the women's side bathrooms. And I also think that women need to STOP being so dirty. Some of the women in our camp were so filthy they were throwing dirty diapers and used pads in the bathrooms and even in the wuzu area!!! I was really disgusted since cleanliness is such a big part of our religion and no one seemed to notice the dustbins.
5. Travelling. Ethari group had arranged for a good system to travel at all the right times. We had the train tickets for Arafat and Muzdalifah and to use on our own too for Jamarat. So even though our camp was very far from Jamarat, it was close to the train station which landed us directly at the Jamarat. Additionally, they picked the perfect times to reach and leave Arafat before the rush started and we had a very, very good experience compared to other people.
6. Food. It was ordinary. I hardly ate. I took my own biscuits and snacks. Only once or twice it was worth eating. There was usually one main course per meal. And fruits sometimes. There were coolers with water and soft drinks in all the camps. I think overall we had a fairly decent experience.
7. Our camp in Arafat was excellent. It was comparable to the camps of Al-Faris, as i exchanged pictures and facilities with my friends who were in that camp. And their price was double yet services were almost the same. Also, on the way back we got our own air tickets, which was great because in the end you are so tired you just want to go home. Overall, I would recommend this group, for those looking to go on a budget yet with decent facilities. I hope this is helpful. PS. One negative point was that kids were allowed. I think people should NOT be allowed to bring kids under 14 to hajj. Because those kids were occupying space, they were creating a mess and they were falling ill. I felt so bad for the poor children having to walk/sit in the heat for so long. Some of them fell really ill too. If you plan to go for hajj pleaseeeeeee arrange to have someone baby sit your kids. It's just one week! Don't torture them like this.

• Muhammad Noman Khan: My experience was excellent. Specially for families.

• Al-Etkan, Riyadh

There office is near Olaya computer market, their board is visible from King Fahd road. Contact number: +96614666688, +966554414503.
Feedback:

• Imran Rasul: My experience with Al-etkan has been good in 2009; Though they serve usually mandi/rice food.

I performed Hajj in 2013, you can read about the services provided to us and my experience in detail on the following link:

urShadow's Blog: How to perform Hajj from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – Step by Step Guide (Updated) http://naumankhan.blogspot.com/2013/10/how-to-perfo… View Now

Hajj Agents in Pakistan (Contact information, Rates, Feedback):

• Hajj Mission, Government of Pakistan

Government of Pakistan provides the most cost effective Hajj in Pakistan. They conduct draw for all the applicants every year around 5 months before Hajj. The applications are available in various Banks.
Website: http://hajjinfo.org/
Rates:
In 2015: Rs 279,181
In 2012: ~ Rs 220,000
Feedback: Generally Good

• Universal Express, Karachi and Lahore

Website: http://www.universalexpress.com.pk/
Rates: 575K to 750K for 14 day Hajj
Feedback:

• Kashif Bashir: Good

• Air Guide, Karachi

AIR GUIDE http://airguide.com.pk/ View Now

Rates: 575K to 750K for 14 day Hajj
Feedback:

• Kashif Bashir: Good

• Junaid Jamshed Travels, Karachi

JJ Travels - Clifton, Karachi Junaid Jamshed Travels Hajj and Umrah http://jjtravels.com.pk/ View Now

Rates: 575K to 750K for 14 day Hajj
Feedback:

• Kashif Bashir: Good

• Karwan-al-Madina, Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad

Karwan-al-Madina - Pioneers in Hajj and Umrah Service Description http://www.karwan-al-madina.com/ View Now

Rates: 575K to 750K for 14 day Hajj
Feedback:

• Kashif Bashir: Do Not take Karwan e Madina.. We had a very unpleasant experience last year (2014).

Pakistani Volunteers Required for Serving People Performing Hajj in 2015:

urShadow's Blog: Pakistani Volunteers Required for Serving People Performing Hajj in 2015 http://naumankhan.blogspot.com/2015/07/pakistani-vo… View Now

urShadow's Blog: If you are planning to visit KSA, Don't buy Saudi Mobile SIM (STC/Mobily/Zain/Virgin/Lebara) from Unofficial Sellers! (Updated) http://naumankhan.blogspot.com/2016/03/if-you-are-p… View Now

-urShadow