Rappler's latest stories on Hajj
Curtailed hajj compounds Saudi economic woes
The coronavirus batters pilgrimage-reliant businesses that support hundreds of thousands of jobs in Saudi Arabia's holy city of Mecca
Saudi Arabia to allow around 1,000 pilgrims in scaled-down hajj
(UPDATED) The pilgrimage, scheduled for the end of July, will be limited to those below 65 years of age and with no chronic illnesses
Saudi urges Muslims to defer hajj plans over virus
Saudi Arabia authorities are yet to announce whether they will proceed with this year's hajj, scheduled for the end of July
Saudi Arabia reopens area around sacred Kaaba amid coronavirus measures
King Salman allows opening of the Mataf, where people circle the Kaaba, for non-umrah performers
Gov't to help 200 indigent Filipino Muslims perform 2020 hajj
The National Commission on Muslim Filipinos says their agency would finance the pilgrimage to Mecca of eligible but impoverished pilgrims
Saudi Hajj ministry to pilgrims: Register biometric data to avoid deportation
For Filipino Muslims, this can be done at authorized visa centers in Manila, Cebu, and Davao
2 million Muslim hajj pilgrims scale Mount Arafat
Two million Muslims converge outside Mecca as officials safeguard the gathering to prevent deadly stampedes that happened in previous years
More than 2 million Muslims begin hajj pilgrimage
The hajj consists of a series of religious rites which are completed over 5 days in Islam's holiest city and its surroundings in western Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia prepares for hajj as Gulf tensions persist
Crowds of worshippers already begun to gather in Mecca in the days ahead of the hajj, the focal point of the Islamic calendar
Robredo: Wrong to use Marawi rehab funds for Hajj
Vice President Leni Robredo says that while Hajj is a pillar of Islam, the government must be strict about using funds only for what they were authorized for
PH pilgrims almost barred from 2019 hajj over NCMF debt to Saudi firm
Even as it investigates the P11-million debt, the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos settles the amount to ensure that Filipinos can go to Mecca in August
Pangarungan named head of PH Hajj 2019 delegation
As Amirul Hajj, or head of Filipino pilgrims to Mecca, Pangarungan is expected to 'ensure an issue-free hajj for the 2019 Muslim Filipino intending pilgrims'
Saudi gov’t allows 3rd airline to ferry Filipinos to hajj pilgrimage
The Saudi government used to allow only national carriers Saudia and Philippine Airlines to transport Filipino pilgirms
AFP chief Galvez makes 'historic' visit to MILF's Camp Darapanan
Philippine military chief Carlito Galvez Jr goes to Camp Darapanan a few months after Moro Islamic Liberation Front leaders visited Camp Aguinaldo
More than two million Muslims begin hajj pilgrimage
(UPDATED) 'It's the ultimate journey. What worries me is the return to my normal life. For the moment, I am in a dream,' says one pilgrim
Qatar says Saudi blocking hajj access to its citizens
'Registration of pilgrims from the State of Qatar remains closed and residents of Qatar cannot be granted visas as there are no diplomatic missions,' says a Qatari official
Lost in translation? Not for Muslim hajj pilgrims
The official hajj translation bureau is set to provide 24/7 interpretation services in English, French, Farsi, Malay, Hausa, Turkish, Chinese and Urdu for pilgrims traveling to Mecca
BBL passage by end of May? 'We'll still give it a try,' says Pimentel
Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III says this follows the timeline of Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri, chair of the Senate subcommittee on the Bangsamoro Basic Law
IN PHOTOS: Eid'l Adha
The celebration is considered one of the greatest feasts of Islam
Over 2M Muslims begin hajj spiritual journey
More than two million Muslims from around the world begin the hajj pilgrimage at Islam s holiest sites
Hajj pilgrimage: Saudi Arabia says ready to welcome over two million pilgrims
Pilgrims are to begin gathering from Tuesday evening August 29 in Mina Valley near Mecca to prepare to climb Mount Arafat considered the climax of the hajj on Thursday August 31
Gulf row stunts Qatar hajj numbers
Impacting on the hajj only a few dozen Qatari nationals have been able to travel to Mecca and Medina western Saudi Arabia in contrast to thousands last year
Pilgrims duped into paying Mecca travel fees file charges
The victims from various parts of Mindanao tell Manila police they were asked to pay P50 000 to P70 000 each but were unable to leave on August 25
Qatar denies blocking Saudi hajj pilgrimage flights
An official source in the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority described as baseless the news that allegedly claimed that the state of Qatar refused to allow Saudi Airlines to transport the Qatari pilgrims
Saudi says Qatar blocking planes from transporting pilgrims
Qatari authorities have not allowed the aircraft to land as it did not have the right paperwork although the paperwork was filed days ago reports the Saudi Press Agency
#ThewRap: Videos you need to watch this week, August 12-19, 2017
Must watch videos from this week
Taguiwalo, Barcelona attacks, Qatar and Saudi Arabia | Midday wRap
Watch the midday newscast with Mara Cepeda
Saudi Arabia reopens border to Qatari pilgrims despite tensions
Around 120 Qataris have entered Saudi territory through the Salwa border also known as Abu Samrah after King Salman called for the border to be opened for pilgrims without electronic permits
Saudi king orders reopening of Qatar border to pilgrims
4th UPDATE The decision comes after the kingdom received an envoy from Doha for the first time since Saudi Arabia Egypt Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates severed ties with Qatar on June 5
Qatar accuses Saudis of hampering Qatari hajj pilgrims
The Qatari Islamic affairs ministry says the Saudi side has refused to communicate regarding securing the pilgrims safety and facilitating their Hajj
Yemeni rebel missile shot down near Mecca – Arab coalition
The new attack is thought to pose a threat ahead of Hajj when some 2 million faithful from across the world will visit the site
'Conspiracy' behind Hajj passport scam – NBI
Recruiters of at least 177 Indonesians cannot facilitate the issuance of passports without the knowledge approval consent indispensable cooperation and participation of gov t officials according to an NBI report
DFA employee probed over Hajj passport scam
Hajj passports a form of accommodation for Muslim Filipinos had been exploited by unscrupulous people a Philippine foreign affairs official says
Saudi king rejects mixing hajj with politics
Among its concerns Riyadh said Tehran had demanded the right to organize demonstrations
Hajj goes high-tech for bloodless Eid sacrifices
Muslims at the annual hajj pilgrimage to Mecca are able to make their Eid l Adha sacrifice without getting blood on their hands
Hajj pilgrims reach site of deadly 2015 stampede
A number of safety measures have been introduced to prevent a repeat of last year s tragedy which killed around 2 300 people
Hajj at high point a year after deadly stampede
3rd UPDATE More than 1 8 million people gather at Mount Arafat praying and reading from the Koran
The hajj in numbers
More than a million pilgrims are following in the footsteps of their Prophet Mohammed who performed the same rituals about 1 400 years ago
Almost 1.5 million Muslims begin hajj
2nd UPDATE The first day of hajj is traditionally the chance for pilgrims to let their animals drink and to stock up on water
Hajj pilgrims get ID bracelets after deadly stampede
The bracelets are a reassurance to some pilgrims though their distribution has been far from systematic ahead of the formal start of the hajj on Saturday
From prayer beads to clocks, the retail rites of hajj
Religious tourism is also an industry which Saudi Arabia home to Islam s two holiest sites plans to develop under its wide ranging Vision 2030 project to diversify its oil dependent economy
Pain lingers one year after hajj tragedy in Saudi
It has been a year since the worst disaster in hajj history What is it like now in Saudi Arabia?
Tehran-Riyadh war of words heats up as Iranians miss hajj
Iranian and Saudi officials are in an increasingly bitter war of words over Iran s exclusion from this year s hajj pilgrimage
Iran's Khamenei blasts Saudi management of holy sites
Iran s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei accuses Saudi Arabia s ruling family who are the custodians of Islam s holiest sites in Mecca and Medina of politicizing the annual hajj pilgrimage
Philippines suspends issuance of hajj passports
The use of these kinds of passports has been abused ’ Philippine Foreign Secretary Perfecto Yasay Jr says
Hajj stoning to be shortened after deadly stampede
A stoning ritual which led to the deaths of about 2 300 people during last year s hajj will be more tightly controlled during next month s pilgrimage
Iran blames Saudi Arabia for hajj 'sabotage'
UPDATED Saudi however denies it is banning Iranian pilgrims and says it was Iran which refused to sign their agreement
The wRap Indonesia: Castration for pedophiles, greenhouse gases from forest fires
Other news include the new hajj stampede death toll and the human trafficking crisis in Southeast Asia
Hajj stampede death toll tops 2,000 – foreign figures
The loss of life in the September 24 disaster far exceeds the 1 426 pilgrims who died in the hajj s worst previous incident – a tunnel stampede in July 1990
The wRap Indonesia: Thousands flee after church-burning, Ahok popularity
Other stories include the foreign death toll on the hajj stampede the murder trial date of a man accused of killing two Indonesian women and babies suffering from pneumonia due to the haze
