Latest news with #Hajj
Libyan Express
2 hours ago
- Politics
- Libyan Express
Libya's Hajj authority head steps down
BY Libyan Express Jun 20, 2025 - 00:39 Hajj authority leadership under scrutiny The President of Libya's General Authority for Hajj and Umrah, Ali Mohamed Al-Bashir, has officially announced his resignation from his post while in the holy city of Mecca, according to local media reports. In a temporary administrative move, Al-Bashir delegated authority to his deputy, Sabri Al-Farjani, who will oversee the body's operations until Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibeh reviews and decides on the resignation request. The development comes amid growing scrutiny from oversight bodies. The Head of the Administrative Control Authority, Abdullah Qaderbouh, has formally requested that Prime Minister Dbeibeh relieve Al-Bashir, the Board of Directors, and the Authority's Executive Director of their duties. Qaderbouh further recommended that none of the current leadership be appointed to any future leadership roles within the public sector, citing governance concerns. The request was reported by several local media outlets. The views expressed in Op-Ed pieces are those of the author and do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of Libyan Express. How to submit an Op-Ed: Libyan Express accepts opinion articles on a wide range of topics. Submissions may be sent to oped@ Please include 'Op-Ed' in the subject line.
Zawya
3 hours ago
- Business
- Zawya
Saudia Group transports 3,900 Iranian Pilgrims daily
Jeddah: In line with the directives of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and the recommendation of His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, Saudia Group continues to operate dedicated flights to support the return of pilgrims from the Islamic Republic of Iran. These efforts are carried out in close coordination with the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, ensuring the delivery of all necessary services for a safe and smooth return to their homeland. Daily flights operated by Saudia and flyadeal depart from the Hajj and Umrah Terminal Complex at King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah. As part of this operation, approximately 3,900 pilgrims are transported each day, with 2,700 pilgrims traveling to Arar airport in Saudi Arabia and coordination is underway to transport 1,200 pilgrims daily to Muscat, the capital of the Sultanate of Oman. Saudia Group's coordinated return operations have been conducted under close supervision of senior officials, who were present on-site to ensure smooth departures. This level of engagement reflects the Kingdom's deep-rooted commitment to serving pilgrims with excellence, providing care, hospitality, and operational efficiency at every step of their journey. About Saudia Group Saudia Group is one of the largest aviation conglomerates in the MENA region. The Group drives industry development with its 13 subsidiaries, and offers world-class air transport, cargo services, ground services, logistics, maintenance, catering, private aviation, real estate, training, and medical services. The mission of Saudia Group is to inspire people to go beyond borders with a purpose that is rooted in unlocking human potential and connecting the world in ways never thought possible. The group is committed to reshaping the aviation ecosystem in the MENA region and beyond, by embracing innovation and a customer-centric approach. Media Center Saudia Airlines Headquarters Jeddah 21231, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Email: mediacenter@ X: @SaudiaGroup Linkedin: SAUDI AIRLINES WhatsApp: Saudia Group | مجموعة السعودية
Express Tribune
3 hours ago
- Express Tribune
Tragedy hits family welcoming Hajjis
The SUV, battered and buried, emerges after being pulled from beneath the sand and gravel truck by rescuers. PHOTO: EXPRESS Two members of a family were killed and as many injured when a speeding dumper truck overturned onto their vehicle on Rashid Minhas Road in the early hours of Thursday. The victims were part of a convoy heading to Jinnah International Terminal to welcome relatives returning from Hajj. The deceased were identified by their family as 55-year-old Shaheena Naeem and her seven-year-old niece, Ayesha, daughter of Khurram Kareem. The injured included Khurram's wife, Anam, 30, and Khurram himself, who was driving the double-cabin pickup. The victims, residents of ROC Cooperative Housing Society, Scheme 33, were en route to receive their uncle, Kashif Kareem, and his family, who had just performed Hajj. Saud Khan, Shaheena's son, recounted the incident, saying that their convoy of four to five vehicles had stopped at the COD signal when a heavily loaded dumper truck, speeding recklessly, overtook from the left, lost control, and toppled onto their vehicle. "The dumper crushed our car under its weight, burying it in sand and gravel. The driver fled immediately, leaving us helpless," Saud said, his voice trembling with grief and anger. Family members and witnesses expressed severe frustration over the slow and disorganised rescue operation. Saud lamented that it took over three hours to extract the victims, with rescue workers forced to manually remove sand using shovels due to the absence of heavy machinery. "There were no oxygen cylinders available-rescue teams claimed they had run out. We kept begging for help, but the administration's response was shameful," he said. By the time the crushed vehicle was finally pulled out with the help of cranes, Shaheena and young Ayesha had already succumbed to their injuries. The tragedy has sparked outrage over the negligence of dumper truck drivers, who often flout traffic laws with impunity. Police confirmed that the driver escaped and remains unidentified, though witnesses alleged he appeared to be under the influence of drugs. Traffic was severely disrupted for hours as officials struggled to clear the wreckage. Family members, overwhelmed by grief, reportedly clashed with media personnel at the scene, with one allegedly assaulting a cameraman. This tragedy has also brought attention to Karachi's illegal sand and gravel trade. Despite Section 144 being imposed in Malir district to curb unauthorised extraction, trucks continue to operate at night, transporting material from Gadap, Memon Goth, and other areas. Chhipa Foundation spokesperson Chaudhry Shahid confirmed the accident occurred around 3:15am, attributing it to the driver's reckless speeding. SHO Gadap City, police station Sarfraz reiterated that illegal mining persists despite the ban, raising questions about enforcement. The funeral prayers for Ayesha were held in Buffer Zone, while Shaheena's took place in Liaquatabad. Both were laid to rest in the C-1 Area Graveyard.
The Star
3 hours ago
- Politics
- The Star
SIS wins appeal against fatwa
PUTRAJAYA: A Selangor fatwa (edict) that declared Sisters in Islam (SIS) Forum Malaysia as 'deviant' 11 years ago is not applicable to the company as the entity could not be construed as a person professing Islam, the Federal Court ruled. The court ruled so after allowing an appeal by SIS in its dispute against the Selangor religious authorities over the fatwa that was gazetted in 2014. The judgment, however, applied only to the extent of the edict's application. Chief Justice Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat, when reading out the judgment, said the term 'persons professing the religion of Islam' refers to natural persons and not artificial persons such as companies. 'This constitutional interpretation aligns with the fact that only natural persons can profess the shahadah, perform prayers, fast in Ramadan and perform the Hajj – core tenets of the Islamic faith. 'A company, being an artificial entity, lacks the capacity to repent as proposed by the fatwa. 'Hence, we conclude that a company cannot 'profess' Islam in order to be lawfully classified as a 'person professing the religion of Islam' under Item 1,' she said in the 3-1 majority decision yesterday. (In the Federal Constitution, the Ninth Schedule has two lists, namely List I or Federal List, which lists down the areas that the Federal Government can make laws on, and List II or State List, which states what the state government has powers to make laws on. Item 1 refers to the State List.) The appeal arises from a judicial review application filed by SIS and its founder Zainah Anwar in October 2014 to challenge the fatwa that was gazetted on July 31, 2014. They named the Selangor Fatwa Committee, the Selangor Islamic Religious Council (Mais) and the Selangor state government as respondents. In 2019, the High Court dismissed the judicial review application while the Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal in 2023. The fatwa declared that SIS as well as any individual and group that adopted the 'deviant' ideologies of liberalism and pluralism were deviating from the teachings of Islam. The fatwa stated that any publications containing liberal and plural views of Islam should be banned and confiscated. It further directed the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission to censor social websites that go against Islamic teachings and hukum syarak. The fatwa also directed that any individuals holding on to liberalism and religious pluralism should repent and return to the path of Islam. Tengku Maimun said the issue of a company, organisation or institution escaping accountability relating to the fatwa does not arise. 'Accountability for violating the fatwa rests with the individuals behind such entities. 'This is further supported by paragraph four of the fatwa, which only requires individuals who adhere to liberalism and religious pluralism to repent,' she said. The apex court also asserted its separation of jurisdiction from the Syariah Courts. 'To avoid misunderstanding, we reiterate that we express no view on the content of the fatwa itself, especially phrases such as: '... liberalism and religious pluralism are deviant and misguided from the teachings of Islam' and 'any individual subscribing to liberalism and religious pluralism ideology must repent and return to the path of Islam'. These fall under the exclusive jurisdiction of the respondents. 'With the reasons we have mentioned, we set aside the decisions by the High Court and the Court of Appeal,' Tengku Maimun said. The appeal at the Federal Court was initially heard before a five-judge panel. Besides the Chief Justice, other judges on the Bench were Court of Appeal judge Justice Abang Iskandar Abang Hashim, Federal Court judges Justices P. Nallini, Abu Bakar Jais and Abdul Karim Abdul Jalil, who retired in April. Meanwhile, Justice Abu Bakar, who held the dissenting view, said a company would still be bound by a fatwa, especially in the present case as SIS comprises of Muslims and its work is related to Islam. 'It is disturbing that the first appellant could escape and not be subjected to the fatwa simply by being a company but nonetheless venturing to make assertions and expressing views affecting the precepts and tenets of Islam,' he said. 'It should not be concluded just because a company is not a person professing Islam as a religion such as in this case, the provision of the Constitution should not apply to the same,' Justice Abu Bakar added.
Business Recorder
4 hours ago
- Business
- Business Recorder
NA Speaker, Fazl discuss federal budget
ISLAMABAD: National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) Chief Maulan Fazlur Rehman discussed Federal Budget 2025-26 and agreed on the need to ensure budgetary allocations for the development of smaller provinces, economic stability, and public welfare projects. Speaker Sadiq met with JUI-F Chief Maulana Fazl in his chamber at the Parliament House on Thursday. During the meeting, a detailed discussion was held on the overall political situation of the country, the upcoming federal budget for the next fiscal year, and the emerging regional scenario in light of the Iran-Israel conflict. The meeting discussed Federal Budget 2025-26. Both leaders agreed on the need to ensure budgetary allocations for the development of smaller provinces, economic stability, and public welfare projects. The NA speaker noted that, for the first time in parliamentary history, parliamentary committees have been made more active in the budget proposal process so that constructive input from all stakeholders can be incorporated. Maulana Fazl expressed deep concern over the Iran-Israel war, stating that "in the current situation, the entire Muslim Ummah must demonstrate unity, solidarity, and foresight to ensure that efforts for peace in the region are not undermined." He emphasised that Pakistan should further intensify its diplomatic efforts to play a reconciliatory role within the Muslim world. On this occasion, Speaker Sadiq stated, "Pakistan has openly condemned Israeli aggression and reiterated its friendship and solidarity with Iran. We have effectively presented our stance regarding Palestine and Iran on all international forums, and the Parliament stands in complete support of this position." He stated that, all political parties must speak with one voice in the national interest to strengthen Pakistan's foreign policy on the global stage. Maulana Fazl congratulated Speaker Sadiq on performing Hajj and expressed best wishes for him. Governor of Balochistan Jaffar Khan Mandokhail was also present during the meeting. In conclusion, both leaders reaffirmed their commitment to promoting democratic traditions, strengthening national unity, and continuing joint efforts for sustainable peace in the region. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
