BY KAMARUL IRWAN ALIAS
MADINAH: Haj pilgrims visiting Madinah are reminded to be physically and mentally ready to face the hot weather here.
Madinah operations director Ashrof Shamsuddin said the temperature here currently reaches 40 degrees Celsius during the day and 26 degrees Celsius at night.
He also said the weather in Saudi Arabia is hot and dry compared to Malaysia, which is hot and humid.
“The Malaysian Health Ministry has reminded pilgrims to drink plenty of plain water, stay in a place that is not directly exposed to hot weather and avoid tight clothing,” he told reporters here.
He also reminded pilgrims to join the WhatsApp group according to their respective flight schedules to get the latest information regarding their daily activities during this year’s haj season.
According to Ashrof, the initiative implemented by Tabung Haji (TH) this year aims to make it easier for pilgrims to obtain information compared to the previous method of issuing notices.
“The activities of the groups vary, so having the information at the fingertips will be more convenient for them,” he said.
For senior citizens who do not have the application, he said their roommates are expected to share information provided by TH from time to time.
Meanwhile, Ashrof said for the first phase, 45 flights carrying Malaysian pilgrims will land at the Prince Mohammad bin Abdulaziz International Airport here in stages starting on May 21.
He said the pilgrims would be accommodated in three buildings here for a six-day stay before leaving for Makkah.
Various activities have been lined up, including visiting the tomb of Prophet Muhammad, entering the Raudhah in Nabawi Mosque and visiting historical places in Madinah.
“Preparations are going smoothly, and we are ready to receive duyufurrahman (Allah’s guests),” he said, adding that a total of 14,000 pilgrims will arrive in Madinah in stages. – Bernama
