Talks with Saudi Arabia to increase Hajj quota underway / 27 pilgrims died in Hajj ceremony

Afghan Voice Agency (AVA) - Kabul: In continuation of the government's accountability programs to the people; On Tuesday, September 20, Maulvi Zar Mohammad Haqqani, the professional deputy minister of guidance, hajj and endowments, announced the monitoring and organization of Quran interpretation and translation programs in a number of provinces and 260 military bases over the past year.

 

He said 30,000 pilgrims had been sent to Saudi Arabia last year and that talks were underway with Saudi Arabia to increase the Hajj quota.

 

Mr. Haqqani also said that 652 Hajj guides were sent last year.

 

 

The ministry's professional deputy said measures were being taken to build 13 mosques in customs and 25 mosques in provincial governorates. Faryab province, and the Hajj Complex in Balkh province have also been continuously monitored.

 

He said 127 jeribs of land had been registered in Ghor, Kabul, Sar-i-Pul, Kunduz, Jawzjan, Maidan Wardak and Laghman provinces for the construction of mosques, schools and cemeteries last year. And Kandahar has also been fixed for the construction of a mosque.

 

Meanwhile, Sheikh Aziz-ur-Rehman Mansour, Deputy Minister of Regulation of Religious and Mystical Properties, announced the organization of four capacity building seminars for imams of mosques in the center and provinces. The Norms and Standards Department, Samangan Provincial Governor and Farah Provincial Court are among the activities of the ministry during the past year.

 

He informed that contracts have been signed with 132 companies applying for Umrah and pilgrimage in the past year and added that 42 permits have been issued to companies applying for Umrah and pilgrimage.

 

The deputy minister of religious and mystical properties regulation said that the necessary facilities were provided to send 44,307 Umrah applicants to Saudi Arabia last year and said that the activities of 40 contracting companies were also continuously monitored.

 

 

He informed that 353 fatwas have been issued on various issues in the past year and added that in 42 cases, opinions have been expressed on the authenticity of the printing of the Holy Quran, commentaries, books and letters, and 7 scientific works have been written and compiled. is.

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The official of the Ministry of Guidance, Hajj and Endowments informed about the nationwide competition of memorization, recitation and recitation of the Holy Quran with the aim of introducing outstanding reciters to international competitions in the past year and said; Finally, three reciters and one judge have been introduced to Iran in the 40th round of the International Quran Competition and two reciters have been introduced to Turkey in the 9th round of the International Quran Competition.

 

He also announced the graduation of 8,508 students from various departments of religious sciences and 80 from the first phase of the Imams' training.

 

Officials of the Ministry of Guidance, Hajj and Endowments said that the participation of the leadership of the ministry in the 27th meeting of the rapprochement of Islamic religions with the Islamic Republic of Iran is one of the main achievements of the ministry in the past year. as an achievement.

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They said that the leadership of the ministry, while traveling to Uzbekistan, also traveled to Saudi Arabia to sign contracts for the buildings of Mecca, Medina and camps in the holy shrines (Mini and Arafat) for pilgrims.

 

It is worth mentioning that the ministry officials in response to reporters' questions also reported that 27 pilgrims died during the Hajj ceremony last year.