Latest updates from top global and Saudi news sources
Last updated: 4 May 2026, 1:39 AM (Saudi time)
Iraqi pilgrims enter Saudi Arabia overland via Jadidat Arar, tracing the path of the ancient Darb Zubaydah - a 1,400 km Hajj route built over 1,000 years ago under Abbasid patronage and now a UNESCO tentative World Heritage Site.
A spiritual preparation guide for Hajj 2026 with four weeks to go: settle debts, write your will, increase worship, learn the rituals, purify your intention, and the final night dua before departure.
A spiritual guide to the Day of Arafah for Hajj 2026 (expected May 26): the best Prophetic supplication, how to structure the afternoon, preparing your dua list, and making the most of the pinnacle of Hajj.
Saudi Arabia implements Green Hajj 2026 initiatives: recycling 50 tonnes of Ihram garments, converting food waste to fertiliser, processing 12,000 tonnes of slaughterhouse waste, and deploying animal health safeguards.
A guide to the 10 most common mistakes pilgrims make during Hajj - from leaving Arafah early to neglecting hydration - with practical advice on how to avoid each one based on Islamic sources and pilgrim experience.
Saudi Arabia bars pilgrims with kidney failure, advanced heart disease, COPD, severe neurological disorders, and cancer from Hajj 2026. Mandatory medical fitness certificates and vaccinations enforced, with deportation for non-compliance.
Saudi Haramain High Speed Railway gears up to transport 1.3m Umrah pilgrims during Ramadan Arab News
1.3 Million Seats on Haramain High Speed Railway to Transport Umrah Performers and Visitors During Ramadan وكالة الأنباء السعودية
Ramadan: Holiest cities Makkah, Madinah flooded with Umrah visitors Dhaka Tribune
Saudi ministry reiterates hospitality rules in Makkah and Madinah during Umrah, Hajj seasons Arab News
Holy Ramadan: Makkah, Madinah flooded with Umrah visitors daily-sun.com
Makkah, Madinah flooded with Umrah visitors Newagebd.net