ISLAMABAD: Pakistani Hajj pilgrims began visiting the ‘Riyaz ul Jannah’ area inside the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah on Wednesday, the religious affairs ministry said in a statement, as the annual Islamic pilgrimage approaches.
Riyaz ul Jannah translates to ‘Garden of Paradise’ in Arabic and refers to a small area between the pulpit (minbar) and the grave of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). It is one of the most popular destinations in Madinah for millions of Muslims who gather for Hajj and Umrah pilgrimages in Saudi Arabia every year.
“The scheduled visits of Pakistani Hajj pilgrims to Riyaz-ul-Jannah at the Prophet’s Mosque (ﷺ) officially commenced today,” the Ministry of Religious Affairs (MoRA) said.
MoRA said 335 Pakistani Hajj pilgrims — among them 173 men and 162 women — will be allowed to visit the sacred area. It added that special permission for these visits has also been obtained from the Saudi authorities.
The ministry said specific time slots have been allocated to manage the flow of Hajj pilgrims. Male visitors will be allowed from the afternoon until the Isha prayer, and again from 2:00 p.m. until the Fajr prayer.
“Female visitors will have access from after the Fajr prayer until 11:00 a.m., and again from after the Isha prayer until midnight,” the ministry said.
It said the visits are being supervised by MoRA and its appointed Hajj facilitators, also known as “Khuddam-ul-Hujjaj,” to ensure a smooth experience for pilgrims.
Pakistan began its Hajj flight operations to Saudi Arabia on Saturday. Pakistan is expected to send 179,210 pilgrims this year for Hajj, with over 119,000 to travel under the government’s scheme.
