By Abdullahi Yusuf

1. Madinah prepares for air departures as pilgrims head home. A coordinated program has begun to transport pilgrims from their residences to the Prince Mohammad bin Abdulaziz International Airport. The airport earlier received 719,400 pilgrims 49% of all air arrivals this Hajj.

2. Farewell Tawaf completed smoothly at Grand Mosque. Pilgrims who opted for early departure performed Tawaf al-Wada’ amid record capacity flows. Grand Mosque handled 107,000 tawaf pilgrims/hour, and Sa’i reached 118,000/hour. Over 400 electric carts and 210 smart gates supported movement.

3. Hajj Ministry holds closing ceremony, kicks off 1447 AH prep. “Khitamuhu Misk” honoured top performers and launched early preparations for next year’s Hajj. Minister Al-Rabiah handed over Initial Preparation Documents to Hajj Offices.

4. 175 Indonesian pilgrims die, most from heart-related issues. The PPIH health unit in Saudi Arabia confirmed 175 deaths by June 8, based on Siskohat data.

5. Next Hajj to take place in spring; summer Hajj won’t return for 25 years.Due to the lunar calendar cycle, future Hajj seasons will fall in cooler seasons, spring, then winter, and autumn before returning to summer in  2050.

6. 22.3 million voice calls made on Eid Day. Communications Authority recorded 19.1m local and 3.2m international calls in Makkah and Mina. Average mobile data use reached 1,229MB per pilgrim, triple global average.

7. Pilgrims urged to stay in accommodations, avoid Haram. From 12–13 Dhul-Hijjah (8–9 June), pilgrims have been directed to pray at nearby mosques and comply with the Tafweej schedule. Sanctions await defaulters. 

8. Over 520 pilgrims with disabilities complete Hajj. The 5th edition of the National Hajj Initiative for Persons with Disabilities offered full accessibility support, in line with Vision 2030. Saudi Arabia’s disabled population is estimated at 1.8%.

9. Gov. Aliyu of Sokoto donates SR1,000 each to 3,200 pilgrims. Pilgrims received the equivalent of ₦450,000 as a Sallah gift. The governor praised their conduct and adherence to Saudi laws during Hajj. 

10. No ban on Indians travelling to Saudi Arabia. Reports of a travel ban are false. Temporary restrictions on short-term visas are seasonal and lifted post-Hajj. No official ban was ever announced.

11. Saudi Arabia sets up the world’s largest temporary hospital network during Hajj, offering free medical services to all pilgrims.

12. Fun fact: Hajj produces over 100 million meals and 1,000+ tons of waste, much of which is now processed through eco-friendly, sustainable solutions.

13. Fun Fact: Representatives from various countries’ Hajj commissions, medical teams, scholars, security, and logistics units remain behind to wrap up operations and ensure the safe return of every pilgrim.

14. Did You Know?: Media crews and documentary teams often stay back to capture the final moments of Mina, Arafat, and Makkah when the sacred sites become calm again.

15. Did You Know?: Some staff especially from countries with large Hajj contingents stay behind to assist elderly, ill, or delayed pilgrims, ensuring no one is left behind.

16.Dif you know?: More than 30 million people apply for Hajj annually, but only about 2 million are granted visas, due to safety, accommodation, and crowd control measures.