By Abdullahi Yusuf

1. Egyptian scholar Hamada Muhammad Al-Sayyid wins first place in inaugural Hajj Qur’an Contest at Grand Mosque. Over 1,000 participants competed globally.

2. First Lady of Bauchi State, Dr. Aisha Bala Muhammad, donates blankets and prayer mats to 2,700 state pilgrims in Makkah. Urges pilgrims to uphold patience and cleanliness.

3. Pakistan begins post-Hajj repatriation with 307 pilgrims landing in Islamabad early Wednesday. Eight flights scheduled across major cities. Return operations run till July 10.

4. Pakistan flight PK-732 becomes first post-Hajj flight to land at Islamabad Intl Airport at 3:50 AM. Minister Tariq Fazal Chaudhary receives pilgrims. 342 flights planned to repatriate 88,390 pilgrims under govt scheme.

5. Saudi Arabia warns pilgrims to exit Kingdom before Hajj visa expiry or face penalties. “Respect regulations and the sanctity of Hajj,” says Ministry of Hajj and Umrah.

6. Supreme Hajj Committee issues digital certificates of appreciation to 420,070 Hajj workers via Tawakkalna app. First initiative of its kind using AI-backed Tasreeh platform.

7. Saudi Ministry of Commerce announces 234 million food items supplied during Hajj 2025. Top categories: water, dairy, baked goods, canned foods, and juices.

8. Director General of Saudi Passports Maj. Gen. Saleh Al-Murabba inspects Jeddah Hajj Terminal to oversee departure processes. “Full capacity deployed at all ports.”

9. A total of 18 Pakistani pilgrims confirmed dead during Hajj 2025, mostly elderly. Ministry of Religious Affairs cites heart attacks and illness. All buried in Jannatul Baqi.

10. SAHUC bags two Saudi awards for third consecutive year, Labaytum Award for service excellence and best communication in Hajj affairs.

11. Pakistan’s DG Hajj Abdul Wahab Soomro receives Labaytum Excellence Award, the first for a Pakistani official. Praised for leadership and innovation.

12. you know?: The Jamaraat Bridge has multiple levels and has been expanded to handle more than 300,000 pilgrims per hour during Rami (stoning).

13. Did you know?: There’s no requirement to touch the Black Stone — it’s Sunnah. Waving toward it (Istilam) from a distance suffices when crowded.

14. Did you know? The Maqam Ibrahim is not just a golden structure, it contains a stone with Prophet Ibrahim’s footprint, preserved from when he built the Kaaba.

15. Fun fact: The first recorded written guidebook for Hajj was compiled in the 10th century, and early pilgrims sometimes took months or even years to reach Makkah.

16. Fun fact: The Kaaba is not exactly square, it’s more of a cuboid and the Hatim (semi-circular area) is technically part of the original Kaaba.

17. Fun fact: Uniformed Support Volunteers, look for those in green vests, they provide directions, medical help, and translation services for free.