New Saudi train service for Gulf Arabs only.

[Enlightened~Sista]

http://english.aljazeera.net/video/midd ... 60622.html

[XimanJaale]

Wise move to let only Saudis and Gulf Nationals to access the trains at this moment.

[The_Emperior5]

Good stuff

[yunis09]

so whats your take on this e-sister?

[*Nobleman*]

The number is modest in comparison with the total number of pilgrims, but other nationalities will be able to use the train in the second phase.

Train project hasnt been completed yet. Once complete all hujaj can use it inshallah.

One thing we cant do is criticize the saudis. They are perfect custodians of the haram, spending tons of money and effort maintaining the holy sites of islam.

[Shirib]

Wait, so why do only Gulf Arabs get to use it now, and not everyone else

[Executive]

I critized this in another topic, but when I think about it and what nobleman said its not a big deal. All kind of discrimination exist all over the world no need to highlight minor things.

[Shirib]

The number is modest in comparison with the total number of pilgrims, but other nationalities will be able to use the train in the second phase.

Train project hasnt been completed yet. Once complete all hujaj can use it inshallah.

One thing we cant do is criticize the saudis. They are perfect custodians of the haram, spending tons of money and effort maintaining the holy sites of islam.

Yes we can. Saudi's have turned Hajj into a business for them, where they use it to make a lot of money out of the people who come. The prices of going to hajj have more than doubled in a short period of time, because of Saudi policies which give them a bigger return for their buck then before. Sure they maintained the holy sites, but what Muslim wouldn't?

[Nucky]

Definitely a wise move. I support it.

[Executive]

Sh Sharif and the somali government delegation are also getting special treatment at Hajj

[ArcadeFire]

[*Nobleman*]

The number is modest in comparison with the total number of pilgrims, but other nationalities will be able to use the train in the second phase.

Train project hasnt been completed yet. Once complete all hujaj can use it inshallah.

One thing we cant do is criticize the saudis. They are perfect custodians of the haram, spending tons of money and effort maintaining the holy sites of islam.

Yes we can. Saudi's have turned Hajj into a business for them, where they use it to make a lot of money out of the people who come. The prices of going to hajj have more than doubled in a short period of time, because of Saudi policies which give them a bigger return for their buck then before. Sure they maintained the holy sites, but what Muslim wouldn't?

Walahi bro if you only knew. First and foremost the saudis do not make a single penny on hajj, but rather spend in excess of billions a year. They essentially subsidise Hajj and Umrah, allowing millions of muslims to attend every year. Thinking the saudis make money on pilgrimage is simply somali sheeko bro. Walahi even the KFC in the haram is subsidized for the hujaj.

Hajj has increased in price because the saudis are redeveloping the area in around the haram, again spending billions. All the hotels in the immediate area have been closed, hence driving the prices up of the hotels nearer to the haram (basic supply and demand stuff). Thats why the price has gone up in recent years. Plus travel operators now see hajj as a lucurative business and have driven prices up themselves, again nothing to do with the saudis.

Please tell me one single way, with a source that the saudis govt make money during hajj season.

Walahi Akhi you have to go to Mecca and medina to truly appreciate the jobs these guys do. They take care of everything from sanitation, to police, to transport, to health, to maintenance to everything else involved in such a big operation. Only a miracle of Allah swt sustains hajj. Where else can that many people be in the same area, using the same services and still remain problem free.

Saudi Arabia probably spends more on the haram annually then some countries GDP. I'd go as far as saying few muslim countries could maintain and look after the holy sites.

The only criticism I personally have is the huge building projects around the haram. All those hotels have in affect created a two tier hajj system, one for the rich and one for the poor. The poor now have to go further outside the haram to get affordable accomadation. But then again that is a bin laden development and little to do with the saudi monarchy.

Even the shayook make big dua for the custodians of the haram, king abdullah and co. Sorry for the long essay, but i was also misinformed before i went.

[udun]

What makes Gulf Arabs much different than the other Muslims? This is discriminatory in my view.

[The-Screw]

Waa soomanahey and i don't want inaa dambaabo so i will give you my opinion of this later.

[Shirib]

Nobleman,

My grandparents have been to hajj and umra several times, and my uncle lives in Jeddah and they say otherwise. And for the Saudi government spending things, any Muslim government would do so, especially when they sat on all that oil wealth. That should be a given.

And for this subject, why is a Gulf Arab different from me? Why should he be able to take a train, while I cannot?