Ministry of Hajj and Religious Affairs Unveils Annual Report

During a press briefing at the Government Media and Information Center, officials from the Ministry of Hajj and Religious Affairs unveiled their annual performance report.   As per ministry representatives, the previous year witnessed notable advancements in various domains, such as overseeing Quranic interpretation and translation initiatives spanning numerous provinces and 260 military installations.   […]

During a press briefing at the Government Media and Information Center, officials from the Ministry of Hajj and Religious Affairs unveiled their annual performance report.

 

As per ministry representatives, the previous year witnessed notable advancements in various domains, such as overseeing Quranic interpretation and translation initiatives spanning numerous provinces and 260 military installations.

 

In the realm of Hajj operations, authorities detailed the extensive measures taken to facilitate the departure of 30,000 pilgrims to Saudi Arabia, which encompassed the deployment of 652 proficient scholars to act as mentors.

 

Furthermore, the ministry spearheaded efforts for the establishment of 13 mosques within customs facilities and 25 mosques in provincial revenue departments. Ongoing supervision was upheld for the construction of a mosque at the Court of Appeals in Logar province, alongside projects involving the Nabawi Mosque and Eidgah Mosque in Badakhshan province, three mosques in Faryab province, and a Hajj complex in Balkh province.

 

Emphasizing capacity-building endeavors, the ministry organized four seminars for mosque imams in both central and provincial settings. Moreover, it facilitated the outfitting of 75 mosques across 14 provinces and the erection of five additional mosques for various governmental bodies, including the Ministry of Transport, Atomic Energy Agency, Afghanistan National Standards Authority, Samangan Provincial Office, and Farah Provincial Court.

 

In the domain of Umrah and pilgrimage services, the ministry inked Memorandums of Understanding with 132 private enterprises and issued 42 permits. Essential arrangements were made to ensure the travel of 44,307 pilgrims to Saudi Arabia, with continuous oversight of the operations of 40 contracted firms.

 

Additionally, the ministry issued 353 fatwas in response to diverse queries and provided expert assessments on 42 occasions concerning the accuracy of Quranic printing, interpretations, books, and pamphlets. Over the course of the year, seven scholarly works were penned and published.

 

In the pursuit of Quranic excellence, national competitions in Quran memorization and recitation were conducted to identify top performers for international contests. Consequently, three reciters and one judge were dispatched to partake in the 40th International Quran Competition in Iran, while two reciters were chosen to compete in the 9th International Quran Competition in Turkey.

 

The ministry disclosed that 8,508 students graduated from various Islamic studies programs, with 80 individuals completing the initial phase of imam training and 15 receiving diplomas from the Higher Institute of Quranic Recitation.

 

Moreover, 127 jeribs of land across provinces like Ghor, Kabul, Sar-e-Pul, Kunduz, Jawzjan, Maidan Wardak, and Laghman were registered for the construction of mosques, madrassas, and cemeteries. An additional 18 jeribs of land along the Maidan Wardak, Ghazni, Zabul, and Kandahar highways were earmarked for mosque construction.

 

On the international front, the ministry’s leadership actively engaged in the 27th International Islamic Unity Conference in the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Islamic Scholars’ Consultative Conference in Turkey. Additionally, ministry officials conducted visits to Uzbekistan and Saudi Arabia to finalize agreements for pilgrim accommodations in Mecca, Medina, and the sacred locales of Mina and Arafat.