Serving the haj pilgrims for over a decade

India Fraternity Forum (IFF) has been very keen and active in serving the Hajj pilgrims since it started the Hajj volunteer service more than a decade ago. It all started with a crude idea that sprang up in the minds of a few who of spending the Hajj holidaysby serving the pilgrims and the first group consisted of a few dozen, but the later years witnessed a steep growth in the number improvement in the modus operandi and the quality of the service.During last Hajj, IFF fielded more than 1000 volunteers for the service of pilgrims.

Safety and health awareness classes

India Fraternity Forum has striven to improve the quality of service and expanded the area of service operation. For the last few years, the service of IFF starts with conducting the classes,educating the pilgrims on performing the rituals of Hajj in a safe and healthy environment through awareness sessionsat various locations in different states in India. Apart from conducting the awareness classes, IFF has prepared the Hajj guide that provides the details abouthealth and safety tips to help perform the Hajj rituals safely.

Receiving the piligrims on arrival

Next phase of volunteer service starts with the arrival of Indian pilgrims in Madeena. IFF volunteers receive them at the airports and help them to identify their luggage, as all of them look identical and in shame shape. IFF volunteers also assist the pilgrims to reach their accommodation building during their stay in Makkah / Madeena and Aziziyah.This servicewill continue till they leave the Kingdom after performing the Haj.

The service in Makkah near Masjidul Haram premises is remarkable and got appreciation from Indian Haj Mission and other authorities. Volunteers are working round the clock in Haram premises and Aziziyah guiding Hajis to their locations. Volunteers are distributing drinking water and slippers also to the pilgrims.

Service highlights - Mina & Arafa

Serving the pilgrims during the busiest days (7 – 13 of Dhul Hajja) in Mina is another major part and last year IFF has engaged 950 volunteers for this job.On the day of Arafat (9 Dhul hajja) around 200 volunteers were engaged in Arafa and Muzdalifa. The volunteers are given all necessary training and Arafa Mapabout locating the tents and to help a lost or stranded pilgrim to his destination very easily.

Map of Mina - developed by IFF

Few years ago, IFF has developed a map for Minawith grid lines, that enables a pilgrim or a volunteer to reachthe location easily and correctly, without any hurdles. IFF makes use of the numbering system for the roads, streets and correlating them with the numbers on the high mast poles making it easy to find the exact location of the tents in Mina, which had proved to be of great relief for the pilgrims, who are often lost and stranded.

The updated Map of Mina for 2016, will include the tent locations for the pilgrims under the Mutawwif organizations of South Asian countries, South East Asian countries, African Non-Arab countries, Turkey & European Muslims.

Mina tent locator app 2015

Considering the widespread usage of Android phones and access to internet India Fraternity Forum (IFF) has developed an app for the Hajj Service 2015, which would easily and precisely guide the Hajj pilgrims to reach their tents in Mina. This was a great leap ahead in solving a serious problem of getting stranded in Mina, particularly those pilgrims from outside the Kingdom.This android based app.(Mina Tent Locator) is quite simple and easy to use and requires internet connectivity only when it is downloaded for the first time.

Hajj navigator app. 2016- for Makkah, Mina & Aziziyah

Taking yet another leap ahead to serve the Hajj pilgrims, India Fraternity Forum launched an app, “HAJJ NAVIGATOR” which would easily and precisely guide the Hajj pilgrims to reach their destination(s) in not only in Mina, Makkah and Aziziyah.

This app is supported by the Google map and based on the data of roads and streets of Mina, building details of Indian pilgrim accommodation, hotels, hospitals & medical facilities in Makkah and Aziziyah. When the pilgrim or a Hajj service volunteer provides the data (of his location and his destination) in the app, he / she would find the route and distance with an approximate time to reach the destination immediately. If a pilgrim does not know his location he can select "my location" using the GPS, then provide his destination, which would mark the route to reach the destination together with the distance and time to destination. Once downloaded from Google Play store and installed in the mobile phone, the app does not require internet for finding the details.

Adding another feather on the cap of IFF in serving the guests of Allah, both these applications are developed by Muhammed Mukhtar, one of the members of IFF.

Dedication & Sacrifice of IFF volunteers

During the stampede in Mina, IFF volunteersrushed to the sceneand worked hardalongwith the security forces and rescue service men to help out the alive, injured and dead pilgrimsfrom the location to reach them to the hospitals by loading them in to ambulances. One of the IFF volunteers from the state of Jharkhand(Neyazul Haq) has lost his life while saving others.

IFF feels honoured to serve the Hajj pilgrims from all over the world and thankfully remembers the support and cooperationof the Consulate of India, Hajj Mission in Makkah and Madina, Maraakiz Al Haya (Makkah) and Ministry of Health (MOH) and the selfless and sincere dedication of the volunteerswithoutwhich the successful service would not have been possible.

IFF Hajj service team is headed by Shamsuddheen (President of IFF) asthe head of organizing the activities of the Forum and & Eng. Mudassir Nazer as the (Coordinator) for the Hajj service. Volunteer orientation is carried out by Mujeeb(Volunteer captian) and Mohammed Sadiq (Asst. Volunteer Captain). Besides, the Forum has an efficient support team which includes, Logistics, Training, Media, Medical, Railway station, Transportation and Camp, that enabled a smooth and successful operation.