Why it matters: The Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has created a special opportunity for Muslims worldwide to perform Umrah completely free of charge through the digital platform ‘Nusuk’ app, with winners selected via a lottery.

The big picture: Under this initiative, a total of 100 Umrah packages and 10,000 cartons of Zamzam water will be awarded as prizes. Each package includes travel for two, Umrah visas, air tickets, and 10 nights of accommodation in Makkah and Madinah.

Between the lines: To participate, interested individuals must download the Nusuk app, register, and take part in a quiz under the ‘Start the Challenge’ option. Participants receive one key daily, which must be used to open question doors and provide correct answers; there is also an option to share the competition link with friends and family to earn additional keys.

What’s next: While various media outlets have reported different closing dates for the competition, the list of winners is being published regularly on Nusuk’s official Instagram and X accounts. Interested individuals are advised to regularly follow Nusuk’s social media platforms.

The bottom line: This is essentially a knowledge-based competition where participants must answer questions correctly from any of the four categories—’The Prophet’s Biography’, ‘The Quran’, ‘Makkah and the Grand Mosque’, and ‘Madinah and the Prophet’s Mosque’—to enter the lottery. Winners are announced daily at night, Saudi local time, and in addition to the Umrah package, they will receive 20 cartons of Zamzam water. The Nusuk app is available on the Google Play Store and Apple App Store, serving as a modern medium to ensure digital services for Umrah pilgrims. By participating in this competition, interested individuals from any part of the world have the chance to fulfill their dream of performing Umrah.

A rural healthcare practitioner has been arrested in Faridpur’s Saltha upazila for allegedly making derogatory remarks about Allah and insulting religion, police said. Sheikh Akhtar Hossain, 55, was detained on Sunday morning around 10am from the Bauskhali area of Ballovdi Union.

According to police, Hossain posted a video on Facebook last Friday in which he referred to a statement by Baul singer Abul Sarkar and cited lyrics from Baul songs. In the video he reportedly described Allah as a “thief, fraudster and killer” and labelled the current government as a “Taliban government.” The video quickly spread online, triggering outrage among local Islamic scholars.

Following complaints from residents, police arrested him and took him into custody. Officer-in-Charge of Saltha Police Station Md Ataur Rahman confirmed that a case has been filed against Hossain on charges of religious defamation. He has been sent to the Faridpur court, and further legal procedures are ongoing.

At least 42 Indian nationals, including nine children, were killed in a deadly road accident near Madinah in Saudi Arabia while returning from performing Umrah. Among the victims were 18 members of a single family spanning three generations, according to a report by NDTV. The crash occurred around 1:30am on Sunday when their bus collided with a diesel tanker on the Makkah–Madinah route, causing the vehicle to burst into flames.

The accident took place in the Muharrass area, approximately 30 kilometres from Madinah. Most passengers were asleep at the time of the collision. All the victims were residents of India’s Telangana state.

Mohammed Asif, a relative of the deceased, told NDTV that the 18 family members—Nasiruddin (70), Akhtar Begum (62), their son Salauddin (42), daughters Amina (44), Rizwana (38), Shabana (40) and their children—had travelled to Saudi Arabia eight days earlier. They had completed Umrah and were returning to Madinah. The family was scheduled to fly back to India on Saturday.

Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy expressed deep condolences over the tragedy. In a statement, his office said that officials have been instructed to identify the victims, coordinate with India’s Ministry of External Affairs and the Saudi Embassy, and arrange immediate assistance if required. Local authorities in Saudi Arabia have begun investigating the cause of the accident.