In a grand display of hospitality, the first batch of Umrah pilgrims arrived in Madinah, Saudi Arabia, under the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques’ Guests Program for Hajj, Umrah and Visit.
The program, implemented and supervised by the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Call and Guidance, aims to facilitate hosting more pilgrims and easing access to the Two Holy Mosques.
The 250 male and female pilgrims, including prominent Islamic figures from 12 countries, were received at Prince Mohammed bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Madinah by officials from the Ministry of Islamic Affairs. Among the pilgrims were 25 guests from Malaysia.
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King Salman has generously offered to host a total of 1,000 pilgrims from 66 countries to perform the Umrah rituals and visit the Prophet’s Mosque at his personal expense. The pilgrims will be hosted in four groups throughout the year.
The guests expressed their gratitude to the Saudi government for the warm hospitality, describing the program as a valuable gift from Saudi Arabia that serves Islam and Muslims.