JEDDAH: On behalf of Saudi Arabia’s King Salman, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Thursday hosted a reception for state officials, heads of government agencies and delegations, religious figures and other dignitaries who are performing Hajj.
At the start of the event, at Mina Palace, the crown prince shook hands with the king of Malaysia, the presidents of Senegal, Bangladesh and Pakistan, the vice president of the Maldives, the prime ministers of Egypt, Lebanon, Palestine, Somalia and Niger, and speakers of the parliaments in a number of Islamic countries, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
He then delivered a speech, in which he said: “I am pleased, on behalf of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz to greet you, from the vicinity of the Grand Mosque, and to congratulate the pilgrims and the Islamic nation on the blessed Eid Al-Adha.
“Since its foundation, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has been blessed to serve the Two Holy Mosques and take care of them and has made this at the forefront of its interests. The Kingdom has made every effort and harnessed all capabilities to provide the pilgrims with comfort and tranquility.”
Tawfig Al-Rabiah, the minister of Hajj and Umrah, told guests that pilgrims were able to perform their rituals with ease and in safety thanks to the support and guidance of King Salman and the crown prince.
High-quality services are provided for pilgrims throughout their spiritual journey by more than 40 public-sector organizations, he added, based on an operational plan that begins to be developed at the end of the previous year’s Hajj season.
It is put into action by dedicated Saudi men and women out of a sense of religious and national duty toward the holy sites and those who visit them, in keeping with the commitment of the Saudi leadership and the people of the country to the transformation of the Kingdom based on the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030, said Al-Rabiah.
The directives of the crown prince include the implementation of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques’ Guests Program for Hajj and Umrah, which includes efforts to facilitate the safe and easy movement of pilgrims between holy sites, simplified visa procedures, and the digitization of services under a unified, multi-language platform, he added. Such projects have contributed to achieving a record number of Umrah pilgrims, which exceeds 10 million.
Al-Rabiah, who is also chairman of the program, said that new developments this year included efforts to ensure fair competition between businesses that provide services to pilgrims from abroad, and the expansion of the Makkah Route Initiative, which is designed to streamline the immigration process for pilgrims. It now covers seven countries — Malaysia, Indonesia, Pakistan, Morocco, Bangladesh, Turkiye and Cote d’Ivoire — and benefited more than 400,000 people this year, he added.
Work is also underway to renovate Islamic historical sites and enhance destinations, Al-Rabiah said, and in the coming years more than 100 restored historical sites and exhibitions related to the Prophet will be unveiled. Authorities will also continue to invest in recruiting and training staff to serve and assist pilgrims, he added.
Sheikh Mohammed Al-Hafiz Al-Nahawi, president of the Islamic Cultural Association in Mauritania and West Africa and head of the African Scholars Forum, delivered a speech on behalf of the Muslim World League in which he said he appreciated the efforts made by authorities in Saudi Arabia to manage Hajj season, serve pilgrims, and enhance and modernize services.
He praised the Kingdom for its support for and empowerment of the league, and for its efforts to serve Islam and Muslims worldwide. He added that the Makkah Document, which was signed October 2006 with the aim of ending sectarian violence, was a transformative event that resulted in the nation’s religious scholars becoming a proud scientific and intellectual beacon, and in the development of a training and educational curriculum for religious institutions throughout the Islamic world.
Mohammed Khalayleh, Jordan’s minister of awqaf, Islamic affairs and holy sites, spoke on behalf of the heads of Hajj affairs offices. He expressed his thanks, pride and appreciation for the great efforts made by the Saudi government, under the directives of King Salman and the crown prince, to serve pilgrims and ensure they can perform their rituals with ease.
“Today, we are witnessing the great achievements made by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to receive, serve and support pilgrims,” said Khalayleh, who is also head of Jordan’s Hajj missions.
He added that the Kingdom is considered the pillar of Islam, through its devotion to holy sites in Makkah and Madinah, where pilgrims from all over the world gather each year to honor God through worship and prayer.
After the speeches, the crown prince hosted a luncheon for the guests, alongside senior Saudi officials.
