Beneficiaries cite ‘Guests of God’ program for Hajj as evidence of care for Muslims

Arab News

RIYADH: Guests of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Program for Hajj, Umrah and Visitation have said that the invitation they received to perform Hajj was the best evidence of Saudi Arabia’s care and concern for Islam and Muslims, SPA reported.

They said that Saudi Arabia’s hosting of Hajj was an extension of the humanitarian work carried out by the Kingdom for all Muslims.

Mustafa Yusuf, secretary-general of the Islamic Society of Vietnam, told SPA: “It is no secret that the Kingdom is making great services for the comfort of the guests of God and meeting their needs. These are tangible efforts with an honorable history, and they are not limited to serving pilgrims or the feelings only, but rather they extend to include Makkah and Madinah.”

He added that “the Kingdom’s generosity continues to overcome all obstacles for Muslims to perform rituals with ease and reassurance.”

The initiative, also called the Guests of God Service Program, was inaugurated by King Salman in 2019 as one of Saudi Arabia’s key reform plans under the Kingdom’s Vision 2030.

The program seeks to host large numbers of pilgrims, facilitate their access to the Two Holy Mosques, ensure that they have access to high-quality services through the most advanced technology, and enhance their cultural and spiritual experience.

It also seeks to ensure that pilgrims safely return to their countries of origin after completing their rituals.

Haji Murad, of Uzbekistan, hailed the initiative as a worthy humanitarian program. He also thanked the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Call and Guidance for its efforts in implementing the initiative “in a distinguished manner.”

Abdul Wali Abdul Baqi, another guest of the program from Uzbekistan, and who works as a correspondent on Uzbek state television, said: “Praise be to God who made it possible for me to visit this country in order to perform Hajj with the convoy of guests of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, and I was very happy when I saw the Holy Kaaba.” 

JEDDAH: Prince Saud bin Mishal bin Abdulaziz, deputy governor of Makkah province, received some 400 pilgrims arriving at the Jeddah international airport early on Saturday from the city of Surabaya, Indonesia, the SPA reported.

They were among those who came through the “Makkah Route,” an initiative launched by the Saudi government six years ago to facilitate travel procedures for those performing the rituals of Hajj in the Kingdom.

Prince Saud presented gifts to the arriving pilgrims as he conducted an inspection on the progress of work at the Hajj and Umrah lounge complex of the King Abdulaziz International Airport.

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Prince Saud also reviewed work at the health center for pilgrims in the Hajj and Umrah halls, and the group luggage acceptance area, which is located on an area exceeding 35,000 sq m and includes 24 external loading lane stops. The service aims to provide an easy travel experience, facilitate pilgrims’ procedures and transport their luggage to their locations of residence in Makkah and the Holy Sites.

The deputy governor checked the area designated for the “Pilgrim Without a Bag” initiative, and inspected the locations of the air-conditioned lounges in the general area, as well as the locations of government agencies operating at the airport.

Also on Friday, the General Directorate of Border Guard continued to welcome pilgrims arriving in land and sea ports, providing them with the required facilities and guiding them to authorities at the port to complete their procedures quickly and easily.

Meanwhile, the Jeddah police arrested a Pakistani man on charges of fraud for promoting false and misleading housing and transportation to pilgrims. The suspect was also found in possession of forged Hajj bracelets, SPA said in another report. The case has been referred to the Public Prosecution.