ISLAMABAD: Sixty Pakistanis will travel to the kingdom next week to perform the Hajj as guests of the Saudi king and under a special program that sponsors their Hajj expenses, an official at the Saudi embassy said on Wednesday.
Saudi Arabia’s king last week issued a directive stating that the oil-rich country would host 1,300 pilgrims from over 90 countries this year for Hajj under the ‘Guests of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques’ Program.’
The Hajj, one of the five important pillars of Islam, is an annual spiritual pilgrimage obligatory on every Muslim adult sound of mind and with the financial means to undertake the journey to visit Saudi Arabia. Muslims circle around the Kaaba seven times in a counterclockwise direction and perform other acts of worship.
“This initiative by the Saudi Ministry of Religious Affairs is an annual event, where individuals from various Muslim countries are invited to perform Hajj as guests of the Saudi King,” Abubakar Siddique, an official at the Saudi embassy responsible for its Islamic Ummah affairs, told Arab News during a ceremony.
“This year, a total of 60 pilgrims from Pakistan, including both men and women, are traveling to Saudi Arabia to perform Hajj under this initiative,” he said, adding that it would be a completely sponsored Hajj.
“The travel, accommodation, and all other arrangements during Hajj are sponsored by the Saudi Ministry of Religious Affairs, as these pilgrims are considered special guests of King Salman bin Abdulaziz,” he added.
Siddique said the program has been running for several years and last year 40 Pakistanis performed the Hajj as special guests of the king.
“The selection criteria for these participants are based on their significant contributions to the host country, with a majority of them being religious scholars,” he said.
Other members, Siddique said, were those who had served their communities and played their role in fostering the Pakistan-Saudi Arabia relationship.
Hafiz Zubair Hassan, a religious scholar from Lahore, thanked the Saudi king and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for granting him the opportunity to perform Hajj.
“I pray for the continued positive and constructive role played by the Saudi leadership in the betterment of the Muslim world, as they have consistently stood at the forefront whenever the Ummah has needed their support,” he told Arab News.
Hassan praised the strong ties between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, likening it to two hearts beating in one body.
“I believe that this enduring relationship will endure indefinitely,” Hassan added.
Syed Hayat Ullah Khan, a religious scholar from Pakistan’s northwestern city of Peshawar, said today was “the most significant and unforgettable day” of his entire life.
“I will forever cherish the honor bestowed upon me by the Saudi leadership to perform Hajj as their esteemed guest,” he told Arab News.
Khan applauded the Saudi king and the crown prince for promoting peace in the Muslim world.
Another Lahore-based religious scholar, Mohtasim Elahi Zaheer, expressed his gratitude upon receiving his plane tickets and Hajj visa.
“It is a great virtue and service to the Muslims by the Saudis and we pray for the peace, progress, and prosperity of the kingdom,” Zaheer told Arab News.
