‘Madinah hospitality is rooted in history’

Turkish pilgrim Fenek Tolpo is very happy to be in the holy city of Madinah. He is the only one in his group from Turkey to speak English.
“This is my first visit to the Kingdom,” he told Arab News. “I visited historic battle sites and museums in Madinah.”
He is very impressed with the overall developments in the Kingdom.
“The massive expansion of the Prophet’s Mosque is a sight to behold,” he said. “The Saudis have devoted all their efforts to serve the pilgrims and regular visitors.”
According to him, being great hosts comes naturally to the Saudis. “History tells us about the Ansars and their legendary reception to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) when he first arrived in Madinah from Makkah more than 14 centuries ago. That spirit of accommodation still exists in Madinah and its people. May Allah bless them.”
He described the relations between Saudi Arabia and Turkey as very strong and based on common faith. “The two are a source of strength for each other,” he said. Tolpo said the trip to the Kingdom cost him around SR3,000, including two-way ticket fare.