King Salman Sponsors Umrah for 1,000 Pilgrims Worldwide
RIYADH: The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman Abdulaziz Al Saud, has approved the sponsorship of Umrah for 1,000 male and female pilgrims from around the world through the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Guests Programme for Hajj, Umrah and Visits.
According to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA), the initiative, fully funded by King Salman, will be implemented by the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Dawah and Guidance.
The programme will be carried out in four phases throughout the year 1448 Hijrah, with the first group involving 250 pilgrims from 16 Asian countries.
Among the countries involved are Indonesia, Timor-Leste, the Philippines, Malaysia, Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Singapore, China, Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong and Mongolia.
The Minister of Islamic Affairs, Dawah and Guidance, who is also the General Supervisor of the programme, Sheikh Dr Abdullatif Al Alsheikh, expressed his appreciation to King Salman and the Crown Prince for their continuous commitment to serving Islam and Muslims around the world.
He said the initiative enables Muslims to perform the Umrah pilgrimage and visit the holy sites in a comfortable and well-organised manner.
According to him, the programme also reflects the commitment of the Saudi leadership in strengthening the bonds of brotherhood among Muslims and enhancing relations with scholars, religious leaders and Islamic community figures from various countries.
He said the effort is also in line with Saudi Arabia’s role as a centre of Islamic development that continuously strives to facilitate matters for pilgrims and expand communication networks with the international Muslim community.
Media Selangor