Team Clarion
NEW DELHI — The first group of pilgrims under the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Program for Umrah and Visitation in 1446 AH successfully performed Umrah rituals in Makkah and visited the Prophet’s City of Madinah.
The programme, implemented and overseen by the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Call and Guidance, offers an exceptional opportunity for Muslims worldwide to perform Umrah and visit the Prophet’s Mosque as part of King Salman bin Abdulaziz’s generous initiative.
The first batch comprises 250 men and women, including prominent Islamic figures from 12 countries, with 25 pilgrims arriving from Malaysia, local media reports said.
The pilgrims who were granted a warm welcome by officials from the Saudi Ministry of Islamic Affairs at Madinah’s Prince Mohammed bin Abdulaziz International Airport expressed gratitude for the opportunity to visit the Grand Mosque in Makkah and perform the Umrah.
The programme, launched by a recent royal order from King Salman, hosts a total of 1,000 pilgrims from 66 countries this year in four groups. All expenses for their pilgrimage and stay are covered by the monarch himself.