Saudi Gazette report

MADINAH — A total of 2,200 Muslims came to perform Umrah from more than 60 countries under the guest pilgrimage program of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman.

Imam of the Prophet’s Mosque Sheikh Ali Al-Hudaifi met the pilgrims on Saturday in their residence in Madinah. The imam praised the guest pilgrim program saying it brought together Muslims from around the world in a unified journey, which gave them an opportunity to meet and understand each other.

The pilgrims were taken on a tour of the historical sites in Madinah including Mount Al-Rumat, the cemetery of the Martyrs of Uhud, Quba Mosque, King Fahd Qur’an Printing Complex and the Al-Baqea Cemetery where a large number of the Prophet’s companions remain buried. The pilgrims were also given a detailed lecture on the Battle of Uhud in the third year of Hijrah. They saw the site of the battle and climbed the infamous Mount Al-Rumat.

When they performed salutation prayers at the Quba Mosque and listened to a lecture on the historical significance of the mosque.

They watched a documentary about the history of King Fahd Qur’an Printing Complex after a visit to the complex.

The Ministry of Islamic Affairs held a ceremony to honor all the officials involved in making the program a success. Officials of the Traffic Department, the Passport Directorate, the Custom Control and the General Authority for Civil Aviation attended. The ceremony at Crowne Plaza Hotel in Madinah was also attended by the program’s General Secretary Abdullah Al-Mudallaj and Imam Al-Hudaifi.