Abdullah Al-Dani

Okaz/Saudi Gazette

MINA — Five pilgrims from Cuba are performing Haj this year as guests of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah. This was for the first time, Muslims from Cuba arriving in the Kingdom to perform Haj, according to Abdullah Al-Modlej, executive director for the program of the King’s guests at the Ministry of Islamic Affairs.



Al-Modlej said the five-member team includes leader of the Muslim community in Cuba. He noted that the ministry deputed one preacher to lead taraweeh prayers for Muslims of Cuba during the last Ramadan. There are no mosques in Cuba and therefore the Muslims hired a wedding hall to offer prayers. “On the first day, the number of worshippers who came to attend prayers was around 130 and the second day their number shot up to 500, and this number increased further by the end of the fasting month,” he said. Several new Muslims from Korea and Europe have also arrived to perform Haj as the King’s guests, Al-Modlej added.