JEDDAH: Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah has instructed officials to host 477 Palestinians recently released from Israeli prisons to perform Haj at his personal expense, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday.
King Abdullah had earlier announced his plan to host 2,000 Palestinian pilgrims for Haj this year. "This is the third year in a row his majesty donates for Palestinians, which contributes in helping the poor and needy Palestinian families to perform the Haj," said Palestinian Minister of Awqaf and Religious Affairs Mahmoud Habash.
King Abdullah will also pay for the pilgrimage of 1,400 Muslims from around the world this year. They include pilgrims from Indonesia, India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Turkey, Thailand, the Philippines, Cambodia, Kazakhstan, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Nepal, Afghanistan, Vietnam, Malaysia, Russia, Hong Kong, Mongolia, Singapore and Myanmar. So far, 18,000 Muslims from around the globe have performed Haj as guests of the Kingdom.
The king has also invited the family of Farman Ali Khan, a Pakistani martial arts champion who drowned while saving people during the Jeddah floods of November 2009, to perform Haj, a senior official said.
"King Abdullah has instructed to host the family of martyr Farman Ali Khan to perform Haj as guests of King Abdullah," said Abdullah Al-Mudlaj, executive director of the Program for King Abdullah's Guests.
"We have completed all preparations to receive the royal guests to perform Haj. We have arranged for their visits to the Prophet's Mosque, King Fahd Qur'an Printing Complex and Kaaba Cover Factory," said Al-Mudlaj.
© Arab News 2011
