- King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud hosted an annual reception at the Mina Palace for heads of state, high officials, and Muslim dignitaries.
- The Crown Prince recited passages from the Holy Quran and extended greetings and congratulations to Muslims on the occasion of Eid al-Adha.
- The Minister of Hajj and Umrah discussed plans and arrangements for the Hajj pilgrimage, including the construction of structures in Mina and the launch of the "No Hajj without a Permit" campaign.
"Mina, the 18th of June, 2024. He assumed the responsibility of looking after the two holy mosques. King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, hosted the annual reception at the Mina Palace for heads of state, high officials, Muslim dignitaries, guests of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, guests of government agencies, and heads of delegations and pilgrim affairs offices who performed Hajj this year. Guests from the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, government agencies, and diplomatic missions were also present.Prior to delivering his address, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince recited many passages from the Holy Quran, including the following: "In the name of Allah, the most merciful and the most beneficent." All praise and thanksgiving to Allah, and may peace and prayers be upon our Prophet Mohammed, his family, and all those who were with him.I would like to extend my greetings to the heads of state, pilgrims, and exceptional visitors.
I pray that Allah bestows upon you his mercy, peace, and blessings.We would like to extend our warmest congratulations to you and all Muslims on the occasion of the joyous Eid al-Adha. On behalf of King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, we would like to pray to Allah to accept the pilgrims' rites and assist them in completing them in a secure, peaceful, and comfortable manner.We, as citizens of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, express our gratitude to Allah Almighty for entrusting us with the responsibility of providing service to the two holy mosques and holy locations, as well as caring for those who visit them and ensuring their security and safety.We are delighted to continue fulfilling this virtuous commitment, making every effort and making full use of all of our capabilities in order to guarantee the comfort of the pilgrims throughout their journey.Greetings, Brothers!In the midst of the continuous heinous atrocities committed against our brothers and sisters in the Gaza Strip, the wonderful holiday of Eid al-Adha arrived.
We demand the immediate cessation of this bombardment and the implementation of all necessary safeguards by the international community to protect the lives of those currently residing in Gaza. Furthermore, we insist on implementing the recent resolutions from the United Nations Security Council, which demand an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia reiterates its call to the international community to recognize the independent state of Palestine on the 1967 established boundaries, with East Jerusalem serving as its capital, and to allow the Palestinian people to exercise their legal rights in order to achieve a comprehensive, just, and lasting peace. As we rejoice in these beautiful days, we pray to Allah Ta'ala for the benefits of wealth and safety for the Islamic people as a whole. This Eid and every day, we wish you health and happiness.
I ask Allah to cover you in blessings and mercy along with tranquility. Then, in a speech, Dr. Tawfiq bin Fawzan Al-Rabiah, Minister of Hajj and Umrah and Chairman of the Pilgrim Experience Program Committee, updated the audience on the ministry's plans and organizational setup for all of its offices that handle Hajj-related matters across different nations. Because of these arrangements, contracts have been signed this year far sooner than in prior years. The following is what he said: "In 1443 AH, competition among companies handling pilgrim matters started with Your Royal Highness's assistance and instruction. There are currently 35 businesses vying for the business of offering services to pilgrims, which has helped to improve both the caliber of services rendered and the degree of satisfaction pilgrims receive.
" Every year, we organize the Hajj Services Conference to make it easier for people to perform the Hajj. More than one hundred countries attended the last edition of the conference, and over two hundred specialized companies provided services to Hajj affairs offices. This conference provided these companies with the opportunity to inspect all services provided and finalize their contracts under one roof. In addition, the minister talked about the Hajj Projects Management Office, which is responsible for coordinating the efforts of over fifty government entities to provide services to pilgrims. He continued by stating that the office had filed more than 300 work plans, encompassing all procedures and services. In partnership with the Ministry of Interior, they carried out three large simulation exercises to transport pilgrims, involving 15,000 buses. He also mentioned the construction of eleven structures in Mina, each capable of housing 37,000 people. To these models, future expansions of pilgrimage buildings will take a cue. The “No Hajj without a Permit” project was launched this year by the Ministry of Interior in collaboration with the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah. Al-Rabiah declared that it was a total success. HRH, the Crown Prince, issued these directives to ensure the safety and comfort of pilgrims. He made the following statement: "This year, we launched the Nusuk digital identification card, which contains information about the pilgrims and the services provided to them, allowing the authorities to serve them quickly and efficiently." This card, which contains security features, allows you to differentiate between legitimate pilgrims and those who intend to perform the Hajj without a permit. This year, the Makkah Route Initiative expanded to include seven countries and eleven airports, welcoming more than 316,000 pilgrims. The Ministry of Interior led the initiative. The Ministry of Interior led the initiative. In addition, Dr. Shawqi Ibrahim Allam, chairman of the Muslim World League (MWL), gave a speech in which he expressed his gratitude and appreciation to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince for the warm reception and generous hospitality extended to pilgrims, as well as for the well-organized handling of all Hajj matters. Sheikh Sami Al-Masoudi, President of the Supreme Authority for Hajj and Umrah in the Republic of Iraq, delivered a speech on behalf of the heads of Hajj delegations. In his speech, he expressed gratitude to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and the HRH Crown Prince for their extraordinary efforts to make the religious responsibilities of pilgrims easier and more comfortable. His Royal Highness, the Crown Prince, welcomed the Vice President of the Republic of Gambia, Mohammed Jallow; the Prime Minister of Niger, Ali Mahaman Lamine Zeine; the Prime Minister of Yemen, Ahmed Awadh bin Mubarak; the former President of Somalia, Sharif Sheikh Ahmed; the former Prime Minister of Malaysia, Dato' Seri Ismail Sabri; and invited officials. After that, H.R.H., the Crown Prince, presided over lunch for everyone. Princes from all around the world were present during the ceremony.
