JEDDAH, 10 January 2005 — Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd has invited 1,000 Muslims from different countries to perform Haj at his personal expense in an annual tradition that has so far benefited more than 10,000 Muslims from over 40 countries.
The group to perform Haj this year at the invitation of the king includes a number of handicapped suffering from hearing and visual impairment as well as other forms of disability. Among the group is also a number of converts from among the expatriate community who embraced Islam during their stay in the Kingdom.
Minister of Islamic Affairs, Endowment, Dawa and Guidance Sheikh Saleh ibn Abdul Aziz Al-Asheikh who is supervising the program said it aims at enabling Muslims yearning to make the pilgrimage but lack the means to fulfill their life’s dream. This year, he said, the group includes a number of Muslims with special needs who usually receive due care and support from the leadership.
Haj is the fifth pillar of Islam and is required of every able Muslim once in a lifetime. This year’s Haj begins in earnest in the second half of January.
The selection of the pilgrims who benefit from the king’s initiative takes place in coordination with Saudi diplomatic missions abroad. The guests are provided all kinds of services including medical care and receive daily education on Haj rites in lectures given by prominent Saudi scholars.
