Mina (UNA/SPA) - On behalf of the Custodian of 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, held today at the Royal Court in Mina Palace the annual reception for Their Excellencies, the State, senior Islamic figures, guests of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, guests of government agencies, heads of delegations and pilgrim affairs offices who performed Hajj this year, led by His Excellency President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani, President of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, His Excellency President Dr. Mohamed Moiz, President of the Republic of Maldives, Vice President of the Republic of Benin, Mrs. Mariam Shabi Talata Zimi Berima, and former Somali President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed.
The speech ceremony prepared for this occasion began with the recitation of verses from the Holy Quran.
His Highness the Crown Prince delivered a speech on this occasion, the text of which follows:
In the name of God the Merciful
Praise be to God, Lord of the Worlds, and prayers and peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon all his family and companions.
Your Excellencies, Highnesses and States
My brothers and sisters, pilgrims to the Sacred House of God
Honorable guests
Peace, mercy and blessings of God
On behalf of His Majesty the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz - may God protect him - it is our pleasure, from the vicinity of the Sacred House of God, to congratulate you and all Muslims around the world on the blessed Eid al-Adha, asking God Almighty to accept the Hajj and good deeds of the pilgrims.
God Almighty has honored this country with the privilege of serving the Two Holy Mosques and their visitors, including pilgrims, Umrah performers, and visitors. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has placed this at the forefront of its priorities, devoting all its capabilities to serving the Guests of God and facilitating their performance of their rituals with ease and comfort. With God's help and guidance, the Kingdom, aware of the great responsibility and honor of service, will continue to do so.
Your Excellencies, Highnesses and States
This year, Eid al-Adha comes as our brothers and sisters in Palestine continue to suffer as a result of the Israeli aggression. We emphasize the role of the international community in ending the catastrophic repercussions of this aggression, protecting innocent civilians, and creating a new reality where Palestine enjoys peace in accordance with international legitimacy resolutions.
We ask God Almighty to grant our country, and all Muslim countries and the world, security and stability, to accept the Hajj of the pilgrims to the Sacred House of God, and to return them to their families safely.
Happy new year.
Peace, mercy and blessings of God.
His Excellency the Minister of Hajj and Umrah, Chairman of the Hajj Guests Service Program Committee, Dr. Tawfiq bin Fawzan Al-Rabiah, delivered a speech in which he reviewed the preparations for this year’s Hajj season, which began at the end of last year’s Hajj season under the supervision of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, and with the support, guidance, and personal follow-up of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince. This has led to the Hajj system rising to unprecedented levels of integration and efficiency. He pointed out that under the supervision of the Supreme Hajj Committee, headed by His Royal Highness the Minister of Interior, and the follow-up of the Hajj Project Management Office (Hajj PMO), performance has been unified, efforts have been integrated, coordination efficiency has increased, direct contracting has been opened for Hajj missions, and more than 670 service agreements have been concluded, allowing for a variety of options and high quality.
Dr. Al-Rabiah discussed the most notable achievements of this year's Hajj, including the implementation of 46 new energy projects to enhance the electrical system in Makkah and the holy sites, which contributed to increasing the electrical capacity in the holy sites by 75%, with a total value exceeding 3 billion riyals. In the transportation sector, more than 7 flights were received from 238 international destinations, 4700 trips were operated via the Haramain High Speed Rail, and 2500 trips via the Holy Sites Train, with the participation of more than 20 buses. In addition, the Royal Commission for Makkah City and the Holy Sites launched the General Transportation Center, which represents the unified center for transportation movement in Makkah and the holy sites.
In the healthcare sector, bed capacity increased by more than 60%. An emergency hospital was opened, 71 rapid intervention points were equipped in the holy sites, and emergency response capabilities more than tripled compared to last year. In the infrastructure sector, more than 3 square meters were shaded, including 300 square meters designated for the pilgrims' path. 170 trees were planted, and air conditioning was implemented at key sites to reduce heat stress and enhance the comfort of pilgrims. Additionally, the Nusk app was developed to provide more than 23 digital services, facilitating pilgrims' journeys from visa issuance to return. The Nusk Masar digital platform also streamlined contracting, visa issuance, and standardized procedures with relevant authorities. In the security sector, the "No Hajj Without a Permit" campaign aimed to instill discipline, protect regular pilgrims, and facilitate crowd management in a safe environment.
This was followed by a speech delivered by the Secretary-General of the Muslim World League, Sheikh Mohammed bin Ahmed Hussein, in which he emphasized that among the most important objectives of Islam and the benefits of Hajj are preserving the unity of the Islamic Ummah, strengthening the bonds of brotherhood in faith, and promoting affection, cooperation, and love among Muslims, regardless of their sects, colors, races, languages, and homelands. This is to narrow the circle of differences, shorten distances, unite hearts, unify the word, and achieve religious brotherhood.
He said: “The Kingdom has attained a lofty status in the hearts of Muslims, and has worked with its great weight to unify Muslim ranks and achieve the aspirations of Muslim countries and peoples through a wise and balanced approach that reflects the true image of the true Islamic religion in its moderate dimension and systematic moderation. It has sought to spread a culture of reconciliation, tolerance and harmony, and to look to the future with a promising horizon brimming with the spirit of brotherhood and solidarity.”
Sheikh Mohammed bin Ahmed Hussein added, “I express my feelings and the feelings of every Arab and Muslim with great appreciation and deep gratitude to the Kingdom for its historic stances in support of the Palestinian cause, and the Kingdom’s honorable leadership of international efforts to stop the horrors of genocide in the Gaza Strip, and the series of destruction and starvation perpetrated by the Israeli occupation forces, in addition to the other major tasks undertaken by the Kingdom, based on its Islamic, Arab and humanitarian values and principles, to mobilize international support for the recognition of the Palestinian state.”
Then, His Excellency the Minister of Endowments of the Syrian Arab Republic, Sheikh Muhammad Abu al-Khair Shukri, delivered a speech on behalf of the heads of Hajj Affairs Offices, expressing his thanks and gratitude to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince - may God protect them - for the exceptional and qualitative efforts they provide to the pilgrims of the House of God.
He said: “This year’s Hajj season, 1446 AH, is a continuation of the Kingdom’s established approach to facilitating pilgrims, embodying its timeless mission to serve Islam and Muslims, and the authentic historical honor of the leadership and people of this blessed country in serving the Two Holy Mosques and their visitors.”
He added: “The comprehensive and sustainable development of infrastructure, the smart services system, and the use of the latest technologies in crowd management that we are witnessing is evidence of the Kingdom’s ambitious Vision 2030 and its impact, which has been achieved ahead of its time.” He pointed out that all pilgrims to the House of God have witnessed the significant facilities provided by the Hajj Service System, which facilitates their journey by relying on the latest electronic systems and smartphone applications, in addition to the high competitiveness among service providers, which has positively reflected on the quality of services provided and contributed to improving the pilgrim’s journey in an unprecedented manner.
Sheikh Mohammed Abu Al-Khair praised the early planning and unprecedented preparations undertaken by the authorities responsible for serving pilgrims and Umrah performers to develop their services and contribute to facilitating the pilgrims' journey with the highest standards. He affirmed the support of the leadership of the Hajj Affairs Missions for all the efforts of the agencies working in the system of serving the Guests of God in the Kingdom to implement the systems and instructions that aim to organize Hajj and protect the security and safety of pilgrims, far from any political slogans or trends that undermine the spirit of this great ritual.
The invitees had the honor of greeting His Highness the Crown Prince.
At the conclusion of the reception, everyone had lunch with His Highness the Crown Prince.
The ceremony was attended by HRH Prince Turki bin Faisal bin Abdulaziz, HRH Prince Faisal bin Musaed bin Abdulrahman, HRH Prince Khalid bin Saad bin Abdulaziz, HRH Prince Dr. Faisal bin Mohammed bin Saud bin Abdulaziz, HRH Prince Alwaleed bin Talal bin Abdulaziz, HRH Prince Miteb bin Saud bin Saad bin Abdulrahman, HRH Prince Nawaf bin Mohammed bin Abdullah bin Abdulrahman, HRH Prince Mansour bin Nasser bin Abdulaziz, HRH Prince Dr. Bandar bin Salman bin Mohammed, HRH Prince Abdulaziz bin Ahmed bin Abdulaziz, HRH Prince Khalid bin Thunayan bin Mohammed, HRH Prince Mohammed bin Saad bin Mohammed, HRH Prince Faisal bin Muqrin bin Abdulaziz, HRH Prince Khalid bin Turki bin Faisal bin Turki Al Awwal bin Abdulaziz, HRH Prince Abdullah bin Saud bin Mohammed, HRH Prince Turki bin Abdullah bin Abdulaziz bin Musaed, HRH Prince Faisal bin Turki bin Faisal bin Turki Al Awwal bin Abdulaziz, HRH Prince Abdulaziz bin Hathloul bin Abdulaziz, His Highness Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah, Minister of Foreign Affairs, His Royal Highness Prince Sultan bin Mamdouh bin Abdulaziz, His Royal Highness Prince Saud bin Mishaal bin Abdulaziz, Deputy Governor of Makkah Region, His Royal Highness Prince Saud bin Abdullah bin Abdulaziz, His Royal Highness Prince Bandar bin Muqrin bin Abdulaziz, Advisor at the Royal Court, His Royal Highness Prince Turki bin Mohammed bin Fahd bin Abdulaziz, Minister of State and Member of the Council of Ministers, His Royal Highness Prince Saud bin Nahar bin Saud bin Abdulaziz, Governor of Taif, His Highness Prince Faisal bin Mohammed bin Saad, Advisor to the Governor of Makkah Region and General Supervisor of the Emirate Agency, His Highness Prince Saud bin Abdullah bin Mansour bin Jalawi, Governor of Jeddah, His Royal Highness Prince Abdulaziz bin Talal bin Abdulaziz, His Royal Highness Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki bin Faisal bin Abdulaziz, Minister of Sports, His Royal Highness Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Nayef bin Abdulaziz, Minister of Interior and Chairman of the Supreme Hajj Committee, His Royal Highness Prince Khalid bin Mohammed bin Fahd bin Abdulaziz, His Royal Highness Prince Abdullah bin Bandar bin Abdulaziz, Minister of the National Guard, His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Saud bin Nayef bin Abdulaziz, His Highness Prince Sultan bin Mohammed bin Saad, His Royal Highness Prince Saud bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, His Royal Highness Prince Sultan bin Ahmed bin Abdulaziz, His Royal Highness Prince Thamer bin Faisal bin Thamer bin Abdulaziz, His Royal Highness Prince Mishaal bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz, His Royal Highness Prince Saud bin Turki bin Faisal bin Abdulaziz, His Royal Highness Prince Khalid bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Minister of Defense, His Royal Highness Prince Saad bin Abdullah bin Abdulaziz, His Royal Highness Prince Abdulaziz bin Faisal bin Abdulmajeed bin Abdulaziz, His Highness Prince Faisal bin Mohammed bin Saad, His Highness Prince Abdullah bin Khalid bin Saad, His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Saud bin Fahd bin Abdulaziz, His Royal Highness Prince Turki bin Abdulaziz bin Ahmed bin Abdulaziz, His Royal Highness Prince Abdulmajeed bin Abdulilah bin Abdulaziz, His Royal Highness Prince Sultan bin Abdullah bin Abdulaziz, and His Highness Prince Saud bin Nasser bin Saud bin Farhan.
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