16 Sri Lankans Selected as Guests of the Saudi King for Hajj Pilgrimage
Every year, around 1,500 people from more than 100 countries across the world are given the opportunity to perform the Hajj pilgrimage as special guests of the King of Saudi Arabia.
Accordingly, 16 individuals from Sri Lanka have been selected for this prestigious opportunity this year and are scheduled to depart on Monday (18) to the holy city of Mecca as guests of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.
The “Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques’ Guests Program for Hajj and Umrah” is a Saudi government initiative that hosts pilgrims from around the world. The program was launched in 1997 and is annually supervised by the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Dawah and Guidance.
The initiative aims to promote a moderate understanding of Islam, introduce participants to Saudi Arabia’s efforts in serving the Holy Qur’an and the Two Holy Mosques, and facilitate Hajj and Umrah pilgrimages for influential Muslims and new converts to Islam from different parts of the world.
In addition, the program seeks to build positive and lasting relationships with global Islamic figures, expand cooperation among Muslim leaders, strengthen ties with leaders of Muslim minority communities, and promote Islamic brotherhood.
The program targets university directors and academic staff of Islamic universities and institutions, outstanding university students, leaders and members of Islamic organizations, winners of Islamic excellence and research awards, imams and preachers, winners of Qur’an and Sunnah memorization competitions, new Muslims, as well as writers and media professionals who contribute to spreading the message of Islam.
