JEDDAH, 11 February 2003 — Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd is hosting a large number of pilgrims from different parts of the world, including 1,000 relatives of Palestinian martyrs, to perform Haj this year.
The Ministry of Islamic Affairs takes care of 1,400 royal guests from 28 countries while the Muslim World League (MWL) looks after 300 guest pilgrims. The World Assembly of Muslim Youth is in charge of 320 guests from 32 countries in Europe and the Americas.
Palestinian Ambassador Mustafa Deeb said King Fahd had ordered special Saudi Arabian Airlines flights to carry the Palestinian pilgrims from the airports in Amman, Areesh and Cairo to Jeddah.
Ambassador Deeb thanked King Fahd on behalf of President Yasser Arafat and the Palestinian Authority for the noble gesture.
The MWL organized a cultural seminar for the Muslim leaders who are performing Haj as guests of the king.
“Haj is an international Islamic event that highlights Islam’s humanitarian values and Muslim unity,” Dr. Abdullah Al-Turki, secretary-general of the league, told the seminar.
Dr. Hussein Hamid Hassan, chairman of the Council of Islamic Scholars in North America and Europe, urged Islamic banks to take steps for the protection of the rights of investors and depositors.
A number of Albanian guest pilgrims, including the mufti of Tirana, thanked King Fahd for the royal gesture. They also commended the Kingdom’s efforts in the service of pilgrims who have come from around the world.
“I am very thankful to King Fahd for providing me this opportunity to visit the holy places and pray near the Holy Kaaba,” said Haithem Baidaj, a member of the ruling party in Albania.
