RIYADH: As many as 2,400 special guests of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman will perform Haj this year, including 1,000 Palestinians from martyrs’ families.

The yearly royal program under the king’s own expenses has now been expanded to include special guests from several countries to perform Umrah throughout the year.

The Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Endowments, Call and Guidance is implementing the program with the cooperation of various ministries, including Foreign Affairs, Interior, Health and Culture and Information.

The Saudi Red Crescent, Saudi Arabian Airlines and the General Civil Aviation Authority are also supporting the royal program.

The supervising body at the Ministry of Islamic Affairs said that prospective candidates who meet the terms and conditions are being selected by the Saudi embassies throughout the world.

The number of invitees is determined for each state based on the proportion of Muslims in that country, its importance, and the need for hosting them, he added.

Nearly 24,000 have benefited from this program since its launch, said Islamic Affairs Minister Saleh Al-Sheikh.

“This gesture represents the keenness of the leadership of this country to serve Muslims around the world,” the minister said. It deepens the unity of the Islamic and brotherly relationship between world communities, the minister added. This is in compliance with a verse: “I created you into nations and tribes to know each other.”

It presented the best form of acquaintances that is taking place around the Grand Mosque.

“King Salman is keen to extend this program to deserving people from all over the world,” he said.

They are from Indonesia, Bangladesh, Thailand, Philippines, Cambodia, Kyrgyzstan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Afghanistan, Vietnam, Malaysia, Myanmar, Bosnia Herzegovina, India, Niger, Uganda, Madagascar, Comoros, Kenya, Pakistan, Romania, Bulgaria, Poland, Moldova, Germany, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Cuba, South Africa, Burundi, Mozambique, Senegal, Cameroon and Nigeria.

“This gesture confirms the message carried by the Kingdom, a message that reflects its role in serving Islam and Muslims,” Al-Sheikh said, adding that this noble gesture demonstrates King Salman’s commitment to the deserving people who were financially unable to perform Haj.

The beneficiaries around the world have highly applauded the noble work of the Saudi king.

They are mainly drawn from the less fortunate Muslim minorities who are not financially capable of performing Haj on their own.

This generosity and humanitarian gesture by the leader of this country reflects the deep sense of affection for his brother Muslims all over the world when they pray five times a day in the direction of the holy Kaaba.