Hundreds of thousands of pilgrims have flocked to Saudi Arabia from different parts of the world this year to perform Umrah and visit the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah like they have done every year.

Mohammed Al-Subaie, an Egyptian pilgrim, is one among them. Speaking to Arab News, he expressed his happiness at getting an opportunity to perform Umrah and visit the Prophet’s Mosque.

“I have achieved spiritual satisfaction as a result of this journey. May Allah accept my prayers, forgive my sins and help me realize my good desires and noble objectives,” he said.

“I have come to Saudi Arabia several times for Haj and Umrah and every time I have witnessed remarkable progress in the two holy mosques and cities,” he said at the Quba Mosque in Madinah.

“Saudi Arabia has also progressed a lot during the past years with the implementation of new development projects,” Al-Subaie said. He admired the Saudi government for investing heavily in the two holy mosques in Makkah and Madinah in order to facilitate the pilgrims. He also praised Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah for launching the largest expansion projects of the two harams in history.

Responding to a question about how much this year’s Umrah would cost him, Al-Subaie said, “The cost will reach about SR8,300 including air ticket, accommodation and food,” adding that he had not faced any difficulties on his spiritual journey. When asked about the special prayers he had made at the Haram in Makkah, Al-Subaie said, “I have prayed for the unity and stability of Egypt; for peace to be restored to Syria and the progress of Muslim countries throughout the world.”

Al-Subaie called upon his Muslim brethren all over the world to stand united under the banner of Islam. “It is very unfortunate to see the followers of Islam killing each other. Our enemies want us to remain disunited. We should be aware of the enemy’s plot and be vigilant,” he cautioned.

He also underscored the role of Haj and Umrah in strengthening the unity and solidarity of Muslims.