Two Holy Mosques’ President Expects Media Highlight Saudi's Hajj Services

Mecca, August 8 (ANTARA) - President of General Presidency of the Two Holy Mosques (Grand Mosque in Mecca and Nabawi Mosques in Madinah), Sheikh Abdul Rahman As-Sudais, urged mass media to report Saudi Arabia’s facilities and services for pilgrims worldwide. During a meeting with several journalists at his office here on Tuesday (Aug 6), Sheikh As-Sudais asserted that the mass media should build awareness of Muslim countries on vital issues on the Muslim Ummah. Sheikh As-Sudais opined that the media can raise awareness, as it is capable of distributing news to the world based on truth and simultaneously avoid misinterpretation on Islam. Sheikh As-Sudais underlined that with the capabilities of the media, news on Hajj facilities and services provided by the Saudi government for pilgrims can be disseminated worldwide. "The media should be used in an honest manner, so that news stories would demonstrate the unity of Muslims, encourage mutual understanding and deepen relations with one another, as well as overcome terrorism and fundamentalism," he explained. The media in Muslim countries shoulder a major responsibility of defending Islam, affirming that it is the faith that opposes terrorism and promotes peace and tolerance, he added. Speaking in connection with the implementation of Hajj 1440 Hijr, As-Sudais valued the worship as a "message of peace" and appealed to pilgrims to not politicize the pilgrimage. “The Government of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques will always continue to offer service during the pilgrimage and to Umrah performers since we consider it our duty to serve the guests of Allah seeking rewards only from Allah,” Sheikh As-Sudais remarked. Ahead of the implementation of the Hajj, from 9th to 13th Dzhulhijjah 1440 Hijr, or August 10-14, 2019, the Government of Saudi Arabia has invited several journalists from Muslim countries, including Indonesia, Malaysia, and Pakistan, as well as some African nations to cover preparations of the event by the Kingdom for the pilgrims. Furthermore, Sheikh As-Sudais noted that the Presidency Council of the Two Holy Mosques had approved a comprehensive services plan provided for the pilgrims. "The main purpose of this plan is to improve services for the guests of Allah at Harramain Sharifain (the tow holy mosques)," he noted. One of the services is the Arafat sermon, to be delivered during wukuf -- the core procession of all hajj rituals -- at the Namirah Mosque, is translated into six languages ​​with additional sign language. Such translation is also available for sermons at the Grand Mosque in Mecca. This effort is expected to offer a broader understanding of the sermons delivered in Arabic to pilgrims.