Saudi King Hosts Umrah Guests: King Salman funds 1,000 pilgrims; programme begins with 250 from Asia

Saudi Arabia’s Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman, has approved the hosting of 1,000 Umrah pilgrims from across the world under the Guests of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Program for Hajj, Umrah, and Visit.The initiative, funded at the King’s personal expense and overseen by the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Call and Guidance, will be implemented in four phases during the Islamic year 1448 AH.The first group will include 250 men and women from 16 Asian countries. The participating nations are Indonesia, East Timor, the Philippines, Malaysia, Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam, Myanmar, Laos, Singapore, China, Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Mongolia.The ministry said the programme is designed to enable Muslims from different parts of the world to perform Umrah and visit Islam’s holy sites in Saudi Arabia.Minister of Islamic Affairs, Call and Guidance Sheikh Abdullatif Al-Sheikh welcomed the approval, thanking King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for their continued support of initiatives serving Muslims worldwide.He said the programme reflects the Kingdom’s commitment to strengthening ties among Muslim communities and facilitating visits to the holy sites. Al-Sheikh added that the initiative also supports Saudi Arabia’s broader efforts to foster connections with scholars, religious leaders and other prominent figures across the Muslim world.