Families of slain Egyptian forces get 1,000 hajj slots

Saudi Arabia King Salman has offered 1,000 hajj slots to families of slain soldiers and policemen from Egypt.

The King, who ordered the hosting of 1,000 male and female relatives of the fallen Egyptian security forces for this year’s hajj, said the gesture was part of his Annual Guests Programme, which is being supervised by the Saudi’s Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Call and Guidance.

In a statement made available to newsmen yesterday, Saudi’s Minister of Islamic Affairs, Sheikh Abdullatif Bin AbdulAziz Al-Asheikh, said the hajj seats were given to families of soldiers and policemen who lost their lives in the line of duty.

Separately, Dr Abdulrahman Al-Sudais, the General President of the two Holy Mosques in Makkah and Madinah, has advised Muslim journalists to help counter negative narratives about Islam.

Sheikh Al-Sudais stated this in Makkah while speaking to select Muslim journalists invited by the Saudi Ministry of Media to cover this year’s Hajj.

“You have a great responsibility upon you. You represent the pulse of the Muslim nation and its conscience; in a word, you change the public opinion about Islam,” he said.

“Allah will ask you on the day of resurrection for every single-word you wrote ...The Kingdom’s message is the message of Islam based on mercy, tolerance and coexistence, supporting moderation and harnessing the facts of the times in highlighting the image of civilized Muslims and removing the accusation of terrorism against them,” he said.

He said Saudi Kingdom would continue to do its best in the protection and spread of Islam across the world. the