Masya Allah, Saudi King Invites 1000 Palestinian Residents to Perform Hajj for Free

Dream - There is a special blessing for Palestinians in this year's hajj season. The Saudi Arabian government is reported to have given a gift to 1,000 Palestinians to perform the hajj pilgrimage for free.

"Saudi Arabia's King gives 1,000 Palestinians a free trip to Mecca to perform the hajj pilgrimage," quoted from VOA Indonesia's report on Wednesday, June 28, 2023.

It turns out that this free hajj gift is not the first time the Saudi government has done so. King Salman has been giving this free hajj gift for more than ten years to those affected by the conflict with Israel.

According to information from Palestinian officials, the lucky ones were selected from the West Bank, Gaza, and Jerusalem.

Many Palestinians have been waiting for years to have the opportunity to perform the hajj pilgrimage due to the high demand from around the world.

50 Indonesian Citizens Go on Hajj as Special Guests of King Salman

Not only Palestinians, but 50 Indonesian citizens also received hajj invitations from King Salman. They departed for the Holy Land on Wednesday, June 21, 2023.

Out of the 231,000 hajj quota for Indonesia, 50 of them are selected special guests based on the coordination between the Saudi Arabian authorities and relevant authorities in Indonesia.

"Around 50 pilgrims are special guests," said Ambassador Faisal, "Every year, they invite selected people from various Islamic countries."

The hajj invitation from King Salman to selected pilgrims from various parts of the world shows the commitment of the Saudi Arabian Kingdom to provide the best possible hajj service.

"The Saudi Arabian Kingdom has utilized its potential, as well as all its financial and human resources," said Saudi Arabian Ambassador to Indonesia, Faisal Abdullah H. Amodi, as quoted from Liputan6.com.

Faisal also emphasized that anyone has the opportunity to be a guest of King Salman. "People from all walks of life can apply for an invitation," said Faisal.

Masya Allah, UAE Astronaut Shares Photos of Mecca from Space Prior to the Peak of Hajj

Dream - United Arab Emirates astronaut, Sultan Al Neyadi, shared photos of Mecca from space prior to the peak of hajj. The city where the Kaaba stands was captured during Sultan Al Neyadi's duty at the International Space Station (ISS).

The holy city of Muslims was clearly visible during the day on Monday, June 26, 2023. Even the white-colored Masjid al-Haram could be seen from space.

"Today is Arafat Day, a pivotal day during hajj, that reminds us that faith is not just about belief, but also action and reflection," wrote Al Neyadi in a tweet from his Twitter account @Astro_Alneyadi.

"May it inspire us all to strive for compassion, humility, and unity," he continued.

This is not the first time Al Neyadi has shown Mecca from space. Previously, he showed the beauty of Mecca at night, which was so bright that it could be seen from his residence at the ISS.

It is known that Al Neyadi has been living at the ISS since March 2. He went there using the Crew Dragon spacecraft supported by SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket.

Astronaut Sultan Al Neyadi is not the first Muslim astronaut to go to space. Previously, there was Prince Sultan Bin Salman Al-Saud who went to space on June 17, 1985 using the STS-51G space shuttle and spent a week at the ISS.

It is known that Al Neyadi will conduct 19 special experiments, such as those related to back pain, plant biology, heart health, material science, radiation, sleep, and fluids.

Today is Arafat Day, a pivotal day during Hajj, that reminds us that faith is not just about belief, but also action and reflection. May it inspire us all to strive for compassion, humility, and unity. Here’s a view of the holy site of Mecca 🕋 that I captured yesterday. pic.twitter.com/mGI65NeEmh

— Sultan AlNeyadi (@Astro_Alneyadi) June 27, 2023