DOHA: Even pagans in Makkah, before the advent of Islam, treated pilgrims better than the Saudi authorities and they vied with each other to feed and provide facilities to pilgrims, Qatar Media Corporation CEO Sheikh Abdulrahman bin Hamad Al Thani has said.
Sheikh Abdulrahman said this in a letter addressed to Saudi authorities in response to their claims that the Kingdom was providing all facilities to pilgrims from Qatar to perform Umrah and Hajj.
“Saudi Arabia claims that the State of Qatar is forbidding pilgrims from the House of God. I hope they will prove their statement by opening the border crossings to pilgrims from Qatar, including citizens and residents, and I hope they will not expel us from hotels as they did at the beginning of this crisis they invented and I would like to remind them that even the Quraysh, during the period of ignorance before the advent of Islam, were competing with each other to feed and provide water to pilgrims,” Sheikh Abdulrahman said.
He said Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Hajj and Umrah continues to spread lies for the third consecutive year against Qataris, despite requests by human rights organisations to Riyadh not to politicise Hajj and enable Qataris and residents to perform the pilgrimages.
In the latest lie, Al Arabiya said Qatari pilgrims arrived at King Abdulaziz Airport in Jeddah on Friday night and the Saudi government welcomed them and would provide them with all facilities to perform Umrah.
Qataris and residents who want to perform Hajj and Umrah will not be fooled by Saudi lies and will not want to undertake a journey of adventure to Saudi Arabia, Sheikh Abdulrahman said.
Qatar’s Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs has called on the Saudi authorities to provide all facilities, similar to those provided to the rest of the citizens of the Gulf Cooperation Council states and Arab and Islamic countries, to Qataris and pointed out the obstacles created by the Saudis.
“Direct flights from Doha to Jeddah are still not allowed for all airlines. Also, Saudi Arabia’s continued closure of the only land border prevents low-income people and those who are unable to fly from visiting the sacred House of God,” the Ministry had said.
The Ministry also pointed out that the Saudi authorities do not allow the Umrah and Hajj operators to enter the country and make preparations for the visits of pilgrims, as is done for other countries, which means the operators cannot guarantee the safety of pilgrims, especially in the case of women, the elderly and patients.
The Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs has also warned against the systematic media incitement in Saudi Arabia against Qataris and the dangers that may ensue.
“What is worrying about this is the continuation of the inflammatory media discourse against Qatar and the Qataris, which may pose a threat to their safety,” the Ministry said.