The King called on Moroccans going to perform pilgrimage to “embody the values of your homeland - Morocco - and reflect its civilization as well as the characteristics of the Moroccan identity.”
Rabat – King Mohammed VI has addressed a letter to Moroccan pilgrims set to perform the annual Hajj pilgrimage in 2019, urging them to positively represent their country and values.
In his letter, the King said that he expects Moroccan pilgrims “both individually and collectively, to “embody the values of your homeland – Morocco – and reflect its civilization as well as the characteristics of the Moroccan identity.”
Minister of Islamic Affairs Ahmed Taoufiq conveyed King Mohammed VI’s letter on the event of the departure of the first group of Moroccan pilgrims on Thursday, July 18, at the Rabat-Sale airport.
The King recalled that his letter is an “auspicious tradition with the advent of each Haj season” to address the message to women and men departing to the holy site to both congratulate them and to give his “sincere wishes for an accepted Hajj and for the best of rewards.”
“I am addressing you to remind you not only of the virtues and good morals you should abide by in that sacred place, but also of the need to be knowledgeable about the pillars, obligatory rituals and habitual practices relating to pilgrimage and to the visit to the Sacred House of the Almighty, be it in connection with Tawaf, Sa’y or Wuquf at Arafat,” the King said.
The King also prayed to God to help Moroccan pilgrims to “fulfill these rituals and obligations with ease and in a safe manner.”
The monarch recalled the eminent significance of Hajj, one of the most important pillars in Islam.
“Islam has made pilgrimage one of the pillars of our faith. The aim is to enable Muslims to get to know one another, to meet in one place and to come together in solidarity as brothers and sisters in order to uphold what is right and avoid sin and aggression,” the letter reads.
The king also commended the efforts of Saudi Arabia and the joint cooperation between Morocco and Saudi Arabia to “make sure the great Hajj experience goes according to Plan.
Read also: Moroccan Ministry Issues New Guidelines for Hajj Pilgrimage
Throughout his letter the King expressed his expectations of Moroccan pilgrims, urging them to be among the “first to observe and comply with these measures and regulations, including those set by my Minister for Awqaf and Islamic Affairs.”
The King also commended the Moroccan Islamic Ministry and its staff, including the minister of Islamic Affairs.
The monarch said that Taoufiq “spares no effort to improve your travel and accommodation conditions, provide for your comfort, health requirements and administrative needs, and give you the necessary religious guidance, in accordance with my instructions to this effect.”
Thousands of Moroccan pilgrims perform Hajj, an annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca, every year.
