Message of Hajj is to show unity of Muslim Ummah: Makkah imam

Makkah: The essential message of the Hajj pilgrimage is to show the unity of the Muslim Ummah and to shun all dissensions, said Sheikh Saleh Aal Talib, khateeb and imam of the Grand Mosque in Makkah.
Delivering the Friday sermon to the over 1.5 million pilgrims who have descended on the holy city from across the globe, Sheikh Saleh Al Talib exhorted them to utilize to their maximum time in glorifying Almighty Allah and protecting the sanctity of the holy places. “Any division among Muslims takes them back to the days of Jahiliyah (pre-Islamic era) and any dispute between them resembles the dark ages,” he said. Consensus and moderation are the hallmarks of a Islamic society, he said calling on the Muslims to narrow the gaps among them and strive to unitedly face the challenges before the Ummah.
The imam stressed on the values of love, equality, brotherhood, tolerance and justice and said all Muslims should overcome their differences by applying the principles of forgiveness. The pilgrims were reminded that the only slogan during their Hajj should be of monotheism and the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). The pilgrims should not indulge in any other activity, the imam reiterated, that goes against the cherished goal of the fifth pillar of Islam.
“Adhere strictly to the Qur’an and the Sunnah and do not fall prey to the guiles of some misguided elements,” the imam told the pilgrims.
Meanwhile, tens of thousands attended the Friday prayers in the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah. In his sermon, Sheikh Abdul Bari Al-Thubaiti also stressed on the values of unity, love, equality, compassion and brotherhood during the Hajj pilgrimage. “Purity of mind, pious conduct and pure clothes result in brotherhood and portray a sense of belonging to the rites of the pilgrimage,” he said.
In a related development, over 1000 Qatari pilgrims have arrived so far through the Salwa border crossing. The continuous inflow of Qatari pilgrims comes despite Qatar’s refusal to allow Saudi Arabian Airlines from carrying pilgrims to Jeddah from Doha. On Aug. 17, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman ordered the facilitation of procedures for Qatari pilgrims to arrive in Saudi Arabia through the opening of the Salwa border crossing and without the requirement of registering for electronic Hajj permits.
King Salman’s orders came after a request was presented to Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman, deputy premier and minister of defense, by Sheikh Abdullah Bin Ali Al-Thani signifying the historic relations between the two countries.
HA/IINA