Saudi Crown Prince Hosts Hajj Reception for 1.7M Pilgrims, Muslim Leaders in Mina

Saudi Crown Prince Hosts Hajj Reception for 1.7M Pilgrims, Muslim Leaders in Mina

MINA, Saudi Arabia – On behalf of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman hosted the Kingdom’s annual post-Hajj reception for heads of state, senior officials, Islamic figures, and leaders of Hajj delegations at the Royal Court in Mina Palace on Thursday . The reception, a long-standing tradition during the Hajj season, brought together distinguished guests from across the Islamic world to celebrate Eid Al-Adha and acknowledge Saudi Arabia’s continued commitment to serving pilgrims and caring for the holy sites .

The attendees included leaders and senior representatives of several Muslim-majority countries, as well as participants in the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques guest program, and officials involved in the organization of the Hajj season, the Saudi Press Agency reported . Among the high-level guests were Albanian President Bajram Begaj, Chadian President Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno, Vice President of Türkiye Cevdet Yilmaz, Vice President of the Maldives Hussain Mohamed Latheef, Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly, Prime Minister of Mauritania Mokhtar Ould Djay, Prime Minister of Guinea Amadou Oury Bah, and Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani . The reception also included royal family members, Grand Mufti Sheikh Saleh Al-Fawzan, senior scholars and sheikhs, high-level guests from Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, ministers, commanders of military sectors participating in Hajj operations, and leaders of Saudi scouting groups serving pilgrims .

In a speech delivered during the event, the Crown Prince congratulated Muslims around the world on the occasion of Eid Al-Adha and said Saudi Arabia would continue its longstanding commitment to serving pilgrims and caring for the holy sites . “God has honored the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with the care of the Two Holy Mosques and the sacred sites and the service of their visitors,” he said . “We affirm that, with God’s help and guidance, we will continue the blessed efforts exerted by the kings of the Kingdom since the era of King Abdulaziz ,” he added . The Crown Prince also praised the efforts of military and security personnel in safeguarding pilgrims and protecting Saudi Arabia’s security and sovereignty amid regional tensions, describing their work as a source of pride and appreciation . He thanked members of the military, security sectors, government agencies, and volunteers for their service to pilgrims and for ensuring their safety and comfort throughout the Hajj season, praying for the nation’s security and stability.

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Saudi Minister of Hajj and Umrah Tawfiq bin Fawzan Al-Rabiah highlighted the sheer scale of preparations for this year’s pilgrimage, which involved coordination between more than 60 government entities under the supervision of the Supreme Hajj Committee . Al-Rabiah said authorities had expanded the range of digital services available to pilgrims through the official Nusuk platform, which now provides more than 130 services related to visas, permits, and other pilgrimage arrangements . He noted that direct contracting was opened for pilgrim affairs offices in a competitive environment among qualified national companies, with applications for more than one million pilgrims processed more than six months before the start of Hajj—a historic achievement reflecting the high level of readiness and early preparation to serve the pilgrims .

More than 173,000 flights carrying pilgrims from 366 destinations arrived in the run-up to Hajj, Al-Rabiah added, while more than 5,300 trips were made on the Haramain train and more than 2,000 trips on the Al-Mashaer train, with more than 24,000 buses involved in transporting pilgrims . He also noted that more than 8 million cubic meters of water were provided in Makkah and the holy sites, and the Royal Commission for Makkah City and Holy Sites implemented more than 25 development projects . Saudi authorities also implemented extensive health and infrastructure measures during the pilgrimage, including expanded hospital bed capacity, with Mina Emergency Hospital 2 increasing its capacity by 100 percent this year to reach 400 beds, along with upgrades to electricity and water networks in Makkah and at the holy sites .

The Crown Prince’s reception concluded with a luncheon banquet hosted in honor of the guests . In a post on the X platform, Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani said he was “honored to meet Crown Prince Mohammed at the annual reception at the Mina Palace” . He added that he conveyed to the Crown Prince the greetings of Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, expressing Syria’s appreciation for Saudi Arabia’s efforts in serving the Hajj pilgrims and praising the warm welcome accorded to Syrian pilgrims . The presence of Syrian officials marked a significant moment, reflecting ongoing diplomatic engagement between Riyadh and Damascus following the resumption of ties after years of estrangement .

The reception came as Saudi Arabia hosted more than 1.7 million pilgrims during Hajj 2026, one of the world’s largest annual religious gatherings . According to data released by the General Authority for Statistics, the total number of pilgrims stood at 1,707,310, marking an increase of 34,071, or 2.04 percent, compared with 1,673,230 pilgrims in the previous year . Among these, 1,546,655 pilgrims arrived from outside the Kingdom, while 160,646 were Saudi citizens or residents . Pilgrims from abroad represented 165 different nationalities . More than 441,000 personnel, including security forces, healthcare workers, transport coordinators, and emergency response teams, were deployed to support Hajj operations and oversee pilgrim safety throughout the season .

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Speakers at the reception praised Saudi Arabia’s management of Hajj and its efforts to improve services for pilgrims under the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 agenda for reforms, development, and diversification, the Saudi Press Agency added . Officials have credited expanded infrastructure projects, digital services, and enhanced crowd-management systems for improving pilgrim movement between Mina, Arafat, and Muzdalifah . Authorities also expanded the Makkah Route Initiative this year, allowing pilgrims to complete immigration and customs procedures in their home countries before departure, with nearly 389,000 pilgrims using the program, an increase of almost 24 percent from last year .

Saudi Arabia’s health system delivered more than 1.2 million healthcare services to pilgrims since the start of the Hajj season through the 10th of Dhu Al-Hijjah, according to the Ministry of Health spokesperson . The data showed that 49,931 beneficiaries received services through healthcare and urgent care centers, while emergency departments handled 41,782 cases. Outpatient clinics received 14,501 visits, and 4,901 patients were admitted to hospitals. The data also showed that 29 open-heart surgeries, 251 catheterization procedures, and 337 various surgical operations were carried out. Moreover, medical teams responded immediately to 466 cases of heat exhaustion, and the unified call center (937) received more than 1,082,628 calls . The Ministry of Health had also vaccinated over 1.5 million pilgrims against meningitis and other infectious diseases as part of preventive health measures .

Director of Public Security and Chairman of the Hajj Security Committee Lieutenant General Mohammed Al-Bassami delivered a speech on behalf of the military sectors participating in Hajj, noting that Saudi Arabia has made serving the Two Holy Mosques and pilgrims a core national mission since its establishment, supported continuously by the Kingdom’s leadership . He said the successful implementation of Hajj security plans under the directives of King Salman and the direct support of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has improved compliance with Hajj regulations and enhanced the quality of security and service operations .

Kuwait’s First Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sheikh Fahad Yusuf Saud Al-Sabah attended the reception and conveyed greetings from Kuwait’s leadership to King Salman and the Crown Prince, praising Saudi Arabia’s organization of the Hajj season and the advanced services that enabled pilgrims to perform their rituals with ease and security . The guests expressed gratitude to King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, praising the Kingdom’s care for pilgrims and improvements in organization and services across the holy sites during Hajj. They noted that the Kingdom sets a global model in crowd management and pilgrim services, commending the hospitality and care they received from arrival until completing their rituals.

Saudi Crown Prince Hosts Hajj Reception for 1.7M Pilgrims, Muslim Leaders in Mina