The pilgrim, who was not identified by name, had posted footage earlier this week that showed him holding a banner honouring the late queen from inside the courtyard of Mecca’s Grand Mosque.
DUBAI: Saudi police arrested a Yemeni man this week after he advertised on social media his pilgrimage to Mecca, where he paid tribute to the memory of Queen Elizabeth II., a report in the Deccan Chronicle says
The pilgrim, who was not identified by name, had posted footage earlier this week that showed him holding a banner honouring the late queen from inside the courtyard of Mecca’s Grand Mosque.
“Umrah for the soul of Queen Elizabeth II, may Allah grant her peace in heaven and accept her among the righteous”, the banner read in English and Arabic.
The clip quickly spread online, sparking outrage among devout Muslims and leading to the man’s arrest on Monday for violating the regulations and instructions of the holy site. Security forces referred him to the public prosecutor to face charges.
The Grand Mosque, among the holiest sites in Islam, is off-limits to non-Muslims. Saudi Arabia also bans signs and political slogans from the sacred courtyard for fear of offending Islamic sensibilities. Queen Elizabeth, who died last week, was head of the Church of England.
Umrah for the soul of Queen Elizabeth II, may Allah grant her peace in heaven and accept her among the righteous, the banner read in English and Arabic.
The mosque’s white-and-gray marble complex is visible behind the Yemeni man. Umrah is the lesser pilgrimage to Mecca, which can performed at any time of the year.
*********************************************************************
Readers
These are extraordinary times. All of us have to rely on high-impact, trustworthy journalism. And this is especially true of the Indian Diaspora. Members of the Indian community overseas cannot be fed with inaccurate news.
Pravasi Samwad is a venture that has no shareholders. It is the result of an impassioned initiative of a handful of Indian journalists spread around the world. We have taken the small step forward with the pledge to provide news with accuracy, free from political and commercial influence. Our aim is to keep you, our readers, informed about developments at ‘home’ and across the world that affect you.
Please help us to keep our journalism independent and free.
In these difficult times, to run a news website requires finances. While every contribution, big or small, will makes a difference, we request our readers to put us in touch with advertisers worldwide. It will be a great help.
For more information: pravasisamwad00@gmail.com