IN the press conference for this year's Haj, Crown Prince Naif Bin Abdul Aziz, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, addressed several important issues. He spoke at length about Haj and the importance of making the season a very solemn occasion. Haj is an occasion for worshipping and supplicating Allah. It is a spiritual occasion during which pilgrims gather to praise as well as thank the Lord and Master for all His blessings. It is a time when pilgrims conduct themselves with humility and pray for forgiveness for their sins and guidance in their difficulties. With this broad concept of Haj, Prince Naif does not expect anything to disturb pilgrims in the performance of Haj rituals. Should any trouble threaten the solemnity of the occasion, he made it clear that the Kingdom is capable of addressing the situation peacefully. The Kingdom is keen to ensure that Haj, an occasion for religious and spiritual matters, is performed as a solemn occasion and is not exploited by any group wishing to use it as a venue for devious political or personal agendas. The Kingdom has a historical responsibility to serve the guests of Allah. Thus, the Crown Prince has put in place well-planned measures to protect pilgrims from any harm. The security measures for Haj are a red line that no one should step across. It should be clearly understood by all that the Kingdom will not tolerate any disturbance to this solemn occasion. __
