RIYADH – King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, has ordered the hosting of 1400 Muslims from a number of countries to perform Haj this year. This was announced by Sheikh Saleh Bin Abdulaziz Aal Al-Sheikh, the Minister of Islamic Affairs, Endowments, Call and Guidance, who is also the general supervisor of the hosting program. The Muslims whom the King ordered hosted this year come from Indonesia, India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Turkey, Thailand, Philippines, Cambodia, Kazakhstan, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Nepal, Afghanistan, Vietnam, Malaysia, Russia, China, Hong Kong, Mongolia, Singapore, Myanmar, Japan, Laos, Bhutan, New Guinea, Taiwan, South Korea, the Maldives, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, South Sudan and many other African countries. Since the start of the ministry's supervision of this program, nearly 20,000 Muslims from around the world have performed Haj as guests of the King. Last year the King invited 100 Muslims from the newly-independent South Sudan to perform Haj. – SPA
