As most of about 2.5 million Muslims prepared to leave Makkah after the successful completion of all their Haj rituals, many pilgrims expressed their thanks to the officials and the people of Saudi Arabia for the facilities during this year's Haj. Satisfaction could be seen on the faces of pilgrims due to the major role played by the Saudi government in devising and implementing plans to ensure a smooth and an accident-free Haj. Sardar Khan, a pilgrim from Pakistan, highlighted the facilities extended to pilgrims and the procedures adopted to facilitate the movement of pilgrims in the holy sites. “It was a very successful Haj, and I believe that the Saudi government has done a lot to provide pilgrims with whatever was needed,” Khan said . Pilgrims who performed the fifth pillar of Islam for the first time were thrilled at the huge expansion projects in the holy sites especially in Al-Jamrat area. Alauddin Al-Ghabashi, Chairman of the Islamic Cultural Center in Rome, lauded the excellent facilities in the holy sites and expressed his thanks to all Saudis for the great efforts made especially in the fields of accommodation, health and security efforts. Several pilgrims took the opportunity to take photos and videos of Al-Jamrat areas which were crowded for all of the three days. “We have read about the Jamrat Bridge, but when you see it with your own eyes you cannot but marvel at the excellent project,” Redwan Al-Ameen, a Palestinian pilgrim living in Jeddah said. “Seeing dozens of security men standing in a long row to organize the crowd was really fantastic,” he added. Mustafa Sabrah from Venezuela, one of the guests performing Haj under the auspices of King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, was impressed by the warm welcome in Saudi Arabia, and hailed the accommodation facilities in the holy sites. “The great job that should be admired is the remarkable efforts in providing accommodation and how tents are spread all over the holy sites,” Sabrah said.
