RIYADH: A group of pilgrims being hosted by Saudi Arabia’s King Salman to perform Umrah arrived in the holy city of Madinah on Wednesday, Saudi Press Agency reported. On Sunday, King Salman approved the hosting of 1,000 pilgrims from 66 countries to perform Umrah as part of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Program for Hajj, Umrah, and to visit Islamic holy sites in the Kingdom, including the Prophet’s Mosque. The pilgrims will be hosted in four groups during the current Islamic year, which ends in the final week of June 2025. On Wednesday, a group made up of 25 Malaysians arrived, part of a wider contingent of 250 Islamic figures from 12 countries around the world. Three other groups of 250 pilgrims are expected to be hosted during the current Islamic year. SPA reported that the pilgrims expressed their appreciation to King Salman and the Saudi authorities for their “generous hospitality,” saying that the Umrah Program is “a precious gift from the Kingdom that serves Islam and Muslims.” On Sunday, the Minister of Islamic Affairs, Sheikh Abdullatif bin Abdulaziz Al-Sheikh, thanked the Saudi leadership for enabling Muslims from different countries to perform the minor pilgrimage with ease and peace of mind. Al-Sheikh said the hosting of the pilgrims is an extension of the great care that the Saudi leadership takes to serve Islam and Muslims. He added it will strengthen the bonds of brotherhood among Muslims in various parts of the world, and develop fruitful communication between scholars and influential figures who are hosted by the program. The program has benefitted people from more than 140 countries since it was launched, the minister said.