Dushanbe, 05. 01. 2016 (NIAT «Khovar»). President of the Republic of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon, his wife and children and some relatives have performed Umrah pilgrimage in the holy city of Mecca in the sideline of the official visit to Saudi Arabia.

The Leader of the Tajik Nation Emomali Rahmon with the accompanying delegation, who had special Haj clothes arrived at the Masjid al-Haram (special clothes for the pilgrimage), 7 times marched around on the ground of Kaaba, i.e. Qibla of Muslims and performed the ritual of Umrah.

After circling around Kaaba, President Emomali Rahmon and his delegation made two rak’at prayers of Nafl Salaah (additional type of prayer) behind the Maqam of Prophet Ibrahim Khalilullah located near the Kaaba.

After prayer, the Leader of the Nation Emomali Rahmon and his delegation prayed for the future prosperity and development of Tajikistan-the Home of hopes of all Tajiks in the world, unity and peace of the Tajik people.

Then, with a lot of kind wishes and intents, they did drink the water from Zam-zam and climbed to the hill of Al-Safa and Al-Marwah (Safa and Marwah), in order to make the Sa’ee or Sayee (ritual running between the hills of Safa and Marwa), i.e. 7 times walking between the two small hills of Safa and Marwah, and 4 times from Safa to Marwa and 3 times in the opposite direction.

According to legends, Prophet Ibrahim’s wife Hajar was running between the two hills in order to search for water to quench the thirst of her young son Prophet Ismail and ran seven times between the hills of Safa and Marwa, where there was no water. After many futile efforts, she returned to the baby and saw, where the child struggled feet, according to the will of the Most High water appeared. The source called «Zam Zam» and to this day the Muslims of the world are drinking water from the well, pray the Almighty to send them to the faith, wealth, prosperity, happiness and prosperity.

After the ritual Sa’i at the foot of the hill Marwa, pilgrims haircut or shave their head. The delegation of Tajikistan, headed by the Leader of the Nation, by carrying out this ritual, completed the Ummrah.

It should be specifically noted that in the course of the pilgrimage, which is considered the fourth, by the grace and will of God, and because of the deep respect Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, the King of Saudi Arabia to the President of the Republic of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon succeeded a second time to enter the symbolic house of the Most High Kaaba and perform two rak’at prayer, and pray for the valuable Tajikistan and its noble people.

This suggests a decent place and authority of the Leader of the Nation, the President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon in the Islamic world, which included twice in the list of 500 most influential Muslims.

Continuous protection of the bright name of Islam in the region and the world, repeated publication of the Holy Quran in the Tajik language, the celebration of 1310^th Anniversary of founder tolerant Hanafi sect Abu Hanifa Numon ibn Sobit, Imam A’zam at the national and international levels are among the worthy of merit of Leader of the Tajik Nation in the Islamic world, which allowed him to achieve such high prestige and respect.

It should be recalled that to date President of the Republic of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon, 2 times in 1997 and in 2001 went to Saudi Arabia on an official visit, and in December 2005 visited the city of Mecca in order to participate at the Extraordinary Summit of the Organization of Islamic Conference (now Organization of Islamic Cooperation).

During his 3 visits, the Tajik President Emomali Rahmon completed ritual or Umrah pilgrimage to the Kaaba, and in December 2005 was granted the opportunity for the first time to enter the Kaaba.

It is pleasant and gratifying that the President and the Government of Tajikistan are taking measures from year to year to alleviate the conditions for citizens to make a pilgrimage to the Kaaba and the burial place of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon Him).

The Government of the Republic of Tajikistan in cooperation with Saudi Arabia is taking steps to improve the conditions of travel and stay of Tajik pilgrims. Previously only 5 thousand citizens made obligatory pilgrimage to Mecca and Medina from Tajikistan, but now at the initiative of the country’s leadership and the Government, the amount of only the perpetrators of the obligatory Hajj, reached more than 6 thousand.