Former Indian actress and Minister of Minority Affairs Smriti Irani visited the Holy sites in Madina on a two-day visit to Saudi Arabia.
The minister wrote a short note regarding her visit to Saudi Arabia on X. “Undertook a historic journey to Madinah today, one of Islam’s holiest cities included a visit to the periphery of the revered Prophet’s Mosque, Al Masjid Al Nabwi, the mountain of Uhud, and periphery of the Quba Mosque – the first Mosque of Islam. The significance of the visit to these sites courtesy Saudi officials, intertwined with early Islamic history, underscores the depth of our cultural and spiritual engagement,” the minister wrote on X.
Accompanied by the Minister of State (MoS) for External Affairs and Parliamentary Affairs, V. Muraleedharan, along with senior officials, she made her way.
Not only did she visit the Holy Prophet’s Mosque but she also visited two other Holy sites of Islam, Masjid-e-Quba, the first mosque in Islam, and Uhud mountains- the final resting place of martyrs of Islam.
https://x.com/smritiirani/status/1744368110784655613?s=20
Pictures and videos of her visit to Madina are making waves on social media. It’s worth mentioning that, until 2021, non-Muslims were restricted from visiting Madina. However, a change in regulations post-2021 permitted them to explore the city center and the vicinity of the Prophet’s Mosque.
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India and Saudi Arabia have signed a bilateral Hajj agreement under which the quota of 175,025 pilgrims has been allocated to India.
As per India Today, the visit to Saudi Arabia will give an overview to the Indian government regarding the preparations to be made for Hajj.
“The Government of India is deeply committed to assist in providing facilities and services to Indian Muslims who undertake the Haj pilgrimage, thereby providing them with a comfortable and fulfilling experience,” it quoted an official statement as saying.
“India and Saudi Arabia share warm and cordial ties and the Government of India deeply appreciates the special gesture of Saudi’s Ministry of Hajj and Umrah in facilitating this visit of the Indian delegation to Madinah,” the statement added.