Here follows the full text of the Royal Message which was read out by Minister of Endowments and Islamic Affairs, Ahmed Toufiq, on the occasion of the departure of the first group of pilgrims, on Thursday from the Rabat-Salé airport:
“Praise be to God
May peace and blessings be upon the Prophet, His Kith and Kin
Honorable pilgrims,
May Almighty God bless you and protect you.
As the Commander of the Faithful and protector of the faith and of the nation, it gives me great pleasure to send you this message, as the first group of our esteemed pilgrims departs for Hajj. I congratulate you on the favour Almighty God has bestowed upon you by enabling you to go on the pilgrimage this year. I share the emotions you are feeling regarding the holy places and the visit to the blessed Rawdah near the tomb of my ancestor Prophet Muhammad – may peace and blessings be upon Him. I pray that Almighty God accept your Hajj rituals, fulfil your hopes and expectations and bring you back safe and sound to your homeland – He is All-Hearing, Oft-Responding.
My message to you stems from the special importance I have always attached to sacred religious values. It also shows how keen I am to make sure you represent your country – the Kingdom of Morocco – in the great Hajj season in the best way possible, by adhering to the quintessential values of Islam, including sincere brotherhood, unwavering tolerance, and effective solidarity. This is my reminder to you as to what needs to be observed – for reminders benefit the believers. Almighty God says: “For Hajj are the months well known. If anyone undertakes that duty therein let there be no obscenity nor wickedness nor wrangling in the Hajj. And whatever good you do (be sure) God knows it. And take a provision (with you) for the journey but the best of provisions is right conduct. So fear Me, o you that are wise!”
While in the Holy Land for Hajj, make sure – may God protect you – that you perform all rites, obligatory rituals and recommended practices. Also, see to it that not a single moment of your precious time there passes without you engaging in supplication, remembering the Almighty and seeking His forgiveness. In that way, you may obtain what God has promised believers as a reward for performing an accepted Hajj; indeed, the Prophet – peace and blessings be upon Him – said: “For an accepted Hajj, there is no other reward than Paradise.”
Honorable pilgrims,
As you know, performing Hajj obligations, including the rituals, such as standing at the holy sites and moving around between the holy places, requires knowledge of the pillars, obligations and traditions of Hajj, which I am sure you already have. In addition to that, you need to respect the measures taken and the arrangements made by the Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs to provide for your comfort throughout your journey. The aim is to enable you to perform your rituals in the best conditions possible, thanks to the specialized teams which will accompany you from the time you leave until your return home. These teams include administrators, male and female religious scholars and guides as well as male and female doctors and nurses, who will be looking after you. They will be working around the clock to provide the services needed by pilgrims immediately.
I am sure you realize that performing the Hajj rituals in these holy places requires strict adherence to the regulatory measures taken by the relevant authorities in our sister nation, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, to provide for the comfort and safety of the guests of the Almighty. The aim is also to ensure the Hajj season proceeds safely and smoothly, in keeping with the high instructions given by my venerable brother, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia – may God grant him a long, healthy life. May he be actively and effectively supported by my dearest and most honourable brother, His Royal Highness Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Chairman of the Council of Ministers – may God protect him and grant him a long life. In this regard, I should like to take this opportunity to commend the fraternal relations uniting our Kingdoms and our peoples in the two sister nations.
Honorable pilgrims,
You must be reminded – for reminding is beneficial to believers – that during the Hajj season you are expected to embody the lofty values of Islam, including those of integrity, proper treatment of others, solidarity and sincerity when turning to the Lord of the Worlds. You must also represent your country properly and reflect its time-honoured civilization, in the same way my ancestors did throughout the centuries. Indeed, they were committed to unity, cohesion, and adherence to religious and national sacred values that are based on moderation and the unity of our religious rite. Therefore, I want you to be ambassadors for your country, reflecting that glorious image of your nation. Keep in mind that it is these immutable national values that have given our country the security and stability it is enjoying; it is thanks to them that our nation is continuing its victorious march under my leadership, with a view to achieving further progress and prosperity.
And while you are in those awe-inspiring places – especially when you stand on Mount Arafat – remember your duty to pray for your King, who provides for your comfort, security and development, as well as for your country’s unity. Pray that Almighty God may always grant me success and support, as well as good health and well-being; pray for me and my esteemed family. Pray that I may see in His Royal Highness Crown Prince Moulay El Hassan, only such things as delight the heart and please the eye. Pray that my revered grandfather, His late Majesty King Mohammed V, and my venerable father, His late Majesty King Hassan II, may rest in peace. Pray, also, that the Almighty may continue to protect our homeland.
Honorable pilgrims,
I am sure you are eagerly looking forward to fulfilling your spiritual aspirations during the great Hajj season, by visiting al-Masjid an-Nabawi in Medina, and by standing, with reverence and veneration, before the Seal of all Prophets and Messengers, my ancestor Prophet Muhammad – may peace and blessings be upon Him.
Remember that you should show special humility and reverence in that most dignified place, given that Prophet Muhammed was sent by the Almighty as a sign of compassion and mercy for mankind. In that way, you might be blessed with God’s promise, as reported by Prophet Muhammad – peace be upon Him – who said: “Whoever sends blessings upon me once, Allah will send blessings upon him ten times”.
In every holy place you pass through during your highly spiritual journey, remember to pray fervently for your King, who ensures your security and prosperity as well as your country’s unity, sovereignty and dignity, and who sees to it that your nation holds its rightful place in its region and within the Islamic world.
Before concluding, I wish you, once again, honourable pilgrims, an accepted Hajj, abundant rewards and a safe journey back home. Allah is Omnipotent, Oft-Responding.
Wassalamu alaikum warahmatullah wabarakatuh ».
