BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

THE second and final batch of this year’s Haj pilgrims have safely taken off for Madinah, Saudi Arabia for the annual pilgrimage.

A total of 243 pilgrims departed for the Holy City from the Brunei International Airport completing the 400-persons quota that has been set for Brunei since 2011.

Emotions ran high at the check-out area of the airport as relatives and friends of the pilgrims said their goodbyes prior to the start of their journey.

A family of six headed by Hj Mat Daud Hj Matrais, said that he was grateful to be able to fulfil his wish of bringing his wife and children win completing one of the five pillars of Islam.

“This is the moment we have been waiting for and I feel very happy that I am able to bring my children along with me,” said Hj Mat Daud who is on his second pilgrimage.

Present to bid farewell to the final batch of pilgrims was the Minister of Religious Affairs, Yang Berhormat Pg Dato Seri Setia Dr Hj Mohammad Pg Hj Abdul Rahman; chairperson of the board of directors for Darussalam Holdings Sdn Bhd, Dato Seri Setia Hj Yusoff Hj Ismail; senior officials from the Ministry of Religious Affairs; and Tariq Mohammed Ali Bahhah, Charge D’ Affaires from the Saudi Embassy in Brunei.

The final batch of pilgrims was from two agencies namely Darussalam Holdings Sdn Bhd with 183 pilgrims and four supervising officers and the Straits Central Agencies (B) Sdn Bhd with 49 individuals.

They will be accompanied by one supervising officer from the agency.

Six of yesterday’s pilgrims were medical personnel entrusted with the health and welfare of all the pilgrims during the duration of haj.

The Haj is the largest gathering of Muslims to Mekah where Muslims around the world will gather to perform the fifth pillar of Islam.

The Brunei Times