Cairo: Saudi Arabia has launched a series of documentaries highlighting the journeys of eight Indonesians from the home country to the holy sites in the kingdom to perform the annual Islamic Hajj rites.
The series, dubbed “Hajj Journey”, captures the pilgrims’ feelings during the sacred trip and Saudi facilities offered to them to undertake the rites.
The documentaries were launched earlier this week in Jakarta by the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, which said they were filmed during the last year’s Hajj season in 16 Indonesian sites and four Saudi cities.
The documentary series aims to educate foreign pilgrims from around the world about necessary guidelines they need to know about the Hajj journey in order to have an enhanced experience, the Saudi news agency SPA reported.
“This huge media production reflects several aspects of awareness and highlights efforts of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia that has optimally utilised all its human and financial sources to facilitate the journeys of the Guests of Allah who want to perform this religious duty,” said Saudi Ambassador in Indonesia Faisal Al Amoudi.
The 10-epiosde documentaries, filmed over 120 days, show the pilgrims being seen off by their families before leaving Indonesia for Hajj, their arrival in Saudi Arabia, stops at the holy sites, and visits to the two sacred mosques in Makkah and Medina before return to the homeland.
The documentaries will be broadcast on the Saudi Hajj Ministry’s YouTube platform as well as on Indonesian and Saudi TV stations, SPA said.
Hajj, one of Islam’s five obligatory duties, is due in late June this year. Saudi Arabia has said that there will be no limits on the numbers of pilgrims from around the world for the coming Hajj season, reversing earlier restrictions prompted by the pandemic.
In the past two years, Saudi Arabia downsized the numbers of Muslims allowed to perform the Hajj rites to prevent spread of COVID-19.
Around 2.5 million Muslims used to attend Hajj annually in the pre-pandemic times.
Muslims, who can physically and financially afford Hajj, have to perform it at least once in a lifetime.
