President Serdar Berdimuhamedov has left Ashgabat for two-day visit of to Saudi Arabia started on Wednesday, 1 June 2022.
According to tradition, after taking office as president the head of Turkmenistan makes his first foreign visit to Makkah, the main center of all Muslims. On the first day of his visit to Saudi Arabia, Serdar Berdimuhamedov has performed a small pilgrimage – Umrah.
The head of State was accompanied by elders and government officials.
At the Jeddah airport, the Turkmen leader was met by the governor of Makkah province Prince Khaled Al-Faisal, the Kingdom’s ambassador to Turkmenistan, Saeed bin Othman Swieed, and other officials.
President Serdar Berdimuhamedov, accompanied by special religious representatives of Saudi Arabia, went to the Masjid al-Haram (Great Mosque of Makkah).
In this mosque, the head of Turkmenistan and members of the official delegation performed the midday prayer (Mültezem), after which they began to perform the rites of Umrah.
The special religious representative of Saudi Arabia told the President of Turkmenistan that he had the great honor to accompany his father – Arkadag Berdimuhamedov during the Hajj.
On the night of 1-2 June, during the pilgrimage of the head of state, the veil of the holy Kaaba (the Bayt Allah) has been moved and its doors opened, thereby giving the opportunity to perform prayer inside the shrine.
President Serdar Berdimuhamedov kissed the sacred Black Stone and bowed. Then he performed the prayer in three places – at the place where the Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him) performed the prayer, near the inner wall of the Kaaba, as well as in the sacred corner inside the Black Stone.
After leaving the Kaaba, Serdar Berdimuhamedov prayed for the well-being of the Turkmen people.
The Turkmen leader’s visit to the Kingdom continues. ///nCa, 2 Jun 2022 (photo source – TDH, Arab News)