No Moroccan pilgrim has applied to visit al-Quds after pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia
Morocco, Religion, 3/13/1999

Morocco said no Moroccan pilgrim has so far registered to visit al-Quds Asharif (Jerusalem) after pilgrimage to Islam's holy shrines in Saudi Arabia.

The Moroccan habous (Islamic endowments) and Islamic affairs department made the statement following a story published by the London-based Arabic language daily Asharq Al-Awsat, which said that some 24,000 Moroccan pilgrims will make the largest Arab trip to al-Quds.

The department, which underlined that the story mixed up data related to this year's pilgrimage, said the planned trip to al-Quds is "exclusively devoted to visiting the Al-Aqsa Mosque after pilgrimage" to Mecca and Medina in Saudi Arabia.

"So far, no Moroccan pilgrim registered for the trip to Al-Quds," the ministry added.

Last month, Morocco's minister of habous and Islamic affairs, Abdelkbir Alaoui Mdaghri, announced that a group of Moroccan pilgrims will visit the city of al-Quds after accomplishing pilgrimage rites in the holy sites in Saudi Arabia.

Al-Aqsa Mosque in al-Quds is the third holiest shrine of Islam after the kaaba in Mecca and Prophet Mohammed's Mosque in Medina. It was also the Kibla (point to which Muslims turn for prayers), before the Kaaba.

Previous Stories:
  King Hassan II stresses that Muslims need uniting factors more than ever   (2/27/1999)
  Over 29,000 Moroccan Pilgrims to Head for Islam's Holy Shrines in Saudi Arabia   (2/2/1999)
  Moroccan Islamic affairs minister in Saudi Arabia   (9/29/1998)

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