The Yemeni Minister of Awqaf (Religious Endowments) and Guidance, Mohammed Shabiba, has stressed the importance of adhering to the regulations governing the Hajj pilgrimage and urged against exploiting the sacred duty for political or sectarian propaganda.

During a meeting with guides accompanying Yemeni pilgrims for the 1445 Hijri year Hajj season in Mecca, Shabiba emphasized that "Hajj is a sacred act, not a political one." He encouraged the guides to be lenient in their preaching and rulings, rejecting extremism, according to the official Yemeni news agency Saba.

Shabiba instructed the guides to avoid raising differences and disputes in matters of Islamic jurisprudence, urging them to "guide people towards the opinion closest to what is mentioned in the Quran and Sunnah, following the principle of ease and lifting hardship, and calling for unity to achieve the purpose of Hajj."

In a related development, the Yemeni Minister of Awqaf and Guidance chaired a meeting of the Supreme Committee for Hajj Supervision to evaluate the first phase of the Hajj operations.

Shabiba reiterated his ministry's and the Yemeni Hajj mission's commitment to the welfare and service of the pilgrims, emphasizing that any negligence in providing services will result in legal accountability and strict penalties.

He stated that this season witnessed a smooth flow of transportation for all Yemeni pilgrims to the holy lands, noting that the process of transporting pilgrims to the holy lands was completed without any breakdowns in buses or complaints from transportation companies.

He commended all partners who contributed to the success of the first phase of Hajj operations, including the Ministries of Health, Transportation, Interior, Passports, and Ports, as well as agencies, Hajj and Umrah sector employees, working committees, and relevant authorities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

According to Saba, the meeting discussed preparations and arrangements related to the services provided to Yemeni pilgrims in Mina and Arafat.

The meeting also reviewed reports submitted by officials from the Yemeni Hajj Affairs Office on the successful completion of the first phase of Hajj and the ministry's preparations for the ascent of Yemeni pilgrims to Mina and Arafat.