President Adama Barrow and his state delegation of pilgrims as well as other Gambian pilgrims are due back tomorrow, Wednesday, according to official sources.
Barrow was among the over two million Muslims from around the world who converged on the Holy Land of Mecca to perform one of the five pillars of Islam this year. He performed the last rites of the hajj on Sunday at Mecca. Earlier Sunday morning along with his delegation, he performed the last of the three jamraat at Mina before leaving for the last tawaaf around the Kaaba in Mecca.
Aside from performing the hajj rituals at Mina, Arafat and Muzdalifa, President Barrow made a courtesy call on the Sudanese president, Omar-el-Bashir at his Arafat tent. Some Kuwaiti officials who were also on hajj also called on the Gambian president at the Royal Hotel in Mina.
On Saturday, President Barrow honoured a royal invitation from King Salman of Saudi Arabia for a royal lunch at the Mina Palace. During the lunch, they discussed the importance of unity among the Muslim ummah, and the role of Saudi Arabia as the headquarters of Islam. President Barrow told the king that despite the size of The Gambia, it has over 90 percent Muslims and he would like to build on the relationship between the two countries. The Gambian leader also met the Saudi crown prince, Muhammad bin Salman.
