Coronavirus: Saudi King Salman hails citizens' resolve in combating Covid-19

Dubai - King Salman also extends Eid Al Adha greetings to Muslims worldwide and praises Haj pilgrims.

The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz of Saudi Arabia, on Friday showered praise on citizens and residents of Saudi Arabia for their staunch determination in the battle against the coronavirus, the Saudi Gazette reported.
He said people in the Kingdom have a high degree of perseverance and determination in the face of disasters, by their faith in Allah, then by their strong will and their cooperation with the relevant agencies.
Also read: Sheikh Mohamed exchanges Eid Al Adha greetings with King Salman, leaders of fraternal countries
Adherence to precautionary and preventive measures has contributed to mitigating the effects of the pandemic on our homeland as much as possible, King Salman said, while thanking everyone for their patience, dedication, cooperation, and loyalty to their homeland.
King Salman made his comments in a speech extending Eid Al Adha greetings to all citizens, residents, pilgrims and all Muslims worldwide.
The speech was read by Acting Minister of Media, Majid Al Qasabi.
King Salman, 84, had earlier tweeted Eid greetings a day after he left King Faisal Hospital in Riyadh after undergoing successful surgery to remove his gallbladder.
King Salman said that the world is going through exceptional and difficult circumstances, where the pandemic has affected the whole world, and we are part of it.
Despite the pandemic's impact, he said people's resolve in the face of disasters and epidemics had come to the fore.
Addressing Muslim worldwide, King Salman said: "One of the most important purposes of our tolerant Shariah is to preserve human life, protect it from harm, and spare it from danger."
"With the outbreak of the pandemic and its gravity to humans, Haj was held this year with a very limited number of pilgrims of multiple nationalities, to emphasise the holding of the rite, despite the difficult circumstances, and to preserve at the highest safety standards for pilgrims to perform their rituals in a spiritual atmosphere, within procedures that guarantee their security, achieve their safety, provide means of comfort by the agencies concerned with serving and protecting pilgrims, protect the pilgrims from the risks of the pandemic.
"We appreciate the high trust of our Muslim brothers in what we have taken in this regard. Allah has blessed us with the Two Holy Mosques in our country, and honoured us that this land to be a destination for pilgrims every year."
He added: "The care and services of pilgrims have become among our most important goals and our greatest interests, and an honour we are proud of, it is a mandate that we seek to do to the fullest, and with the highest standards, year after year. We have provided for pilgrims an integrated system of giant projects and many services, in Makkah, holy sites and Madinah, to continue blessed efforts made by the jings of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia since the reign of the late founder King Abdulaziz."
On the subject of this year's exceptional Haj, which has been significantly downsized due to the coronavirus crisis, King Salman said: "Holding Haj during this pandemic, even with reducing the numbers of pilgrims, it has obliged various official agencies to double their efforts in addition to direct supervision and reassurance on the conduct of Haj and the safety and comfort of pilgrims, as well as working to implement the maximum health requirements for dealing with the coronavirus pandemic, including a focus on social distancing. I pray to Allah Almighty sincerely to reward those who have contributed to the efforts of Haj and serving pilgrims."
"On this blessed day, I pray to Allah Almighty to bless all Muslims with Haj in the coming years, and we assure of their safety. I pray to Allah Almighty to help our brothers, the pilgrims, to complete their rituals in these few days with ease, comfort, security, health and safety. I supplicate to Allah Almighty to bestow mercy upon our righteous martyrs."
He added: "I commend our nation's soldiers who defend our homeland in the best forms of heroism, courage and valour in order to protect its borders, or those who curb the spread the coronavirus pandemic, or in the service of citizens and residents always in all circumstances.
"I ask Allah Almighty to grant them success, to grant our dear homeland, citizens and residents security, safety, health and reassurance, and to protect all humanity." King Salman concluded.

• Saudi Arabia