His Majesty King Mohammed VI, Commander of the Faithful, may God assist Him, addressed a Message to Moroccan pilgrims heading for Islam Holy Sites for the year 1446 AH.
Here follows the full text of the Royal Message, read out by Minister of Endowments and Islamic Affairs Ahmed Toufiq, on the occasion of the departure of the first group of pilgrims, on Wednesday from the Rabat-Salé airport:
"Praise be to God,
May peace and blessings be upon the Prophet, His Kith and Kin.
Honorable pilgrims,
May Almighty God bless you and protect you,
Assalamou alaikoum wa rahmatollahi wa barakatouh,
It gives me great pleasure to send this message to the first group of pilgrims as well as to the subsequent groups departing for Hajj, to congratulate them on the blessing bestowed upon them by the Almighty as He has enabled them to perform the pilgrimage this year. I share your feelings as you yearn to visit these Holy Sites and the Blessed Rawdah of my ancestor - may peace and blessings be upon him. I pray that Almighty God accept your rituals, fulfill your hopes and answer your prayers. May He shower His blessings upon you and see to it that you return home safe and sound. He is the All-Hearing, Oft-Responding.
Honorable Pilgrims,
I am sending you this message in keeping with the sacred mission Almighty God has entrusted to me in my capacity as Commander of the Faithful, which is to safeguard the rituals of Islam. One of the chief parts of that mission is to enable the faithful to perform their religious duties regarding a major pillar of Islam, such as that of Hajj. By the grace of the Almighty, I have facilitated the performance of this pillar of Islam by instructing the Minister of Endowments and Islamic Affairs to prepare for the Hajj season, ensure its management and organization, and see to it that our pilgrims are prepared and spiritually sensitized. Indeed, in addition to travel and accommodation arrangements, performance of this pillar of our religion requires spiritual preparation, upon which Hajj rituals depend, as stipulated in the Qur'an and the Sunnah. This is the responsibility of each one of you, honorable pilgrims. It cannot be delegated, and only patience, remembrance of God, humility and piety can help in this regard; these core requirements must not, at any time, be neglected or forsaken.
Therefore, do make sure, while in the Holy Land for the blessed days of Hajj, to perform the pilgrimage rituals - its pillars, obligations and recommended acts - properly. Make sure not a single moment of your precious time passes by without you praying, seeking Almighty God’s forgiveness, and remembering and supplicating Him so that you may reap the reward the Almighty promised the believers who perform an accepted Hajj. Indeed, the Prophet - peace and blessings be upon him - said: “There is no reward for an accepted Hajj except Paradise”.
Honorable Pilgrims,
In addition to my advice to you to be constantly mindful of Almighty God in the rituals to come, as you repeat "Labbaik Allahumma Labbayk" (“Here I am; I submit to you”), keep in mind that my unremitting desire to protect religious sanctities is just as strong as my keenness to safeguard our national identity, especially our moral and ethical values. You (pilgrims) should reflect the exemplary values of Islam, namely sincere brotherhood, invariable tolerance, great patience, and effective solidarity. Let me remind you - for reminders benefit the believers - of the words of the Almighty: “For Hajj are the months well known. If anyone undertakes that duty therein let there be no obscenity nor wickedness nor wrangling in the Hajj. And whatever good you do (be sure) God knows it. And take a provision (with you) for the journey, but the best of provisions is right conduct. So fear Me, o you that are wise!”.
Honorable Pilgrims,
As you know, performing Hajj, its rituals, the pilgrims’ standing at the holy sites and their moving around from one holy place to another, require good knowledge of the obligations and recommended deeds relating to this pillar of Islam. Also required is strict compliance with the arrangements made by the Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs and the instructions it gives to provide for your comfort wherever you are, and to enable you to perform your rituals in the best conditions possible. To that end, it has made sure that specialized staff will be there for you, from the moment you depart for the Holy Land up to the time you return to your country. They include male and female religious leaders and guides, male and female doctors and nurses, who will be looking after you, and administrators, all of whom will be working around the clock to provide the services you may need at any time.
In the same vein, you realize, I am sure, that performing Hajj in the Holy Land requires compliance with the organizational measures taken by the authorities concerned in our sister nation, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. They are meant to ensure the comfort and safety of the Guests of the Almighty, and to see to it that the Hajj season proceeds smoothly, safely and in an orderly manner. This is in keeping with the instructions of my dearest, most generous brother, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz of Saudi Arabia - may God grant him a long, healthy life. May he always benefit from the support of the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, my dearest, most virtuous brother, His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman - may God protect him and grant him a long life. It gives me great pleasure, in this regard, to say how much I value the fraternal bonds between our two Kingdoms and our peoples in the two sister nations.
Honorable Pilgrims,
I must remind you that you are expected, during the great Hajj season, to reflect the typical values of Islam, which include righteousness, good conduct, solidarity, and sincere devotion to the Almighty - the Lord of the Worlds. In the same way, I expect you to represent your country - Morocco - properly, and reflect its time-honored civilization, for which my ancestors have been renowned since time immemorial. Our civilization is characterized by the nation’s cohesion and by its adherence to the Maliki rite and to our immutable religious and national sacred values, which are based on moderation and balance. I therefore expect you to be ambassadors for your country and preserve this bright cultural image. Keep in mind that it is these incontrovertible values which have enabled our country to continue to enjoy security and stability, and to press ahead, under my wise guidance, with efforts to achieve further progress and prosperity.
And while you are there, in those awe-inspiring places - especially when you stand on Mount Arafat - remember your duty to pray for your King, who provides for your comfort, for your security, for the unity of your homeland and for continually improving living conditions. Therefore, pray that Almighty God may always grant your King success and support, as well as good health and well-being; pray for your King and for the members of the esteemed Royal family. Pray that I may see in His Royal Highness Crown Prince Moulay El Hassan, only such things as delight the heart and please the eye. Pray that my revered grandfather, His late Majesty King Mohammed V, and my venerable father, His late Majesty King Hassan II, may rest in peace. Pray, also, that the Almighty may continue to protect our homeland and shower His blessings upon us.
Honorable Pilgrims,
Needless to say, you must be eagerly looking forward to fulfilling your spiritual aspirations during the great Hajj season by visiting the Prophet's Mosque in al-Madina al-Munawwara, and standing, in deep reverence and humility, before the tomb of my ancestor, the Seal of the Prophets and Messengers - may peace and blessings be upon him.
Therefore, do bear in mind the reverence and deep humility required when you stand before the Prophet of Mercy, the Rightly-Guided One – may peace and blessings be upon him – to obtain what he promised when he said: "Whoever sends one prayer upon me, Allah sends ten prayers upon him”.
In each one of the holy places you visit, and in all the spiritual moments you experience in the Holy Land, do not forget to send prayers for your King, who watches over your security and seeks to bring you prosperity. Your King who also ensures the nation’s unity, preserves its sovereignty and dignity, and makes sure your country holds its rightful place at the regional level and in the Islamic world.
Before concluding, I wish you, once again, honorable pilgrims, an accepted Hajj, abundant rewards and a safe journey back home.
Allah is Omnipotent, Oft-Responding.
Wassalamou alaikoum warahmatoullahi wabarakatouhou”.
MAP: 14 may 2025
