Turkish President Erdoğan pays Umrah visit in Saudi Arabia

ISTANBUL

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan conducted the Umrah while in Saudi Arabia on Feb. 15, state-run Anadolu Agency has reported.

Erdoğan visited the al-Masjid an-Nabawi, a religious site that includes Prophet Muhammad’s grave in Medina. 

Erdoğan subsequently traveled to Mecca, where he visited the Masjid al-Haram late on Feb. 15.  

Erdoğan and an accompanying delegation circumambulated the Kaaba before visiting the area between the al-Marwah and al-Safa hills, which is part of the Umrah process.

The president’s wife, Emine Erdoğan; Turkish Chief of General Staff Gen. Hulusi Akar; Economy Minister Nihat Zeybekci; Energy Minister Berat Albayrak; and National Intelligence Organization (MİT) head Hakan Fidan accompanied Erdoğan during the Umrah visit.

The Umrah is a Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca that can be undertaken at any time of the year, in contrast to the Hajj. It is sometimes called the “minor pilgrimage” or “lesser pilgrimage,” whereas the Hajj is the “major” pilgrimage and is compulsory for every able-bodied Muslim who can afford it. The Umrah is not compulsory but highly recommended.