Saudi Grand Mufti Declares Targeting Pilgrims at the Two Holy Mosques a Crime

Saudi Arabia's Grand Mufti has declared that harming visitors of the Grand Mosque in Makkah and the Prophet's Mosque in Madinah is a crime, underlining the sanctity of both sites and the duty to keep every worshipper safe. The statement puts the protection of pilgrims at the very centre of how the two holiest sites in Islam are governed.

What the Grand Mufti said

According to the statement, targeting pilgrims at Masjid al-Haram in Makkah and Masjid an-Nabawi in Madinah is not merely a security violation but a crime against the sanctity of the holy mosques themselves. The Grand Mufti stressed that the safety of every pilgrim — whether performing Hajj, Umrah, or visiting for prayer — is a religious and legal obligation, and that anyone who threatens that safety will be treated as a criminal.

The message is significant because it frames pilgrim protection in explicitly religious terms: the two mosques are not ordinary public places, and an attack on their visitors is an attack on their sanctity.

Why this matters for Pakistan

Pakistan is consistently among the largest sources of Hajj and Umrah pilgrims in the world. Every year, hundreds of thousands of Pakistanis travel to Saudi Arabia — many of them elderly parents fulfilling a lifelong dream, often travelling for the first time and unfamiliar with the crowds, the heat, and the logistics of the holy sites.

For these families, the Grand Mufti's declaration is deeply reassuring. It signals that pilgrim safety is not just a matter of policing but a principle endorsed at the highest religious level in the Kingdom — a message that resonates strongly in a country where Hajj and Umrah hold unmatched spiritual importance.

The international angle

The statement also speaks to a global audience. More than a billion Muslims worldwide look to Makkah and Madinah, and in recent years the Kingdom has invested heavily in crowd management, surveillance, and emergency response around the holy sites — especially after past stampedes made pilgrim safety a worldwide concern.

By declaring attacks on pilgrims a crime in religious terms, the Grand Mufti reinforces a standard that applies to everyone on the ground: security personnel, service providers, and visitors alike. It is a reminder that the right of every pilgrim to worship in peace is protected not only by law, but by faith itself.

What pilgrims should keep in mind

The declaration does not change travel procedures, but it reinforces advice every pilgrim already hears: follow official guidance, stay with your group, keep identification and emergency contacts on hand, and report anything suspicious to the authorities. The Kingdom's message is clear — the sanctity of the pilgrim is absolute, and protecting it is everyone's duty.

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