The deputy head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation discussed the organization of Hajj with the ambassador of Saudi Arabia

The special representative of the President of the Russian Federation in the Middle East, the deputy head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, Mikhail Bogdanov, discussed on the eve of the ambassador of Saudi Arabia to Moscow Ali Hassan Jaafar bilateral relations, including the organization of pilgrimage for Muslims of the Russian Federation in Saudi Arabia.

“During the conversation, a number of relevant aspects of Russian -Saudi relations took place, including the organization of pilgrimage for Russian Muslims to the holy places of Islam in Saudi Arabia, as well as the current situation in the Middle East,” RIA Novosti quotes the text of the message published on the website of the Russian diplomatic department.

Moscow at the end of August turned to Riyadh with a request to give Crimean Muslims the opportunity to make a pilgrimage to the Holy for the followers of Islam, the city of Mecca . As the ambassador of Saudi Arabia in the Russian Federation said then, the request of the Russian side will be studied in the most attentive way. About 300 thousand Muslims live in Crimea. The Russian quota for Hajj in 2014 amounted to 16.4 thousand people.

The pilgrimage to Mecca is considered in Islam the fifth "pillar of faith." Hajj is performed at the beginning of the 12th month of the Muslim lunar calendar, as a result of which this month was the name "Zu-l-hijja"-"possessing pilgrimage." In 2014, it will begin at the end of September and end with the holiday