BJP minister Smriti Irani leads rare non-Muslim Indian delegation to Madina

In a rare diplomatic move, a delegation from India's ruling party, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), led by Minority Affairs Minister Smriti Irani, embarked on a two-day official visit to Saudi Arabia. According to Middle East Eye, the delegation's focus on strengthening bilateral relations took a historic turn as they were granted access to the Muslim holy city of Madina, including the Prophet's [PBUH] Mosque.

Sharing a collage of images from the visit, Irani took to her X handle to state, "Undertook a historic journey to Madina today, one of Islam's holiest cities. Included a visit to the periphery of the revered Prophet's Mosque, Al Masjid Al Nabwi, the mountain of Uhud, and the periphery of the Quba Mosque – the first Mosque of Islam. The significance of the visit to these sites courtesy Saudi officials, intertwined with early Islamic history, underscores the depth of our cultural and spiritual engagement."

Madina, housing the resting place of Prophet Muhammad [PBUH], is usually off-limits to non-Muslim dignitaries beyond the perimeter of the Prophet's [PBUH] Mosque, also known as Masjid Nabwi. However, this visit by a non-Muslim delegation marks an unprecedented instance of diplomatic access to a site considered sacred by Muslims and not typically viewed as a tourist destination.

As stated by Irani, the primary objective of the visit is to strengthen bilateral relations between India and Saudi Arabia while gaining valuable insights into the arrangements required for the upcoming Hajj pilgrimage. The visit follows the signing of the 2024 Bilateral Haj Agreement between Irani and Saudi Minister of Hajj and Umrah Tawfiq bin Fawzan al-Rabiah on January 7.

The bilateral agreement outlines that India has been granted a quota of 175,025 pilgrims for this year's Hajj pilgrimage, underscoring the significance of the diplomatic engagement between the two nations. Irani expressed her gratitude for the opportunity on social media, referring to the visit as a "historic journey" that highlights the deep cultural and spiritual engagement between India and Saudi Arabia.

Accompanied by senior officials, including the Minister of External Affairs, Irani utilised the visit to meet with Saudi and Indian business professionals. The discussions aimed to explore investment opportunities and foster stronger bilateral ties between the two countries. The unprecedented nature of this visit was emphasised by an official spokesperson who highlighted that it marked the first time a non-Muslim delegation had been welcomed in Madina, underscoring the exceptional nature of India-Saudi Arabia bilateral relations.

It's noteworthy that there is a strict ban on non-Muslims entering Makkah and certain parts of Madina, with penalties, including fines or deportation, for those attempting to breach these restrictions. Documentation checks are rigorously enforced before entering Makkah, denying access to non-Muslims to the holy sites.

The annual Hajj pilgrimage, a fundamental tenet of Islam, constitutes the fifth pillar of the faith. While the 2019 Hajj pilgrimage witnessed the participation of around 2.5 million people, subsequent years saw limitations due to the global COVID-19 pandemic. The BJP delegation's visit to Madina signifies a significant diplomatic stride and sets a new precedent for non-Muslim engagement with historically sacred sites in Saudi Arabia.

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