A widespread wave of anger and criticism erupted on social media due to the permission granted to the Minister of Minority Affairs and Women and Child Development in India, Smriti Malhotra, who is currently visiting Saudi Arabia, to tour the courtyards of the Prophet’s Mosque and Quba Mosque. This Hindu minister is known for her extreme hostility towards Muslims and advocating for their killing.
The Hindu minister visited the surroundings of the Prophet’s Mosque, the Prophet’s Mosque itself, Mount Uhud, and the outskirts of Quba Mosque – the first mosque in Islam. Accompanying her during her tour were the Indian Minister of State for External Affairs and Parliamentary Affairs, V. Muraleedharan, and senior Saudi officials. The scenes of the Hindu minister in the holy places of the Kingdom sparked widespread anger across social media.
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In this context, Saudi writer Turki Al Shalhoub stated: “Hindu ministers and officials who express their hostility towards Muslims in India and call for their killing are hosted by the Saudi regime and allowed to defile the Mosque of the Prophet.” He continued in a tweet on his official X account: “The Indian media celebrated the visit, considering it the first time a non-Muslim delegation has been received in Medina!”
Imad Al Mubayid, former imam and preacher of King Abdulaziz Mosque in Dammam, wrote: “The entry of the Hindu minister into the courtyards of the Prophet’s Mosque is reprehensible and a disgrace to the status of the two holy places, their people, and an affront to all Muslims.”
Expressing his dismay and citing religious evidence, he said: “In the hadith: ‘Medina is a sanctuary from Thawr to Thour. Whoever innovates something it or offers refuge to an innovator, upon him is the curse of Allah, the angels, and all the people. It will not be accepted from him on the Day of Resurrection, neither as an expenditure nor as compensation.’
In the same context, prominent Saudi politician Dr Saad Al-Faqih said: “When power falls into the hands of an enemy of the Two Holy Mosques, they deliberately host the enemies of Allah and His Messenger in the Two Holy Mosques, deliberately humiliating Muslims.”
The Guardian had previously criticized Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s claim that his country is the “mother of democracy in the world” at a time when its Muslims are being killed and tortured by the police, and their students are suffering mistreatment in schools.
