By Urban Shihemi, November 11, 2025 

His Royal Highness Prince Faisal bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, a Special Advisor to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and  the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the King Abdulaziz Foundation for Research and Archives (Darah) has announced the launch of the Forum on the History of Hajj and the Two Holy Mosques, an initiative aimed at preserving and showcasing the rich historical and spiritual heritage of Islam’s holiest sites.

The History of Hajj and the Two Holy Mosques Forum was launched in Jeddah, organized by the King Abdulaziz Foundation for Research and Archives (Darah) in cooperation with the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah and the Guests of the Most Gracious Program. 

According to Prince Faisal, the forum seeks to document the historical evolution of Hajj, highlight the efforts of successive Saudi leaderships in serving pilgrims, and promote scholarly research on the development of the Two Holy Mosques in Makkah and Madinah.

The forum is part of the accompanying program of the fifth edition of the Hajj Conference and Exhibition, held at the Jeddah Superdome over three days, serving as a scientific and cultural platform that highlights the historical depth of Hajj rituals and reinforces the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s civilizational image, in line with the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030 in the fields of culture and tourism.

The forum opened with a keynote address by His Excellency Sheikh Dr. Mohammed bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa, Secretary-General of the Muslim World League and member of the project’s Higher Supervisory Committee. 

He highlighted the importance of documenting the cultural and religious history of Hajj and the Two Holy Mosques and underscored the Kingdom’s role in developing services for the Guests of the Most Gracious over the centuries.

The forum will further examine the depiction of Hajj in travel literature and historical records, analyzing its impact on understanding the evolution of rituals and services for pilgrims over the centuries.