A man who claimed to have travelled to the Muslim holy city of Mecca to complete an umrah pilgrimage on behalf of the late Queen Elizabeth II has been detained by Saudi authorities.
The man, a Yemeni national, posted a video of himself on Monday (September 12) holding a banner reading: “Umrah for the soul of Queen Elizabeth II. We ask God to accept her in heaven and among the righteous,” AFP reported.
The video was extensively shared on Saudi social media with users demanding the man’s arrest. Saudi Arabia prohibits Mecca visitors from singing slogans or carrying banners.
While performing umrah for a deceased Muslim is allowed, this rule does not apply to non-Muslims like the queen, who served as supreme governor of the Church of England. This institution gave rise to Anglian Communion around the world.
According to a statement by authorities, they “arrested a resident of Yemeni nationality who appeared in a video clip carrying a banner inside the Grand Mosque, violating the regulations and instructions for umrah.” It further added, “He was arrested, legal steps were taken against him, and he was referred to the public prosecution,” AFP reported.
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State television aired videos about the incident that featured the video clip with the banner obscured.
The Hajj is a once-a-year pilgrimage that often draws millions of people from all over the world. In contrast, the umrah is a pilgrimage that can be performed at any time.
The queen passed away on Thursday (September 8). Her funeral is scheduled for September 19.
(With inputs from agencies)
