Connect with us

World

Three friends travel 8,000km from Spain to Mecca

Published

on

RIYADH – The world witnessed another beautiful incident in which three friends from Spain arrived in Mecca on horseback to perform the Hajj pilgrimage. It carries historical and cultural significance that dates back to the time of the Prophet(PBUH), when pilgrims used to travel on horseback to perform Hajj and Umrah. It revived centuries-old Andalusian Muslim tradition. The three friends who took the bold step are Abdullah Hernández, Abdul Qadir Harkasi, and Tariq Rodriguez. They embarked together on a historic journey covering approximately 8,000 kilometers in the span of three months.

Their route took them through ten different countries. They embarked on this journey from Spain through Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Bulgaria, Greece, and Turkey before entering Saudi Arabia via Syria. The reason behind this long and tiring journey was a strong pledge made by Hernández, who embraced Islam at the age of 24. He was inspired by the teachings of the Quran and the Prophet(PBUH) during his geography studies, he therefore promised that if he passed a pivotal exam, he would convert to Islam. He passed and fulfilled his vow and took yet another, which was to perform Hajj on horseback, just as some of his Muslim ancestors did 500 years ago.

 

He was joined in this spiritual journey by his companions, Harkasi and Rodriguez. Throughout their journey, they were supported logistically by a friend, Boucheb Jadil, who followed them in a vehicle from Spain. Ramadan came, during which the group spent time in Istanbul. During their time in Istanbul, they visited sacred landmarks such as the Sultan Ahmed Mosque and Hagia Sophia, before continuing their pilgrimage. These religious acts brought the group closer to Islam. Their story has once again brought back the traditions of their Muslim ancestors.

World

The world reacts to Israel’s attack: Read here

Published

on

Lahore – Qatar’s regional allies and world powers condemned Israel’s strike on Doha, which occurred on Tuesday and specifically targeted Hamas political leaders. This marked the first such attack in the Qatari capital. Doha, a crucial mediator between Hamas and Israel, described the attack as “cowardly” and stated that it targeted “residential buildings housing several members of Hamas’s political bureau.”

The main reactions:

‘Violation of sovereignty’: the reaction of Antonio Guterres

UN chief Antonio Guterres condemned Israel’s “flagrant violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Qatar,” noting that Qatar has “been playing a very positive role in working towards a ceasefire and the release of all hostages.”

The Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi called out Israel for trying to undermine the sovereignty of Qatar. The Islamic Republic of Iran, a known backer of Hamas, said that Israel carried out a criminal action.

The Saudis condemned and denounced Israel’s blatant act very strongly, as it was a violation of Qatar’s sovereignty. The Turkish foreign ministry exposed Israel’s agenda of expansion and control over the Middle East, for which it has adopted a terrorist like behaviour.

The statement further added that the targeting of Hamas negotiators while ceasefire and peace talks were being carried out is clear proof that Israel wishes to continue the conflict and not achieve peace.

The nations that called it unacceptable:

Palestinian president took a swing at Israel for its devastating attack, calling it a “blatant violation of international law.

The United Arab Emirates denounced Israel’s strike and called it  “an irresponsible escalation.”

Jordan’s Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi said Israel “will keep up its aggression, brutal wars, and violations of international law… unless the international community, particularly the Security Council, takes the necessary steps to rein it in and stop its aggression.

Continue Reading

World

Doha pushed into a series of explosions after Israeli strikes

Published

on

DOHA – Today, Qatar’s capital witnessed a chaos of such a magnitude that a thick layer of smoke was seen all over the Katara District, and the city faced the aftermath of explosions. The eyewitnesses told Upfront News that almost 10 massive blasts rocked the buildings of the capital, and its residents were left running for their lives.

Although official confirmation is yet to be received, intelligence sources indicate that the strikes could have been targeted Israeli air raids against Hamas officials. The city, typically recognized for its peaceful streets and cultural sites, has fallen into chaos as sirens sound and emergency responders arrive at the scene.

This unexpected and shocking development comes at a time when the Middle East fears a much larger global conflict, which could potentially shake the world. The concerned authorities have strongly urged the city residents to stay indoors as the investigations into the matter continue.

Keep following Upfront News for more info….

Continue Reading

World

Trump says India and Russia have been ‘lost’ to China

Published

on

Lahore – President Donald Trump has shown his clear unhappiness and annoyance after Indian and Russian leaders met with Chinese President Xi Jinping, saying that they are “lost” to China as Beijing is pushing for a new world order that replaces the US as the superpower.

 

Trump shared a post on his social media platform in which he said that it looks like India and Russia have been lost to deepest, darkest China, and wished them a prosperous future together. He shared these remarks while sharing a photo of the three leaders together at Xi’s summit in China.

When asked about Trump’s post, India’s foreign ministry stated to reporters in New Delhi that they had no comment. The Chinese foreign ministry did not respond immediately to a request for comment, and attempts to reach Kremlin representatives were also unsuccessful.

President Xi welcomed a delegation of over 20 leaders from non-Western nations to the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Tianjin, a Chinese port city. The delegation included Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Putin and Modi were seen holding hands while walking towards President Xi to stand side by side. The US-India ties have seen a huge shift amid heightened trade tensions after tariffs and other disputes, while adding that he was “very disappointed” in Putin; however, he said that he was not worried about the growing Russia-China ties.

Trump has been frustrated by his failure to persuade Russia and Ukraine to end their war, more than three years after Russian forces invaded Ukraine. On Thursday night at the White House, he told reporters that he intends to speak with Putin soon.

Continue Reading

Trending

Copyright © 2026