The British ambassador to Saudi Arabia Simon Collis has converted to Islam and holds the record as the first ambassador to complete the Hajj.
Collis was photographed in the white robes worn for pilgrimage and was at the pilgrimage site.
He was pictured alongside his wife Huda Mujarkech in photos posted to Twitter. According to the ambassador, he had actually converted in 2011 shortly before his marriage to his wife.
A Saudi Arabian writer Fawziah Albakr posted the photos to Twitter, on it she wrote in Arabic: “First British ambassador to the Kingdom undertakes the Hajj following his conversion to Islam. Simon Collis with his wife Huda in Mecca. Praise be to God.”
Collis also explained that his conversion was due to living in Muslim cultures for over 30 years and he finally converted in 2011.
The news was greeted with joy by many well wishers some of whom tweeted their congratulations to which he responded, “Thank you and Eid Mubarak”, wishing them a blessed Eid festival.
Collis has worked in Syria, Iraq, India, Qatar, UAE, Tunisia and Yemen before being posted to Saudi Arabia last year.
You can see photos of his tweets below.
