King opens visitor centre at site of Blessed Tree in Safawi

AMMAN — His Majesty King Abdullah, accompanied by Head of Chechen Republic Ramzan Kadyrov, on Wednesday inaugurated the visitor centre at the site of the Blessed Tree in Safawi, where Prophet Mohammad, peace be upon him, rested on his way to Syria.

The Blessed Tree, estimated to be 1,500 years old, is a religious and historical site in Jordan affiliated with the Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs, while a Royal committee that administers and restores Islamic shrines oversees the site, according to a Royal Court statement.

King Abdullah gave the head of the Chechen Republic a tour of the pond adjacent to the site of the Blessed Tree, the statement said.

After inaugurating the site, His Majesty and President Kadyrov attended a ceremony marking the occasion, attended by Their Royal Highnesses Prince Hashim, His Majesty’s chief Royal councillor, and Prince Ghazi, His Majesty’s chief adviser for religious and cultural affairs and personal envoy, and chairman of the board of trustees of the Royal Aal al-Bayt Institute for Islamic Thought, as well as leading members of the Royal Aal al-Bayt Institute for Islamic Thought.

Prince Hashim delivered remarks, thanking His Majesty for attending the ceremony and for supporting efforts to maintain the Blessed Tree site, as well as other historical and religious sites around the Kingdom.

The site of the Blessed Tree is a historical and religious landmark that should be publicised and given the attention and care it deserves, the Prince said, noting that Prophet Mohammad, in his youth and on the way to Syria, rested in the tree’s shade, where he met the Christian monk Bahira, who foretold his role as a prophet.

Royal Hashemite Court Chief Yousef Issawi attended the ceremony.