MAKKAH: Jamil Sulaiman Jalal was an Umrah guide (mutawif) who chaperoned kings and world leaders, including King Abdulaziz, the founder of modern Saudi Arabia.
His life’s mission was intertwined with the Grand Mosque in Makkah, Islam’s holiest site.
Jalal’s career spanned more than seven decades of service, during which he witnessed major historical transformations in Hajj and Umrah.
In an interview with Arab News, his grandson Ahmed Jalal spoke about the pride he had in his grandfather’s legacy.
“My grandfather viewed tawaf (ritual circumambulation of the Kaaba) as an honor before it was a job.
