Elderly man who becomes social media sensation

Bakhsh revealed that he had been saving for 15 years to make the pilgrimage

LAHORE (Web Desk) - An octogenarian has shot to fame after his pictures and videos of Umrah went viral on social media in recent days. 

Owing to his demeanour and appearance, he is being lauded for being sobre and comes across as a saintly figure. A few days ago, Javed Afridi, the owner of Pakistan Super League team Peshawar Zalmi, had offered to sponsor the Hajj expenses of 82-year-old Abdul Qadir Bakhsh. 

Bakhsh, who lives in a small village in Balochistan's Hub area, became an internet sensation after a video of him wandering in the Prophet's (Peace be upon him) mosque in Medina went viral on social media.

Abdul Qadir Marri, an elderly man from Pakistan, has gained attention on social media after a video of him wandering barefoot in the Prophet's Mosque in Madina went viral. In the video, Marri can be seen wearing a white turban and shawl, holding a rosary and stick. Despite the attention he has received, Marri humbly stated that he has no art or talent and that his fame is due to his attendance at the house of Allah and the funeral of His Prophet.

Saif Ali, a member of Marri's tribe, said that although no one from the Saudi government has directly contacted them regarding sponsorship for Hajj, some people from their tribe have been approached by Saudis offering to sponsor their Hajj expenses. Marri expressed his desire to fulfill his wish of going for Hajj before the end of his life and prays for it to be fulfilled.

Afridi expressed his willingness to sponsor Bakhsh’s travels to perform Hajj, saying he would be delighted if Bakhsh accepted the offer.

Despite not owning a phone, Bakhsh saw his viral video when an international news outlet approached him for an interview. The video captured Bakhsh's innocence and unworldly attitude, leading many to compare him to the companions of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).

The high-profile figures, including Adviser to the Saudi Crown Prince Turki Alalshikh, tweeted about finding Bakhsh.

In an interview, Bakhsh revealed that he had been saving for 15 years to make the pilgrimage. He earned the money for the Umrah pilgrimage by herding goats. He expressed his wish to go for the Hajj pilgrimage this time and prayed to Allah to grant his wish, saying that his prayers had been answered during the Umrah.