British ambassador to Saudi Arabia becomes first senior diplomat to convert to Islam and complete the Haj pilgrimage with Syrian Muslim wife

• .Simon Collis, 60, pictured with Syrian wife Huda al-Mujarkech in traditional garments
• .They made the annual pilgrimage to Mecca - a duty for every Muslim 
• .Decided to convert to Islam 'after spending 30 years in Muslim societies'

By MATT DATHAN, POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT FOR MAILONLINE

The British ambassador to Saudi Arabia has become the first senior diplomat to convert to Islam and complete the Hajj. 

Simon Collis said he had decided to convert to Islam 'after spending 30 years in Muslim societies'.

He was pictured in the traditional white Ihram garments worn for the annual pilgrimage to Mecca, which every Muslim must make at least once in their lives. 

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Simon Collis pictured with Syrian wife Huda al-Mujarkech standing at the front of the royal seal at the gate of the British Consulate in Mecca, dressed in the traditional white Ihram garments for the pilgrimage. He decided to convert to Islam 'after spending 30 years in Muslim societies'

Mr Collis is married to Syrian Huda al-Mujarkech. He had previously served as Britain's ambassador to Syria until 2012, when diplomatic relations broke down between the UK and President Bashar al-Assad's regime. 

The father of five has served in a string of Middle Eastern countries, including stints as ambassador in Iraq and Qatar and senior diplomatic positions in United Arab Emirates, Yemen, India and Tunisia. 

Mr Collis' conversion to Islam emerged after pictures were posted on Twitter earlier this week of him and his wife at the Haj dressed in the traditional Ihram robes at the front of the royal seal at the gate of the British Consulate in Mecca 

The pictures were posted on Twitter by Fawziah Albakr from the King Saud University, who wrote in Arabic: 'The first British ambassador to the Kingdom leads the pilgrimage after his conversion to Islam: Simon Collis with his wife Mrs. Huda in Mecca. Praise be to Allah.'  Mr Collis thanked her on Twitter. 

Mr Collis said he had converted to Islam 'right before getting married to Huda' but few knew of his conversion until the photo appeared. 

Mr Collis was among an estimated 19,000 British pilgrims performing Hajj this year as they celebrated Eid al-Adha, which always begins on the 10th day of the Islamic lunar month of Dhul-Hijja, during the annual hajj pilgrimage.

In Saudi Arabia, more than two million Muslims descended on Mecca to celebrate the festival in one of the final rites of the hajj.

BRITISH AMBASSADOR SIMON COLLIS CONVERTED TO ISLAM WHEN HE MARRIED SYRIAN WIFE 

Pictures emerged this week of Simon Collis posing in the traditional Ihram garments that are worn by pilgrims to Mecca 

British ambassador to Saudi Arabia Simon Collis has been serving in the Middle East for more than 30 years. 

He converted to Islam before marrying Syrian Muslim Huda Mujarkech. 

He was previously the Ambassador to Syria, where he served until he was kicked out by President Bashar al-Assad when civil war broke out in the country. 

The father of five has also served as Ambassador in Iraq and Qatar and held senior diplomatic positions in United Arab Emirates, Yemen, India and Tunisia.

He may be the first ambassador to convert to Islam but he is certainly not the first diplomat to embrace the culture and language of the religion. 

Charles le Gai Eaton, who became Hassan Abdul Hakeem, was a diplomat of the mid-20th century who fell in love with the Middle East and Islam. 

The first known British convert to Islam was Abdullah William Quilliam, was a diplomatic representative of the Ottoman and Persian empires in the late 19th century. 

British author T E Lawrence was a keen and committed Arabist but never converted to Islam.  

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Muslims walk along roads in Saudi Arabia as they head towards the holy city of Mecca to celebrate the first day of Eid al-Adha