A Melbourne dad whipped and imprisoned in a Saudi Arabian prison has criticised the Federal Government for not rescuing him.

Greeted by family and friends, Mansor Almaribe arrived home to Melbourne Airport in the early hours of this morning.

His warm welcome home marked an end to a harrowing two-month ordeal after being arrested and found guilty of blasphemy while on a pilgrimage to Mecca in November last year.

Speaking in Arabic through a translator, Mr Almaribe told reporters he was happy and thankful to be home.

"I was expecting that I would never see my family again, and suddenly I'm back," he said.

"They say in that jail, once you go in, you never come out."

Mansor Almaribe is welcomed home by family and friends at Melbourne Airport. Photo: 7News.

Compared with his original sentence, the father-of-five got off lightly.

His two-year prison term was cut to two months, and 500 lashes were reduced to 75.

Mr Almaribe's release came after lobbying by Australian diplomats in Saudi Arabia, his case made more complicated by laws forbidding non Muslims to enter Medina, the city where he was held.

It was during the Hajj religious pilgrimage in December that the Shiite Muslim was arrested by police and imprisoned for allegedly insulting companions of the prophet Muhammad.

Mr Almaribe suffers from diabetes, as well as heart and back problems, and his family was concerned he would not survive the original punishment.

He says the lashes were administered with a strip of wood, and he wore nothing more than a t-shirt for protection.

"It was more painful to think about why I was getting lashed," Mr Almaribe said.

His son Isaam Almaribe says he is relieved to see his father home safe.

"It's the best feeling you know, like we've been waiting for this for more than two months now and we finally have him back," he said.

Despite their joy and relief, Mr Almaribe is furious that Canberra did not do more to help, and now he's thinking of suing the Government.