Monday, January 23, 2023

 Mecca’s Grand Mosque has seen over 100 million worshipers since the start of the new Hijri year (1444), which started on July 30, 2022, with around 1.193 million worshipers praying at the Hijr Ismail, local media reported.

According to the president of the Presidency of the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques, Sheikh Dr Abdulrahman Al Sudais, over 1.5 million guests have used vehicle transportation services in the same period, and more than 50 electric vehicles have been deployed to transport elderly and disabled individuals in the Prophet’s Mosque, as part of an initiative to improve their experience in collaboration with the General Authority for Awqaf and the Doyof (Guests) Al Rahman Programme.

The details were revealed during his participation in the 2nd session of the 22nd Scientific Forum for Hajj, Umrah, and Visit Research, organised by Umm Al Qura University, represented by the Two Holy Mosques Institute for Hajj and Umrah Research.

The noticeable increase in the number of visitors came after the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah announced last September that GCC residents who obtained a visit visa for the purpose of tourism can get permits for performing Umrah and visiting the Rawdah Sharif at the Prophet’s Mosque in Medina.

The ministry said that those who obtained a visit visa for the purpose of tourism from among residents of the GCC countries, as well as those who obtained visas to enter the Schengen countries, the United States of America, and the United Kingdom, can book appointments to perform Umrah and visit the Rawdah Sharif. They can do the booking before their arrival to Saudi Arabia.

Source: https://gulfnews.com/world/gulf/saudi/saudi-arabia-100-million-worshippers-at-grand-mosque-in-less-than-six-months-1.93400599