MAKKAH: Makkah’s hotel sector is witnessing a significant resurgence, with room occupancy in central areas hitting 100 percent during the last 10 days of the holy month of Ramadan, the highest level since the pandemic.
“The demand is high, the entire sector is reviving, and job opportunities have become possible and favorable.”
Al-Ahmadi said that the holy city contains more than 1,400 hotels, and added: “[The] Makkah region is crowded throughout the year and the occupancy rate varies, but recently, thanks to the wise decisions of our government, allowing pilgrims to come from abroad, the occupancy rate has increased, reaching their fullest in some hotels.”
Al-Ahmadi added that the Haramain train, and the free buses from the airport, had helped to facilitate transportation to reduce congestion.
Ali Fallatah, director of operations at Address Hotel, said that the increase in hotel occupancy had been helped by greater accessibility to visas, and the four-day transit period inside Saudi Arabia.
MAKKAH — The total number of worshippers who prayed at the Grand Mosque in Makkah during the first two-thirds of Ramadan reached more than 22 million, head of the Presidency of the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques Sheikh Dr. Abdulrahman Al-Sudais revealed.
He confirmed that the Presidency prepared the Grand Mosque through its comprehensive and strategic operating plan, in order to meet the needs of the pilgrims, worshippers and the visitors.
The Presidency has also facilitated all the services for the Grand Mosque's visitors to perform their rituals comfortably, he said, adding that they have ensured the readiness of safety means inside the Grand Mosque.
The presidency said the number of the guests of Allah in the Grand Mosque on the night of the 23rd of Ramadan reached more than 1,4 million worshippers.
It has noted that about 57,6000 Zamzam water bottles have been distributed among the pilgrims, while the number of beneficiaries from the volunteering services was about 452,000.
Over 115,000 people have benefited from the booklets and pamphlets, and 120,000 benefited from the digital awareness. While more than 98,000 people benefited from the social and humanitarian services.
As for the number of elderly people and those with disabilities, it has reached 6,800 beneficiaries. Also more than 6,000 Umrah pilgrims who benefited from the Tatweef services (Umrah guide services).
There were more than 103,000 people benefited from the spatial guidance, which is offered several languages.
MAKKAH — The Grand Mosque in Makkah, Islam’s holiest shrine, has been witnessing the convergence of over one million Umrah pilgrims and worshipers during the last 10 days of the holy month of Ramadan.
The Saudi Press Agency’s photographers captured the incredible images of the faithful’s gathering and movement as well as the integrated services being offered to them by the Saudi authorities from a high altitude.
The cameramen took the photographs of the faithful, who are spending the blessed night of the holy month in the vicinity of the Holy Kaaba, engaged in special prayers and supplications, seeking God’s mercy and forgiveness in an air of spirituality and serene atmosphere.
The security aviation wing of the Presidency of State Security has facilitated the SPA team to fly on board its helicopter that hovered around the holy city so that they could capture the amazing shots of the vast ocean of the faithful circumambulating the Holy Kaaba and moving in between the courtyards, corridors and floors of the Grand Mosque, of which the first floor and the roof of the Third Saudi Expansion have been opened for the first time for worshipers during the last 10 days of the holy month this year.
Over two million worshipers attend special prayers, seeking Laylatul Qadr at Holy Mosques April 18, 2023
The General Presidency for the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques announced the success of its plan to enable the faithful to perform their rituals in ease and comfort on the 27th night of the holy month of Ramadan on Monday.
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Saudi Gazette report
MAKKAH — Over two million worshipers thronged the Grand Mosque in Makkah and the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah to offer Isha and special night prayers of Taraweeh and Qiyamullail on the 27
th night of Ramadan on Monday, which is widely believed to be Laylatul Qadr, the Night of Power.
The General Presidency for the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques announced the success of its plan to enable the faithful to perform their rituals in ease and comfort and that is through the field follow-up by Sheikh Abdul Rahman Al-Sudais, head of the presidency. Nearly one and a half millions of Umrah pilgrims and worshippers attended the special night prayers of Taraweeh and Qiyamullail that ended with the special supplication, led by Sheikh Sudais at the Grand Mosque.
There was an unprecedented flow of the faithful to the Holy Mosques on the 27th night of Ramadan. The Holy Qur’an was revealed to the Prophet (peace be up on him) in the Night of Power which is better than a thousand months. The Saudi authorities have made elaborate security arrangements for the smooth flow of worshipers and enable them to spend the blessed night in a highly spiritual and serene atmosphere.
In an unparalleled spiritual ambience that the fasting month has offered, the faithful performed Umrah and engaged in supplications, seeking Laylatul Qadr and the infinite blessings and forgiveness from Almighty Allah. All the floors of the Grand Mosque and its courtyards were full of worshipers, and the rows of worshipers spilled over to the streets of the Central Haram Area.
The presidency has beefed up the field teams with the aim of organizing the smooth and orderly entry of pilgrims and worshipers to the Grand Mosque in coordination with all the concerned agencies and security forces.
The Umrah pilgrims and worshipers entered smoothly through 118 gates, including three gates for the entry of Umrah performers, 68 gates for worshipers, 50 gates for emergencies, and 40 internal gates, with the support of all human and technical teams.
The worshippers prayed in a spiritual ambiance, supported by an integrated system of services that had been in operation since early morning to ensure their safety, security, and comfort.
The presidency has mobilized human and mechanical resources to serve the visitors of the Grand Mosque. This included deploying 4,000 workers throughout the Grand Mosque and its courtyards, washing the Grand Mosque ten times throughout the day, using over 80,000 liters of disinfectants, 1,600 fresheners for scenting, and sterilizing the Grand Mosque’s corridors and courtyards around the clock with around 15,000 liters of sterilizers, undertaken by more than 70 field teams.
The presidency provided more than 5,000 regular vehicles for transportation, 3,000 electric vehicles, 200 electric stairs, and 14 escalators to serve the elderly and people with special needs.
Saudi bans residents entering Makkah without Hajj permit Residents must obtain a permit from the competent authorities in order to enter Makkah
From Monday, residents without entry permits will be turned away from security control points on roads leading to Makkah, according to a report by the Saudi Gazette.
The move is part of the General Directorate of Public Security efforts to regulate entry into the Holy Capital as the Hajj season approaches.
Residents must obtain a permit from the competent authorities in order to enter Makkah.
According to the Public Security, vehicles and expat residents will be turned back to their point of origin, with exceptions only for those who work in the holy sites and have entry permits, those holding a resident’s identity card issued in the holy capital, or those with an Umrah or Hajj permit.
The measures aim to ensure the safety and security of all those participating in the Hajj season.
Meanwhile, the General Directorate of Passports has begun accepting applications for entry permits to Makkah electronically.
The service is available for domestic workers, non-Saudi family members, workers residing in establishments based in Makkah, seasonal work visa holders, and contractors with those establishments registered in the ‘Ajeer’ system for the Hajj season 1444 AH.
The service is accessible through the electronic “Muqeem” portal for all agencies, while permits for domestic workers and non-Saudi family members can be obtained through the ‘Absher Individuals’ platform.
The new measures and electronic services aim to facilitate procedures for beneficiaries, shorten processing times, and save effort for those participating in the Hajj season.
As the Hajj season approaches, the General Directorate of Public Security and the General Directorate of Passports will continue to monitor the situation closely and take any necessary measures to ensure the safety and security of all those participating in the annual pilgrimage.
Every day is laundry day at the Grand Mosque in Makkah where 2,000 carpets are washed each week
The center has a team of specialists working to ensure the cleaning meets its standards. (SPA)
MAKKAH: No one likes laundry day – but spare a thought for those responsible for the carpets in the Grand Mosque in Makkah.
One of Islam’s holiest sites, the mosque has 35,000 carpets and they all have to be cleaned and perfumed.
In fact 2,000 carpets are cleaned and perfumed each week by a special department set up in Kudai.
Millions of Muslims pass through the Grand Mosque every year, especially during Ramadam and the Hajj pilgrimage – that is a lot of feet.
So the need to ensure that the carpets are kept clean is essential.
“The carpets in the Grand Mosque are luxurious, as more than 35,000 carpets were laid so that the worshipers perform their prayers with all reverence and tranquility,” Jaber Ahmed Al-Wada’ani, assistant director general for service affairs at the General Presidency for the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques, told Arab News.
He said the green carpets have a positive impact on the psyche of visitors.
Al-Wada’ani said the carpet cleaning department has the latest high-tech equipment to clean, wash and maintain the quality of the carpets.
“A team of specialists supervises these operations to ensure implementation in accordance with established technical principles and to ensure that they are free from any defects, using the latest technologies,” he explained.
“The first stage of cleaning the carpet begins with automatic dirt and dust removal using high-quality technology. Then, the second stage is washing and sanitizing the carpet automatically with disinfectants, water, and special detergents, then rinsing it with water.”
Then comes the third stage, where the carpets are placed into special tubes to remove excess water, Al-Wada’ani added. The fourth and final stage sees the carpets laid out to get sun and fresh air, with fans to speed up the drying process.
The carpets are then swept with special modern brooms, sanitized and perfumed with the Kingdom’s famous Taif rose water. Then they are sent for packaging and storage.
He said these are luxurious Saudi carpets made specifically for the two holy mosques, distinguished by their soft thread, thicker pile, and of such quality that they are unaffected by repeat washing.
Al-Wada’ani said 240 meters are washed per hour and then stored in special warehouses for safekeeping. The warehouse stores 26,000 carpets ready for transportation to the Grand Mosque.
He said the carpet cleaning department has a laboratory equipped with the latest machines to preserve carpets from damage. For urgent washing, the Grand Mosque itself has machines for this purpose.
“Specialized teams also sweep, clean and sterilize carpets around the clock, as well as arrange their direction toward the Qibla,” Al-Wada’ani said.
Online booking chaos hits UK Hajj Muslims for second year in a row
Pilgrims report cancellations, payment glitches and poor customer service when using the Saudi Arabian government’s online portal
Muslims across the UK have been left disappointed and frustrated after missing out on Hajj 2023 packages because of technical problems attributed to the Saudi Arabian government’s new online booking system.
It marks the second year running that the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has allowed bookings only through an online portal — named Nusuk — which replaced an existing platform, Motawif, last year.
MAKKAH — The Head of the Presidency for the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques announced on Sunday that the higher Saudi authorities have issued approval to name the Mataf Expansion Building Project at the Grand Mosque as Saudi portico, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Sheikh Abdul Rahman Al-Sudais said that the Saudi portico that surrounds the Abbasid portico features a much wider area that the Grand Mosque has not seen before.
It consists of four floors, which are the ground floor, the first floor, the second floor mezzanine, and the roof. The Saudi portico and the mataf have the maximum capacity to accommodate 287,000 worshipers, and 107,000 performers of tawaf per hour.
The presidency chief said that the Saudi portico includes the expansion project of the mataf (circumambulation area around the Holy Kaaba) behind the Abbasid portico, and its surrounding courtyard of the Holy Kaaba.
“King Abdul Aziz, founder of modern Saudi Arabia, ordered the expansion of the Grand Mosque to accommodate the increasing number of pilgrims, and accordingly, the expansion work began during the period of King Saud in 1955.
“The portico building’s expansion continued during the eras of King Saud, King Faisal, and King Khalid,” he said while noting that expansion of the project is in the phase of completion during the periods of King Fahd and King Abdullah and the present era of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman.
He said that the Saudi portico provides wider spaces for pilgrims and worshipers in accordance with high-quality and accurate engineering standards.
“It is also distinguished by the availability of all technical services, as well as sound and lighting systems, which contribute to creating the much-needed spiritual ambience for the pilgrims,” he pointed out.
MAKKAH — The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has announced that the last date for issuing permits to perform Umrah this season is the 15th Dhul Qadah, corresponding to June 4.
The decision comes in preparation to receive the Hajj pilgrims, who will start arriving in Saudi Arabia on Sunday.
The ministry reiterated that the Umrah visa does not allow the pilgrims to perform Hajj. All pilgrims on Umrah visas are required to leave by 20th Dhul Qadah, corresponding to June 18.
The General Directorate of Public Security announced earlier an entry ban to the holy city of Makkah for residents who do not hold a special entry pass for the Hajj season. Travelers without permits will be turned back from the entry points along the roads leading to Makkah.
The ban came into force om the 25th of Shawwal in implementation of the guidelines for organizing Hajj 1444AH.
The guidelines require returning the vehicle and expatriate residents to where they came from unless they they hold entry permit issued by the competent authority to work in the holy sites.
Persons exempted from the decision also include those who hold a muqeem ID (resident identity card) issued from Makkah, or an Umrah permit, or Hajj permit.
According to the Saudi Press Agency, the General Directorate of Passports has started receiving applications for issuing entry permits to the holy city electronically for domestic workers and non-Saudi family members, workers working in establishments based in the holy city, seasonal work visa holders and contractors with those establishments registered in the “Ajeer” system for the Hajj season 1444 AH.
The service aims to facilitate procedures for beneficiaries, shorten the time and save effort, as the platform of “Absher Individuals" provides permits for domestic workers and non-Saudi family members, while the service of entry permits is accessible through the electronic “Muqeem” portal for all agencies, SPA said.
Portal launched for delivery of Zamzam bottle at Hajj pilgrims’ accommodation
Saudi Gazette report
MAKKAH — Al-Zamazima Company has launched the Zamzam electronic platform with the aim of delivering Zamzam water bottles to the pilgrims at their residences. The platform is operated at the highest standard by highly trained personnel for the distribution of the holy water without any interruption.
Rayan Zamzami, deputy general supervisor of the season’s work at the company, said that the Zamzam platform will contain a database of all pilgrims and ensure that the data is matched with the electronic track and the central Hajj platform of the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, and contains electronically numbered houses.
Zamzam is the official platform through which reports and statistics concerning the pace of work are viewed. The platform operates both with and without Internet connection, thus making sure that it operates without delay or disruption.
Zamzami said the work on the Zamzam platform goes through multiple stages, which ensure that Zamzam reaches the pilgrims at their accommodation in the holy city. The beginning is with registration on the platform, passing through the control centre, and reaching the warehouse for processing, and transporting it through a safe means of transportation in coordination between the supervisor of the pilgrims and the delivery vehicle’s driver.
Upon arrival, a confirmation message will be received with regard to all information for the recipient and the delivery man through digital codes that facilitate and guarantee the delivery and receipt process.
At the end of the delivery journey, there will be reports every eight hours that are kept for follow-up, review and audit, to improve the quality of work in the following days, while the course of work on the platform is monitored by a specialized and qualified female staff working around the clock at the company's control and monitoring centre.
This cannot be undone and I am sure it will be greatly appreciated.
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