Mecca / Medina | On the last Friday of the holy month of Ramadan, both Harams became crowded.
From early morning, small groups of Umrah pilgrims began flocking to the Masjid al-Haram in Makkah to attend Friday prayers. Earlier, the Masjid-ul-Haram and its surroundings, as well as the roads outside the Haram, were lined with people who had come for prayers before the Jumu’ah Bank. Believers arrived at the harem with great enthusiasm as the Friday congregation prayers were completely out of control. As the crowds increased, the security forces had sent SMS messages via mobile to the two mosques in the vicinity of the mosques for Friday prayers.
Sheikh Dr. Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan addressed the Friday Qutb and prayers at the Masjid al-Haram in Makkah. Abdullah bin Awad Al-Juhani and Sheikh Abdullah bin Abdul-Rahman Al-Buaijan led the procession to the Masjid-un-Nabawi in the Prophet’s city. In the Qutb, the Imams reminded the believers to pay the obligatory Zakat al-Fitr at the end of the month, and that it is more Sunnah for the believer to increase the takbeer on the night of Eid.
With the weekend coming up with a small Eid-ul-Fitr school holiday, locals and foreigners living in Saudi Arabia have arrived in both Harams with their families to spend the last days of the holy month.
Traffic was restricted at the gates of Makkah to avoid congestion .Only, Umrah buses and Makkah taxis were allowed to pass through, and special buses were operated from the entrances to Haram for those arriving in other vehicles. Admission to the Matwaf was restricted to Umrah pilgrims during Ihram. Umrah pilgrims were allowed to enter the first floor of the Masjid-ul-Haram to avoid congestion. The Masjidunnabavi had 100 doors open to the believers to facilitate entry
The Haram office said barricades would be set up around the Kaaba this year as part of health security, and that Umrah pilgrims would not be allowed to touch or kiss the Kaaba, Hazrul Azwad or Ruknul Yamani, and that restrictions would only be lifted once the Kovid was completely removed. However, due to security concerns, visitors to Rawla Sharif will be suspended from the 27th of Ramadan to the second of Shawwal.
