Nearly 20 million across globe benefited from interpretation service of Grand Mosque sermons

Cairo: Nearly 20 million people across the globe have benefitted from an interpretation service of sermons given at the Grand Mosque, Islam’s holiest site in Saudi Arabia’s holy city of Mecca, since Ramadan started in late March, an official has said.

The service aims to spread the message of the sermons to the widest scale of audience around the world.

“The Agency of Languages and Translation has selected qualified interpreters and technicians to interpret and transmit sermons and religious lessons delivered at the Sacred Mosque, and maximise benefits from the round-the-clock service via the Manaret Al Haramein platform and the FM Radio,” said Ahmad Humaidi, the deputy presidency chief for languages and translation.

Around 19.8 million people have benefited from the e-service around the world during the two thirds of Ramadan, he added, according to the Saudi news agency SPA.

Ramadan usually marks the peak of Umrah season at the Grand Mosque, particularly in the last 10 days of the month.

The number of worshippers at the site reached more than 22 million in the first 20 days of Ramadan, according to official Saudi figures.

In recent months, the kingdom has unveiled a slew of facilities for Muslims wishing to come to the country to perform Umrah.

Muslims holding different types of entry visas such as the personal, visit and tourism visas are allowed to undertake Umrah and visit Al Rawda Al Sharifa, where the tomb of the Prophet Mohammad (Peace Be Upon Him) is located at the Prophet’s Mosque in Medina.

Millions of Muslims, who cannot afford the annual Hajj rituals physically or financially, flock to Saudi Arabia to undertake Umrah.