Saudi Arabia: Guidance offered in 15 languages in Prophet’s Mosque

Cairo: Guidance in the Prophet’s Mosque, Islam’s second holiest site in Medina, is available in 15 languages, the Saudi news agency SPA reported, as large numbers of worshippers are flocking to the place.

Seventy male and female interpreters on duty throughout the day guide the visitors at designated sites of the mosque. The service is provided in 15 languages including English, French, Urdu, Persian, Russian, Chinese, Hausa, Bengali, Turkish and Hindi.

Additionally, the interpreters provide guidance about the prayer timings, lectures, sermons, visit schedules for annexed museums and exhibitions as well as information about services available in the mosque.

Some 556,527 visitors benefited from the multilingual guidance service in the mosque over the period from the 1st of the lunar month of Dhul Qadah, the 11th month in the Islamic calendar, until the mid-Dhul Hijjah, the current and final Islamic month, according to the General Authority for Care and Management of the Two Holy Mosques in Saudi Arabia.

The Prophet’s Mosque is a major destination for worshippers from across the globe throughout the year. The revered place received 74.5 million worshippers in the first quarter of this year, according to Saudi official figures.

Overseas Muslims usually head to Medina before or after performing the annual Hajj pilgrimage, which wrapped up earlier this month, to pray in the Prophet’s Mosque and visit Al Rawda Al Sharifa, where the tomb of the Prophet Mohammed (Peace Be Upon Him) is located.

Some 1.8 million Muslims performed this year’s Hajj in and around the Saudi sacred city of Mecca.

More than 1.4 million Muslims visited Al Rawda Al Sharifa during the recent Hajj season, according to official figures. Visitors are required to register for an appointment via the Nusuk app.

More than 280 million Muslims prayed in the Prophet’s Mosque in 2023, according to official figures.