Chinese pilgrims clean up around residence in Mecca, video goes viral

Cairo: A group of pilgrims, identified as Chinese nationals preparing to perform next week’s Islamic Hajj pilgrimage, were seen in a viral online video volunteering to clean up outside their residence in the Saudi holy city of Mecca.

The footage shows the pilgrims clad in distinguished vests organising themselves in a volunteer team with some picking up garbage from the ground while others carrying the trash bags in an apparent gesture of reverence for the city, home to the Grand Mosque, Islam’s holiest.

Their act has generated a lot of applause on social media with some commentators praying that Allah may reward them while others citing efforts of the Mecca municipal authorities to clean up the city.

Authorities in Mecca have said they are fully prepared to serve pilgrims through a comprehensive plan.

The city’s mayoralty said that more than 25,000 qualified personnel are working to implement the plan across Mecca to provide round-the-clock services in different fields. They are supported by more than 1,460 pieces of equipment, including cleaning, sweeping and pumping machines.

Hundreds of thousands of Muslims annually converge on Saudi Arabia to undertake the Hajj rituals in and around Mecca.