Saudi Arabia: Devotees gather in vast numbers for Ramadan prayers at Prophet's Mosque in Medina
Image Credit: SPA

Prophet’s Mosque receives over 20m in Ramadan

After undertaking Umrah in Mecca, the faithful usually flock to Medina

Cairo: More than 20 million Muslims packed the Prophet’s Mosque, Islam’s second holiest site, in the Saudi city of Medina during the first 20 days of the current Islamic sacred month of Ramadan amid stepped-up services, official figures showed.

A total of 655,227 worshippers, including 296,595 females, performed prayers at Al Rawda Al Sharifa housed in the mosque during the same period, the Saudi news agency SPA reported. Al Rawda Al Sharifa includes the tomb of the Prophet Mohammed (Peace Be Upon Him).

The General Authority for Care of the Prophet’s Mosque Affairs, a state agency, continues to provide an integrated network of services in the place to ensure comfort for the faithful whose numbers are spiralling during the final part of Ramadan that is expected to end on Tuesday.

Worshippers flocked en masse to the mosque yesterday to perform the weekly congregation prayers on the last Friday of Ramadan.

The site, its courtyards and rooftops were readied earlier to cope with the inflow of the faithful, who offered their prayers in an atmosphere of serenity and spirituality, SPA noted.

The lunar month of Ramadan usually marks the peak season of Umrah or minor pilgrimage at the Grand Mosque, Islam’s holiest site, in Mecca. After performing Umrah, many pilgrims would head to Medina to offer prayers at the Prophet’s Mosque and visit other Islamic landmarks in the city.

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