Cairo: Nearly 15 million Muslims headed to the Prophet’s Mosque, Islam’s second holiest site, in Medina in the first half of Ramadan, a Saudi official said.
The visitors to the place were welcomed and served through a well-coordinated network of services, noted Sultan Al Badri, the head of stastics and information at the General Authority for Care and Management of the Two Holy Mosque.
He added that nearly 500,000 worshippers obtained permits via the Nusuk e-platform to perform prayers at Al Rawda Al Sharifa housed in the mosque during the same period.
Al Rawda Al Sharifa, where the tomb of the Prophet Mohammed (Peace Be Upon Him) is located.
“The Nusuk permits have facilitated crowd organisation and entry,” the official told Saudi TV Al Ekhbariya.
The lunar month of Ramadan, which started this year in Saudi Arabia on March 11, traditionally 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.
Saudi Authorities in charge of the Prophet’s Mosque have said they are well-prepared for serving Muslims flocking in large numbers to the place in in Ramadan noted for intense worshipping.
More than 8.5 million Iftar (fast-breaking) meals are estimated to be distributed to worshippers to break their dawn-to-dust fasting during Ramadan.
Over 280 million Muslims prayed at the Prophet’s Mosque in 2023, according to official figures.
