Cairo: Thousands of healthy meals have been distributed to diabetic worshippers at the Grand Mosque, Islam’s holiest site in the Saudi city of Mecca, since Ramadan started in late March, an official has said.
A unit in charge of iftar fast-ending banquets hosted for worshippers at the mosque has given away 50,000 meals to diabetics and old people, added the unit’s manager Ebrahim bin Abdullah.
“The unit follows up and organises the iftar process inside the Grand Mosque via an electronic system and has issued 2,300 related permits for sites designated for the iftar over a total area of 30,000 metres,” the official said.
“The unit has harnessed its human and technical resources for the iftar banquet organisation in line with a well-thought-out working plan including electronic registration, provision of permits to the service providers, field supervision of compliance with instructions and the provision of sterilisation and cleanliness,” he added.
Marked by intense worshipping and spiritual purity, Ramadan is the month during which Muslims observe fasting from dawn to dusk and perform nightly voluntary prayers known as Taraweeh.
Ramadan usually marks the peak of Umrah or lesser pilgrimage 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 host of facilities for Muslims wishing to come to the country to perform Umrah.
