Saudi Gazette report
MAKKAH — Over two million worshipers thronged the Grand Mosque in Makkah and the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah to offer Isha and special night prayers of Taraweeh and Qiyamullail on the 27th night of Ramadan on Monday, which is widely believed to be Laylatul Qadr, the Night of Power.
The General Presidency for the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques announced the success of its plan to enable the faithful to perform their rituals in ease and comfort and that is through the field follow-up by Sheikh Abdul Rahman Al-Sudais, head of the presidency. Nearly one and a half millions of Umrah pilgrims and worshippers attended the special night prayers of Taraweeh and Qiyamullail that ended with the special supplication, led by Sheikh Sudais at the Grand Mosque.
There was an unprecedented flow of the faithful to the Holy Mosques on the 27th night of Ramadan. The Holy Qur’an was revealed to the Prophet (peace be up on him) in the Night of Power which is better than a thousand months. The Saudi authorities have made elaborate security arrangements for the smooth flow of worshipers and enable them to spend the blessed night in a highly spiritual and serene atmosphere.
In an unparalleled spiritual ambience that the fasting month has offered, the faithful performed Umrah and engaged in supplications, seeking Laylatul Qadr and the infinite blessings and forgiveness from Almighty Allah. All the floors of the Grand Mosque and its courtyards were full of worshipers, and the rows of worshipers spilled over to the streets of the Central Haram Area.
The presidency has beefed up the field teams with the aim of organizing the smooth and orderly entry of pilgrims and worshipers to the Grand Mosque in coordination with all the concerned agencies and security forces.
The Umrah pilgrims and worshipers entered smoothly through 118 gates, including three gates for the entry of Umrah performers, 68 gates for worshipers, 50 gates for emergencies, and 40 internal gates, with the support of all human and technical teams.
The worshippers prayed in a spiritual ambiance, supported by an integrated system of services that had been in operation since early morning to ensure their safety, security, and comfort.
The presidency has mobilized human and mechanical resources to serve the visitors of the Grand Mosque. This included deploying 4,000 workers throughout the Grand Mosque and its courtyards, washing the Grand Mosque ten times throughout the day, using over 80,000 liters of disinfectants, 1,600 fresheners for scenting, and sterilizing the Grand Mosque’s corridors and courtyards around the clock with around 15,000 liters of sterilizers, undertaken by more than 70 field teams.
The presidency provided more than 5,000 regular vehicles for transportation, 3,000 electric vehicles, 200 electric stairs, and 14 escalators to serve the elderly and people with special needs.
