Expanded Services, Awareness Programs Provided at Grand Mosque in Mecca

IQNA – Saudi authorities have reported a wide range of services provided to pilgrims and visitors at the Grand Mosque in Mecca during the 1446 and early 1447 Hijri years, as part of ongoing efforts to support religious travelers and manage pilgrimage-related operations.

According to the General Authority for the Care of the Affairs of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque, more than 20 million people benefited from various services over the past year, Saudi media outlets reported on Tuesday.

These included over 17 million who received directional guidance, more than 3.28 million who used cart services for mobility assistance, and over 227,000 who made use of luggage storage facilities.

Additionally, more than 525,000 pilgrims benefited from the Tahallul service, a ritual step marking the partial or full end of the state of ihram. The authority also reported distributing more than 3.66 million bottles of Zamzam water and removing over 9,700 tons of waste to maintain cleanliness in and around the mosque.

In a separate but related development, the Presidency for Religious Affairs has launched a new initiative to support Umrah pilgrims during the 1447 AH season. The program includes the distribution of Qurans, educational booklets, and gifts.

Officials say the aim is to provide comprehensive guidance services to help pilgrims better understand and perform their rituals, while also sharing the spiritual values associated with the Two Holy Mosques.

The Grand Mosque, or Masjid al-Haram, located in Mecca, is the holiest site in Islam and the focal point of both the annual Hajj pilgrimage and the year-round Umrah pilgrimage. Millions of Muslims from around the world travel to Mecca each year to perform these rites.

Source: Agencies