Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah fills to restricted capacity for Friday prayers

Crowd control plans put in place by the General Presidency for the Affairs of the Prophet’s Mosque enabled Friday prayers to run smoothly. (File photo)
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Updated 24 October 2020
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Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah fills to restricted capacity for Friday prayers

  • Health Ministry reports 383 new COVID-19 cases, 397 recoveries, 14 deaths

JEDDAH: The number of worshippers allowed to attend the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah under coronavirus disease (COVID-19) restrictions on Friday reached its maximum capacity.

In line with Saudi Ministry of Health preventive regulations, officials have implemented safety measures to make it possible for the Prophet’s Mosque to operate at 40 percent of normal visitor levels.
Crowd control plans put in place by the General Presidency for the Affairs of the Prophet’s Mosque, with the help of Saudi Red Crescent Authority volunteers, enabled Friday prayers to run smoothly.
Presidency spokesman, Jama’an Al-Asiri, told Al-Ekhbariya TV that preparations had been concluded before Isha prayers on Thursday.
“This included sanitizing the Prophet’s Mosque and preparing it, setting up Zamzam water bottles to receive worshippers on Friday, and coordinating with the mosque’s armed forces and Hajj and Umrah armed forces to facilitate entry into the mosque,” he said. Al-Asiri added that by 10 a.m. the allocated 40 percent capacity had been met. The exit plan allowed those in the outer areas to leave first, then those on the rooftops, before finally letting out worshippers inside the mosque. As part of the COVID-19 preventive measures, people are still not allowed to pray near the Rawdah.
Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia recorded 14 new COVID-19-related deaths on Friday, raising the total to 5,264.

INNUMBERS

344,157 COVID-19 cases

330,578 Recoveries

8,315 Active cases

There were 383 new cases reported in the Kingdom, meaning 344,157 people have now contracted the disease. There were 8,315 active cases, of which 796 patients were in serious or critical condition.
According to the Ministry of Health, 42 of the newly recorded cases were in Riyadh, while Makkah reported 40, and Jeddah 11, while 397 more patients had recovered from COVID-19, taking the total number of recoveries in the Kingdom to 330,578.
Saudi Arabia has so far conducted 7,615,539 polymerase chain reaction tests, with 52,876 carried out in the last 24 hours.
Due to the pandemic, municipalities in the Northern Borders region have used more than 1.1 million liters of sanitary products to help stop the spread of the virus.
Specialized teams made up of more than 230 workers disinfected 3,487 sites using 102 sanitizing machines. A total of 440,803 cleaning containers, items of equipment, and machinery were also cleaned.
In addition, 1,054 workers have been equipped with 263 specialized machines to remove 21,276 tons of waste, and 33,162 square meters of rubble and construction waste.


Global traditions shine at Ithra’s Eid festivities

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Global traditions shine at Ithra’s Eid festivities

  • Visitors of all ages enjoyed more than 31 events, including artistic displays, live performances and interactive experiences under the theme “The Ribbon of Giving”

DHAHRAN: The King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture, known as Ithra, attracted more than 50,000 visitors during the Eid Al-Adha holiday, offering a range of activities and programs, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday.

Visitors of all ages enjoyed more than 31 events, including artistic displays, live performances and interactive experiences under the theme “The Ribbon of Giving.”

Highlights included a concert at Ithra Theater by Egyptian oud virtuoso Islam Al-Qasabgy, known for blending classical Arabic music with modern styles.

The “A Melody from Every Land” event drew large crowds by showcasing diverse Eid customs and traditions from various cultures.

The center was beautifully decorated to reflect the spirit of giving. The Ithra Library shared Eid stories exploring different aspects of generosity.

The Energy Exhibit featured interactive displays such as “Nature’s Bounty,” “Treasures from the Desert,” “Wings of Giving” and “Wealth of Nature.”

In Ithra Gardens, visitors engaged with experiences such as “The Gift of Storytelling” and “Pathways of Earth and Palm.”

The Children’s Museum offered a range of activities, including “The Kindness Keeper,” “The Giving Reflection,” “The Art of Giving,” “The Eid Journey,” and “The Gift of Us.”

Ithra Cinema screened content featuring the Japanese manga character Chibi Maruko-chan, along with the animated fantasy film “Kiki’s Delivery Service,” subtitled in Arabic.

Other festive highlights included a 96 km trek along the historic Hajj trail, reviving stories of persistence and generosity passed down through generations.


Hajj moves on: Pilgrimage shifts to cooler seasons for next 25 years

Updated 11 June 2025
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Hajj moves on: Pilgrimage shifts to cooler seasons for next 25 years

  • Over the next two decades, the Islamic lunar calendar will bring Hajj progressively into cooler seasons

MAKKAH: Hajj this year will be remembered not only for its spiritual significance but also for its climatic turning point. According to the National Center of Meteorology, the 1446 Hajj season officially marks the end of the pilgrimage coinciding with the peak summer months, a pattern that will not return for another 25 years.

Over the next two decades, the Islamic lunar calendar will bring Hajj progressively into cooler seasons. Eight upcoming pilgrimages will take place in spring, followed by another eight in winter. After that, the dates will fall in autumn, gradually warming again until Hajj re-enters the summer cycle around the year 2050.

This shift is part of the natural lunar cycle, which causes the Islamic calendar to shift backward by about 10 to 11 days each Gregorian year. For Saudi authorities, climate experts, and pilgrims alike, the change provides relief from one of the most challenging aspects of performing Hajj: having to endure blistering desert temperatures.

For decades, the Kingdom’s efforts to enhance infrastructure and expand services during Hajj have often had to work around the burden of extreme heat. From providing cooling mist fans and shaded walkways to using emergency teams trained in heatstroke response, the challenge of keeping millions of pilgrims safe during peak summer has been central to planning.

“This marks a pivotal moment,” said Hamza Al-Dosari, a Riyadh-based geographer and climate researcher. “The summer pilgrimage has always brought with it additional risks — dehydration, heat exhaustion, and logistical pressures. Moving into spring and winter seasons means significantly reduced heat exposure for the pilgrims, and this will have both health and operational implications.”

Al-Dosari said the coming years will offer a rare opportunity to rethink how the Hajj experience is managed. “We’ll be seeing pilgrimages that occur in temperatures often 10 to 15 degrees lower than what we’ve dealt with in recent years. This changes everything, from the energy load on cooling systems to how fast emergency response teams can work. It also makes the pilgrimage more accessible to the elderly and those with chronic conditions.”

He also noted that this shift does not remove the need for continued environmental preparation. “Spring and winter bring their own weather patterns — rain, wind, occasional cold snaps. The planning doesn’t get easier; it just changes. But it will be a welcome adjustment for many.”

For pilgrims such as Sarah Al-Abdulmohsen, who performed Hajj this year, the news that future seasons will be cooler came with mixed emotions.

“I’m incredibly grateful I made it this year, but the heat was truly overwhelming,” said the 32-year-old Saudi from Dhahran. “At one point in Mina, I checked my phone and it said 47°C. You try to focus on your prayers, but your body is screaming for shade and water.”

Al-Abdulmohsen said she was thrilled to hear that future pilgrims will perform their rituals under gentler weather. “It’s good news. This will make a huge difference for the elderly and for families who’ve always worried about how the heat might affect their loved ones.”

She added that the intense conditions only strengthened her admiration for the logistics of the pilgrimage. “Despite the temperature, I saw volunteers helping people constantly — giving out water, spraying cooling mist. But you can’t deny that cooler seasons will make Hajj more comfortable, even emotionally. You’ll have more clarity of mind, more presence in your prayers.”

The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah and the General Authority for the Care of the Two Holy Mosques have not yet released public statements on how this seasonal shift will influence future planning, but the long-term outlook is promising.

“This could be a historic period for rethinking pilgrim services,” Al-Dosari said. “Think about transportation, food distribution, energy consumption — all of these improve in moderate weather. Even spiritual engagement may deepen, as pilgrims won’t be fighting against their physical limits to complete the rituals.”

With temperatures expected to be in the 20s and 30s Celsius in future seasons, planners may also be able to expand the use of outdoor spaces and reduce reliance on energy-intensive cooling systems, helping to align Hajj services with Saudi Arabia’s broader sustainability goals under Vision 2030.

While many are welcoming the change, some seasoned pilgrims may find themselves nostalgic. Summer Hajj has been the norm for most Saudis under 40, with its own rhythm, expectations, and sense of trial. The struggle against heat has long been part of the journey’s narrative, testing faith and endurance.

Yet, for many others, especially those who delayed Hajj because of health concerns, this shift will finally open the door. With temperatures easing, the coming years could mean an increase in the number of pilgrims who were previously unable to perform the rituals due to medical or age-related reasons.

As the lunar calendar resets the course of one of Islam’s most important rituals, this transition may redefine what Hajj looks and feels like for an entire generation, not just spiritually, but physically and emotionally as well.


Saudi aid agency KSrelief delivers food to needy

Updated 11 June 2025
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Saudi aid agency KSrelief delivers food to needy

  • The distribution is a part of the 2025 emergency food and clothing aid project in Lebanon

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s aid agency KSrelief has distributed 360 food packages to vulnerable individuals in Lebanon’s cities of Tripoli and Jbeil, benefiting 1,800 people.

The distribution is a part of the 2025 emergency food and clothing aid project in Lebanon, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, the charity distributed 1,780 sacrificial animals in the Al-Madinah and Al-Wadi districts of Yemen’s Marib governorate on Sunday.

The initiative benefited 3,560 families under an Eid Al-Adha project in Yemen.


Newly appointed Saudi ambassador to Mexico presents his credentials

Updated 11 June 2025
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Newly appointed Saudi ambassador to Mexico presents his credentials

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s newly appointed ambassador to Mexico has presented his credentials to the North American state’s foreign ministry, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Fahad bin Ali Al-Manawer handed over a copy of his credentials to Ambassador Jonathan Chait Auerbach, the director general of protocol at the ministry, at a reception held on Tuesday. 
The diplomats also reviewed relations between their nations at the meeting.
Al-Manawer took his oath of office in from to the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in March, in a ceremony attended by the Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan.


Saudi FM attends Oslo Forum in Norway

Updated 10 June 2025
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Saudi FM attends Oslo Forum in Norway

  • Forum hosts global leaders and conflict mediators
  • Prince Faisal bin Farhan will meet foreign officials

RIYADH: Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan arrived in the Norwegian capital on Tuesday to take part in the Oslo Forum.

The annual event, organized by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in collaboration with the Center for Humanitarian Dialogue in Switzerland, hosts global leaders and conflict mediators.

Prince Faisal will meet foreign officials to strengthen relations with the Kingdom and discuss various regional and international issues, the Saudi Press Agency reported.