During the Saudi era, approximately 117 imams have served at the Grand Mosque in Makkah al-Mukarramah from 1924 to 2021, whether for a single obligatory prayer, Taraweeh , or Qiyam , as imams or preachers, regular or deputy. They are: Ibrahim Bin Khalaf Al Arif Abdullah Bin Ahmed Mirdad Abdullah Bin Mohammed al-Zawawi Omar Bin Mohammed al-Kurdi Amin Bin Mohammed Mirdad Abdullah Bin Ali Bin Hamid Darwish Bin Hassan al-Ujaimi Hamad Bin Mohammed al-Khatib Ahmed Bin Ali Najjar Abu Bakr Bin Mohammed...
The Maqam of the Prophet Ibrahim peace be upon him (PBUH) is located adjacent to the Eastern Wall of al-Kaaba al-Musharrafa, within the Mataf area. It contains a historical stone with dimensions of about fifty cm in length, width, and height. In its center, the imprints of the feet of Prophet Ibrahim (PBUH) appear in two oval-shaped holes. These were formed when Prophet Ibrahim stood on the stone while building al-Kaaba al-Musharrafa, and his son, Prophet Ismail (PBUH), handed him stones for th...
Since the reign of the Founding King Abdulaziz Bin Abdulrahman Al Saud , kings of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have been dedicated to the care of the Two Holy Mosques . The Prophet's Mosque has undergone several major expansions, which included the architectural enhancement of the mosque, an increase in the number of doors and minarets, the annexation of surrounding areas, the development of courtyards and their shading with electric canopies, and the expansion of service facilities. The Pr...
The General Presidency of the Commission for Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice is the entity responsible for enjoining good and forbidding wrong, and to do so with patience and leniency in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It is colloquially called the commission. The start of the General Presidency of the Commission for Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice The General Presidency of the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice was officially recognized as an i...
The Hajj and Umrah Services Conference and Exhibition is an annual event aimed at enhancing the quality of services provided to pilgrims. It brings together Hajj and Umrah service providers, stakeholders, and officials from within the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and abroad to discuss developments and practices in serving the pilgrims, in alignment with the objectives outlined in Saudi Vision 2030 . The 2022 Hajj and Umrah Services Conference and Exhibition The inaugural edition, titled 'Transi...
Marwa is a hill that is part of Mount Qaiqaan. It is where pilgrims and Umrah performers complete the ritual of Sa’i . The Sa’i area between Safa and Marwa consists of four floors, containing designated pathways for carts and individuals with special needs and points for cart assembly. Ascending to Marwa on the ground floor is facilitated by a ramp with inclines suitable for the needs of visitors and their carts. Jabal Marwa is sterilized by architectural teams to remove dust and clean the ...
The expansions of the Two Holy Mosques by the Kings of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have been driven by both faith-based and practical motivations, starting from the era of the Founding King Abdulaziz Bin Abdulrahman Al Saud . These efforts combined the desire to enlarge the Grand Mosque and accommodate the increasing number of Muslims traveling to Makkah al-Mukarramah and al-Madinah al-Munawwarah each year. The motivations of the Kings of the Kingdom for expanding the Two Holy Mosques are refle...
Permission to enter al-Kaaba al-Musharrafa in the Grand Mosque in Makkah al-Mukarramah depends on certain conditions and is limited to specific individuals. It cannot be treated or entered as if it were a public site. Al-Kaaba al-Musharrafa has custodians, Sadanah , who have inherited the key since the time of Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him (PBUH). The key is currently held by the eldest custodian. They are also referred to as al-Hajabah as they are responsible for carrying the key when al...
Al-Mashaaer al-Mugaddassah Metro Line has a passenger capacity of 360,000 pilgrims across more than two thousand trips over seven days. The metro, which launched its first trip in 2010, connects the holy sites starting from the Arafat Holy Site to the Jamarat Bridge, passing through Muzdalifah Holy Site. Its railway spans twenty km and operates with seventeen trains, all of which are controlled by automated systems. Each train consists of twelve carriages, totaling 204 carriages, each accommoda...
Hajj is the fifth pillar of Islam and one of the Islamic rituals that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia organizes every year, hosting millions of Muslims from different parts of the world to perform the Hajj rituals in Makkah al-Mukarramah and the holy sites. The performance of the Hajj pilgrimage involves specific acts of worship during the period between the eighth and thirteenth of the month of Dhu al-Hijjah each year, in the Grand Mosque and the holy sites. For its validity, it is required to com...
Islam is the final of the heavenly messages, sent by the Seal of the Prophets and Messengers, Muhammad, peace be upon him (PBUH), who called for the worship and oneness of Allah. Its sacred scripture is the Holy Quran. It is embraced by around two billion Muslims worldwide, known for adhering to its teachings and Sharia, and countries that base their legislation and laws on Islam are referred to as 'Islamic states'. The emergence of Islam The first emergence of Islam was in Makkah al-...
Zamzam water is drawn from the Zamzam well, located east of al-Kaaba al-Musharrafa, in the circumambulation area adjacent to al-Multazam in the Grand Mosque in Makkah al-Mukarramah. It is an ancient well from the time of Ismail, peace be upon him (PBUH). Zamzam water has several names, with 'Zamzam' being the most commonly used. These names include: Maktuma . Madnuna. Shuba'a . Suqya al-riwa' . Rakdat Jibrail. Hazmat Jibrail. Hazmat al-malek. Shifa' suqm. Ta'am tu&...