SOME may say that I have already written an article with a similar title — and I have — but I have something more to say. And I always hope for a positive response, particularly from those who are able to do as I suggest.

Last Ramadan, I wrote an article in which I requested that the doors of the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah be open round the clock for worshippers to pray or recite Qur’an. My request made it clear that I was advocating this only during Haj and Ramadan. My idea was that by opening the doors those who had come from distant lands would find it of genuine spiritual benefit and meaning to spend time in such a holy place. The new Umrah regulations support my request; they realize that there is a need for the mosque to be open for the increased number of visitors.

Recently, a newspaper reported that the doors of the Prophet’s Mosque would be open until midnight. But in the women’s area, worshippers are asked to leave after Isha prayer. If the men’s section is open until midnight, why are women not accorded the same treatment? In addition, there is "Arrawdah Asharifah" — a designated place near the tomb of the Prophet. Why don’t women have an area in this holy zone? In fact, this would minimize congestion during the designated hours for visiting and ease the pressure on the doors leading into the area.

I also question the idea behind opening certain doors only at certain times. Included in my question is the placement of partitions which separate the men’s and women’s sections. Those in charge can clearly see the rush of women when the partitions are removed or relocated and some of the worshippers struggle determinedly to secure a foothold near the tomb of the Prophet.

There are also times when the women’s entrances are changed and by doing that, the women rush to the new entrances and often disturb those who are praying or sleeping in the mosque. In addition, I also wonder why women are confined to certain areas when there is ample space in the women’s section to accommodate hundreds of worshippers.

I believe that the Umrah and Haj firms should play a role in informing newcomers and foreigners about the importance of clean clothes, personal hygiene and general guidelines as to the layout of the mosque and its facilities. The female staff in the mosque should also be taught how to deal politely and considerately with female worshippers. Rudeness and short-temperedness are out of place in the mosque.

The truth is that some of the female staff are too old to do their jobs and ought to retire. Most of them have no conception that times have changed and that nowadays, there are millions of visitors from all over the world — and those visitors speak a multitude of languages and follow a variety of different customs. The female staff are particularly offensive in how they check handbags — whether those belonging to males or females. Why also should the lights outside the mosque be switched off. This is, after all, the Prophet’s Mosque and deserves the best lighting and the best attention all day every day.