JEDDAH, 23 November 2003 — Millions of Muslim faithful are thronging the two holy Mosques as Ramadan draws to a close, seeking the forgiveness of God and the blessings of the Lailat Al-Qader (the night of power).
Hundreds of thousands of believers poured into the holy city of Makkah on Friday to perform Umrah and attend “taraweeh” and “qiyamullail” prayers. They also came to offer special prayers on the holiest night of Ramadan.
According to a report issued by the King Fahd Haj Research Institute in Makkah, more than one million Muslims took part in taraweeh prayers at the Grand Mosque in Makkah on Friday night, the 27th night of Ramadan.
The huge mosque complex, which can accommodate more than one million worshippers at a time, overflowed with faithful as hundreds of thousands gathered to make the most of the remaining few hours of the holy month, praying in the surrounding courtyards as well as on roads and pathways leading to the mosque.
An equally large crowd converged on the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah to offer special prayers and take part in “taraweeh” and “qiyamullail” prayers.
Most of them had specifically come to the two holy mosques to spend the night in prayer and supplication.
Muslims all over the world eagerly wait for the arrival of the 27th night of Ramadan, thought to be the Lailatul Qadr, or the night of power, when the first verses of the Qur’an were revealed to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).
According to the Qur’an, the angels and the Spirit (the angel Gabriel) come down by God’s permission carrying the orders that determine the fate of humans and other creatures.
Allah forgives the sins of all those who seek His pardon on this blessed night, which, according to the Qur’an, is “better than a thousand months.”
Scholars differ on the exact date of Lailatul Qadr. According to an authentic Hadith, the Prophet asked his followers to seek it on odd nights in the last 10 days of Ramadan. Many believe that the 27th night is the most probable.
Hundreds of thousands of Muslims have come from different parts of the Islamic world to perform Umrah as, according to a saying of the Prophet, Umrah during Ramadan is equivalent to Haj in terms of its divine reward.
The authorities have stepped up security in the two holy cities and some 10,000 people have been working round the clock to keep the two cities clean.
A number of pilgrims were squatting in the courtyards of the Grand Mosque and other public places. But Haj Minister Iyad Madani said the problem has been reduced considerably this year.
The Haj Ministry’s inspection squads removed nearly 5,000 pilgrims from the mosque’s courtyard last week and accommodated them in furnished villas at state expense.
“We have handed over 3,900 pilgrims to Umrah companies and 1,100 pilgrims to other companies with the capacity to accommodate them,” Al-Madinah daily quoted Ibrahim Al-Jabery, a ministry official, as saying.
