During the holy month of Ramadan, millions of Muslims, including the old, feeble and first-time pilgrims, gather at the Grand Mosque. A visitor must appreciate the incredible effort being made to serve the visitors and let them perform their religious duties with ease and comfort. Usually when huge crowds gather at a particular place and time, one expects chaotic scenes everywhere.
Such chaos is not necessarily the product of the place, but rather a reflection of the state of affairs typical of the Muslim world. Everyone wants to finish first without any consideration for the convenience or safety of others. The result is that pushing, shoving and racing in the wrong direction. Squatting and littering the place, shouting at each other and sometimes fistfights have all become common during a holy month and at the most sacred place on earth. Such behavior violates the teachings of Islam — the religion of tolerance, cleanliness, compassion and love for others. It is unfortunate that pilgrims from home and abroad coming to pray and seek forgiveness in Makkah only return after having committed more sins.
The decision not to allow solid food and soft drinks into the mosque, with the exception of dates and coffee, was a very wise move. Despite this, the scene inside the mosque every day after iftar and Maghreb prayers is not a pleasant one. The place looks like a war zone, with leftover food and puddles of water littering the mataf (circling area), the inner parts of the mosque, the courtyards and surrounding open spaces.
But there are others here doing the exact opposite; they work hard to get rid of the mess. A few minutes after the prayers, cleanup squads begin their work with unmatched professionalism and dedication.
Last week after the Maghreb, I stood admiring those workers who, within just half an hour, made the entire place shine. They do this every day even though hundreds of thousands of worshippers are still inside the mosque. They work silently and politely, harming no one and moving with agility through the crowds, sealing one area after another and cleaning the mess in a manner unmatched anywhere in the world.
What I witnessed last week and the perfection with which these workers do their job are indeed unique. I think anyone who sees the volume of pilgrims’ leavings and the efforts of these workers to clean the area must admire and appreciate their work. Hats off to these forgotten workers.
