RIYADH, 4 October 2005 — Across Saudi Arabia, preparations are under way for Ramadan, with imams, muezzins and hundreds of laborers in dozens of crews making sure that mosques are ready to receive the faithful that will make them their second homes over the coming holy month. The Department of Mosques has directed that arrangements be made for all the mosques to accommodate the additional rush of worshippers during Ramadan.
Mosque officials have been instructed to keep the mosques tidy and ensure adequate supplies of power and water during the holy month to meet the requirements of the increased number of Muslims who go for Taraweeh, which follows the regular Isha prayers. Midnight prayers, (Qiyamul Layl) will be conducted from 1 a.m. from the 20th day of Ramadan until the end of the holy month.
Mosque maintenance crews have been asked to be on duty at nights to guarantee continuous water and power supply to all the places of worship. It’s a big job. The department maintains nearly 1,000 mosques in Riyadh alone. In remote areas, some mosques were constructed by philanthropists who also provide for their maintenance.
Partitions for women are being built inside mosques lacking separate prayer halls for both sexes. Some of the mosques are busy replacing old carpets with new ones while others are being renovated to give them a fresh facelift during the holy month. “Everyone likes to come to the mosques for prayers during the holy month; therefore, we expect a larger congregation for Taraweeh prayers,” said Abdul Aziz, imam in a mosque in Nasseriyah, Riyadh. He added that the holy month not only affords a good opportunity for Muslims to greet one another but also to perform good deeds that will be richly rewarded by God.
“We are making every effort to give the worshippers a conducive environment to offer their prayers at the mosque with serenity and sanctity,” the imam said. Tents are being constructed adjacent to the mosques to enable worshippers to break their fast during the month. Arrangements have been made for all those who come for Maghrib prayers during Ramadan to have their breakfast in these cozy tents. Refreshments for iftar are provided either by the mosques or by area donors.
A maintenance contractor who looks after mosques in the Aziziya district told Arab News that his company has instructed its labor force to work at the mosques late into the night during the month.
“These laborers are expected to keep the places of worship neat and tidy, ensure a reliable supply of water and power and illuminate them,” the contractor said.
