MAKKAH/JEDDAH, 6 October 2007 — More than three million faithful attended prayers at the two holy mosques in Makkah and Madinah yesterday, which is likely to be the last Friday of this Ramadan. Many of them came seeking the blessings of Lailat Al-Qadr (the Night of Power).
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah, Crown Prince Sultan and other top officials are in Makkah to supervise the services being rendered by government agencies to worshippers. No major security incidents have been reported in the two holy cities.
Dr. Saleh Bin-Humaid, an imam of the Grand Mosque and chairman of the Shoura Council, led the Juma prayer in Makkah. “This is a month of retrospection and we have to review our past life in order to begin a new life,” he told the faithful while delivering the Juma sermon.
“If we don’t have strong determination and sincere intention for change our self assessment will be weak and meaningless,” the imam said. “This blessed month provides for the Muslim nation and individuals an opportunity for reform and change,” he added.
Bin-Humaid resounded the recent call of the Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdul Aziz Al-Asheikh to Saudi youth when he urged them not to run after the calls of jihad by dubious foreign groups, driven by their religious passion.
Bin-Humaid said the foreign groups were instigating Muslim youths, including Saudis, to fulfill their vested interests and create chaos on Earth. “They have exploited their passion and made them time bombs ... and they make political gains by using these youths as scapegoats,” he pointed out.
The imam said many foreign jihadists were working to create division among Muslims and kill innocent people. “Thoughts of takfir (declaring opponents infidels) and taqteel (killing each other) have sprouted even among members of a single family,” he pointed out.
Bin-Humaid called upon Muslims to review their lives in the light of Islamic teachings and engage in righteous deeds, competing with one another.
The Grand Mosque in Makkah, which can hold nearly a million people, overflowed with worshippers as thousands stood in the streets leading to the mosque to join taraweeh and qiyamullail prayers.
Many had come to perform Umrah during Ramadan. According to a saying of the Prophet (peace be upon him), Umrah during Ramadan is equal to a Haj in reward.
The Holy Qur’an has said that Lailat Al-Qadr is better than a thousand months, and that on this night the angels descend to Earth. The Prophet said: “Whoever establishes the prayers on the Night of Power out of sincere faith and hoping to attain Allah’s rewards (not to show off) then all his past sins will be forgiven.”
Dr. Khaled ibn Qassim Al-Sumairy, director of health in Makkah, told Arab News that his department has made the necessary arrangements to extend health services to pilgrims and worshippers. “The health condition of the faithful is good as no contagious diseases have been reported among them,” he added.
Government hospitals and clinics in Makkah have provided treatment to more than 132,825 pilgrims this Ramadan, he said.
More than 2.7 million foreign pilgrims visited the Grand Mosque since the current Umrah (Lesser Pilgrimage) season started on Feb. 19, until Monday Oct. 1.
Saudi missions across the world issued 3.1 million Umrah visas during this season, registering a two percent increase in the number of pilgrims. A total of 2.7 million foreign pilgrims reached the holy city and 2.17 million pilgrims have completed their rites and left the country, according to the latest report issued by the the Central Haj Committee.
