JEDDAH: About 1,000 students from various secondary schools in Makkah participated in a voluntary campaign to clean the Grand Mosque on Sunday.
The boys, who were supervised by 96 cleaning officials from the Presidency of Holy Mosques Affairs, cleaned the mataf (the courtyard on which worshippers circumambulate the Kaaba), carpets and the points where Zamzam water is available in the mosque. They also polished metal trimmings around the prayer complex.
In another development, the Presidency of the Two Holy Mosques Affairs unveiled its plan for this year’s Umrah season.
“The plan is aimed at creating an atmosphere that is perfectly suitable for worship inside the Grand Mosque and its precincts. The plan will ensure that all usual services to pilgrims are provided in coordination with related departments,” said Vice President of the Presidency of the Two Holy Mosques Muhammad Al-Khuzaim.
He said 4,020 people are working under the presidency. “While 1,800 people, including women, are working as regular staff, there are 400 seasonal hands and 1,820 laborers,” he said. He added that more multilingual teachers and muftis would be employed for this year’s season, and that as the expansion of the Masaa has been completed, work on the northward expansion of the mosque’s courtyard would be undertaken this year.
The other tasks to be completed by the presidency before the Umrah season begins include increasing the number of Zamzam taps in place of water drums, completing the process of naming gates along the Masaa, and placing more sign boards inside and outside the mosque. “Your Are Here” location maps will also be updated and more studies on crowd movement are to be conducted, he said.
Al-Khuzaim also called on Umrah pilgrims and visitors to the Grand Mosque to refrain from actions that violate the sanctity of the Grand Mosque such as smoking.
He said pilgrims would not be allowed to bring food, drinks and baggage into the mosque, and urged people not to perform ablution at Zamzam drinking points and not to fill bottles at such places to avoid spilling fluids on the marble.
The official also urged worshippers not to sleep inside the mosque, cooperate in keeping it clean, place shoes on racks and discard of rubbish in garbage bins.
He also welcomed suggestions. Members of the public, including pilgrims, can submit their suggestions directly to the presidency’s office, via fax (02573 9992) or through the presidency’s website.
