Pilgrim reception centers in Madinah have recorded the arrival of 120,432 pilgrims after Haj. Pilgrims arrived via Prince Mohammad bin Abdulaziz International Airport and through roads. Around 600,000 pilgrims are expected to arrive in Madinah.

A Ministry of Haj report said that most of the pilgrims are from Bangladesh, Iran, Sudan and Egypt. There are 3,600 pilgrims from Bangladesh, 2,970 from Iran, 2,561 from Sudan and 2,121 from Egypt.

The counseling centers at the ministry’s branch in Madinah have received 143 inquiries, 176 guidance requests and eight missing persons’ cases. The monitoring and surveillance committees recorded 174 collection cases and 27 cases of departure.

Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Albejaoa, director of the Haj Ministry’s branch in the region, has announced that the branch will continue to function during the post-pilgrimage season via its various offices.

Albejaoa noted that the departments, committees and service centers are working with utmost professionalism and seriousness to ensure positive results that are as successful as those recorded during the pilgrimage period.

Meanwhile, commercial centers and markets in Madinah are once again witnessing high activity with the return of pilgrims. Various businesses and markets, particularly the shops selling gift items, dates, watches, and garments in the areas surrounding the Prophet’s Mosque, have attracted a large number of pilgrims and visitors to the Prophet’s Mosque, who have been purchasing various goods, gifts, and memorabilia prior to returning to their home countries.

According to shopkeeper Abu Radwan, there has been a high sale of beads, which represent one of the traditional items made by skilled craftsmen using silver jewelry and precious stones. Beads are being sold for hundreds of riyals, he said.

Saber, a Yemeni garment salesman, noted a high volume of sales during the pilgrimage season thanks to pilgrim demand, especially those from neighboring Arab countries and non-Arab African countries. Customers, he says, are looking for warm clothing to prepare for the onset of winter.