MADINAH: Pilgrims filled souvenir shops in Madinah, leading businesses to flourish and prices to soar. Most of the shops in the central area of the holy city registered the highest influx of shoppers wanting to carry souvenirs for their friends and loved ones back home.

Shop owners say that most shoppers buy copies of the Holy Qur’an, Islamic recordings, carpets, artifacts, garments and electrical appliances.

A number of the pilgrims spoke to Arab News about the gifts they bought from Madinah. Pervez Anwar from Pakistan said that he always buys carpets, copies of the Qur’an, and different kinds of artifacts as gifts to family and relatives on his way back.

Many pilgrims said that Pakistanis usually prefer to go home with dates, carpets, rosaries and light electronic devices.

Egyptian Hassan Nahar said that he was keen on buying numerous gifts for his sons. “My sons like to listen to voice recordings by the main readers at the Two Holy Mosques,” he said, adding that he makes sure he doesn’t go home without an Oud, incense and light artifacts as well as small electrical appliances.