Health and safety tips for Muslim pilgrims

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Pilgrims at the Grand Mosque in Makkah. (SPA)
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Umrah pilgrims pose for a souvenir picture at the Grand Mosque in Makkah. (SPA)
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A night scene at the Prophet's Mosque in Madinah. (SPA)
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Muslims take some rest after Friday prayers at the Grand Mosque in Makkah on May 25, 2018. (REUTERS/Ahmed Jadallah)
Updated 28 May 2018
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Health and safety tips for Muslim pilgrims

  • Moving personal belongings to the Grand Mosque and its squares is prohibited.
  • Observe these tips for a hassle-free pilgrimage

Performing Umrah and praying at the Grand Mosque during Ramadan leads to a much greater movement of vehicles and pedestrians on the roads leading to the central area surrounding the Grand Mosque. This requires exceptional organizational procedures for transporting pilgrims and worshipers and managing their movements inside the Grand Mosque and on the roads leading to it.
Our goals are to maintain your safety and to facilitate your Umrah rituals with ease, tranquility and placidity.

How to reach?
The density of pedestrian traffic is very high on all roads leading to the Grand Mosque and continues for hours before, during and after prayers all the time.
To keep your safety and facilitate your way to the central area surrounding the Grand Mosque, the roads in the central area surrounding were specified for the pedestrian movement during the time of prayers. Pilgrims and worshipers are transported to the central area around the Grand Mosque and their accommodation using public transport buses from King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah and 13 parking spaces to nine other public transport stations around the Grand Mosque. 




Buses used for Umrah have designated loading and unloading areas in the holy sites. (SPA file photo)


Vehicles driven by drivers seeking to perform Umrah must park at the parking areas at entrances to Makkah and use public transport to their destination.
Traffic men are stationed at 34 locations on the roads leading to the Grand Mosque to follow up on the traffic status and take all necessary measures to keep pedestrians safe. They compel the vehicles used to transport worshipers and pilgrims to Makkah to go to public or private parking spaces. They prevent all types of vehicles from parking on the roads and in locations affecting pedestrian safety. They prevent motorbikes and bicycles from using roads in the central area, and to be used for charge-paid transportation.

You can reach the Grand Mosque using one of the following options:
Using public transport buses from King Abdulaziz International Airport to public transport stations around the Grand Mosque.
Using transport services between parking spaces inside the Holy Places and the public transport stations in the central region.
Using taxis to the nearest site of the Grand Mosque or to your place of accommodation.
Using private cars driven by non-pilgrims to the nearest site of the Grand Mosque or to your place of accommodation.
Walking from your place of accommodation in the central area and adjacent neighborhoods.

What you should know before heading to the Grand Mosque
The absorptive capacity defines the number of visitors who can perform prayers in the Grand Mosque and in its precincts. This capacity decreases when performing the “Taraweeh” and “TaHajjud” prayers to enable pilgrims to perform “Tawaaf” and “Saa’i,” requiring the evacuation of the “Mataf” and the “Masa’a.”.
Because of the large turnout of pilgrims and worshipers and with the view of maintaining their safety, all roads leading to the Grand Mosque are reserved for pedestrians before prayers and one hour or more after, according to the number of pedestrians. This period is extended to two hours during Friday prayers, and for prayers during the last 10 days of Ramadan and Fitr prayers.

How to move in the Grand Mosque and the surrounding area:
The external and internal area of the Grand Mosque is equipped with pedestrian corridors that cannot be used for sitting, waiting or praying.
Illuminated signboards: When you enter the gates you will find signboards. When they light up in green it means that you have access to the Grand Mosque through this gate, but when it lights up in red, there is no access through this door owing to congestion.




The external and internal area of the Grand Mosque is equipped with pedestrian corridors that cannot be used for sitting, waiting or praying. (SPA photo)


Safety tips:
Move calmly, abide by traffic directions, pay attention to the elderly and other worshipers and pilgrims, and follow the instructions of the security personnel.
Move slowly when heading to public transport stations immediately after the prayer. Maintain your calm and abide by the instructions of security personnel.
Avoid obstructing pedestrian traffic by gathering in the external areas of the Mosque or by stopping by street vendors.
Pilgrims cannot perform their prayers at the doors of the Grand Mosque, near the entrances and exits of escalators, on the pedestrian corridors, on the roads and streets leading to the Mosque, on the entrances and exits of car tunnels and in front of toilets.

General instructions:
Some children who are taken to the Grand Mosque lose their parents, thus there is a dire need to monitor and take good care of them. 




Parents should make sure not to leave children alone while in crowded areas where they can easily get lost. (SPA file photo)


Pilgrims and worshipers must stay away from work or maintenance areas inside and outside the Mosque. 
Smoking, begging, taking pictures, or selling goods are prohibited inside the Mosque and surrounding areas.
Electrical plugs reserved for maintenance work cannot be used for personal purposes to avoid any electrical short-circuit that may affect the signboards in the Grand Mosque.
It is prohibited to play with escalators, regular stairs or carts inside the Grand Mosque.
It is prohibited to tamper with any of the firefighting tools such as the fire extinguishers, firefighting water hoses or fire alarms.

Prohibitions:
Carrying and entering weapons and all types of sharp tools into the Grand Mosque and its squares.
Conducting any act that would affect the pilgrims and worshipers’ safety and tranquility or would hinder facilitating the performance of Tawaf, Saa’i and praying.
Entry of motorcycles and bicycles into the areas of the Grand Mosque is prohibited.
Moving personal belongings to the Grand Mosque and its squares, or suspending them on the windows of the Grand Mosque from inside and outside, or leaving them in the courtyard of the Grand Mosque. Such belongings can be kept in the boxes allocated to this end in the courtyards.


Saudi Armed Forces participate in military exercise in Turkiye

Updated 09 May 2024
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Saudi Armed Forces participate in military exercise in Turkiye

  • The field exercise phase of EFES 2024, which begins on Friday and continues until May 30, follows a command center phase that began on April 25 and ended on Wednesday

RIYADH: The Saudi Arabian Armed Forces are taking part in a multinational military exercise in the Turkish city of Izmir, the Kingdom’s Defense Ministry said on Wednesday.

Upon arrival in Turkiye ahead of the field-exercise phase of EFES 2024, the Saudi units were greeted by the military attache at the Saudi embassy in Ankara, Commodore Adel Al-Kalthami, the director of the exercise from the Kingdom, Brig. Gen. Nasser Al-Suhaimi, and officers from branches of the Armed Forces.

The exercise involves two main phases, the first of which was a command-center exercise at the Multinational War Center in Istanbul and the Joint Command Training Center in Izmir, which began on April 25 and concluded on Wednesday. The second phase, involving live-firing field exercises at Izmir’s Doganbey Firing and Exercise Area, begins on Friday and continues until May 30.

The head of the Saudi Armed Forces Education and Training Authority, Maj. Gen. Adel Al-Balawi, said participation of the nation’s forces in the exercise reflects the care and support of the Saudi leadership for the development of their capabilities and the enhancement their organizational, training and armaments skills.

The exercise provides an opportunity for forces from participating nations to exchange skills, train together in the planning and coordination of joint operations in various environments, raise their combat efficiency, and enhance military cooperation, he added.

During the exercise the Saudi units and their counterparts from other countries will carry out many field maneuvers on land and sea, including sea-landing operations, search and rescue missions, and responses to threats posed by drones, using light arms loaded with live ammunition and other weaponry, Al-Balawi said.


Saudi king, crown prince offer condolences to Brazilian president over flood victims

Updated 09 May 2024
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Saudi king, crown prince offer condolences to Brazilian president over flood victims

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s King Salman sent a message of condolences and sympathy to Brazilain President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, following the floods that swept the state of Rio Grande do Sul that killed and injured several people and left a number missing, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday.
“We learned of the news of the floods that swept through the state of Rio Grande do Sul, south of the Federal Republic of Brazil, and the resulting deaths, injuries, and missing persons,” the king said.
He added: “We share Your Excellency’s pain of this tragedy, and we send to you, to the families of the deceased, and to your friendly people, our warmest condolences and sincere sympathy, wishing that the missing will return safely and the injured a speedy recovery.”
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman also sent a similar cable to the Brazilian president.
Heavy rains and flooding in the southern state of Rio Grande do Sul since last week also have left 128 people missing, authorities said. More than 230,000 have been displaced, and much of the region has been isolated by the floodwaters.
(With AP)


Saudi crown prince, Ukrainian president discuss Russia-Ukraine conflict during call

Updated 09 May 2024
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Saudi crown prince, Ukrainian president discuss Russia-Ukraine conflict during call

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Tuesday received a phone call from Ukranian President Volodymyr Zelensky, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
During the call, they reviewed bilateral relations between the two countries and discussed several issues of common interest. 
They also discussed developments in the Ukrainian-Russian crisis and efforts to resolve the conflict.


Ithra Film Production announces new projects at film festival

Updated 08 May 2024
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Ithra Film Production announces new projects at film festival

  • The IFP seeks to highlight Saudi stories and discover new voices

DHAHRAN: The King Abdulaziz World Cultural Center, or Ithra, announced 15 new film projects this week at the 10th Saudi Film Festival, which concludes on May 9.

The Saudi film funding program selected four features and 11 short films from 170 submissions over the past year.

The entries were submitted by emerging Saudi filmmakers vying to take their concepts from the drawing board to silver screens across the globe.

Since its inception six years ago, the IFP has played a vital role in supporting Saudi Arabia’s fast-growing film industry, by nurturing home-grown talent and fostering cinematic content through commissioning and co-funding opportunities.

The IFP seeks to highlight Saudi stories and discover new voices and creative storytellers with the ultimate goal of having their films showcased on national and international platforms.

After reviewing an unprecedented number of high-quality submissions, the jury ultimately settled on the 15 films that together comprise an array of unique untold stories presented by talented storytellers who tapped into Saudi Arabia’s rich culture for ideas.

IFP also introduced a range of initiatives aimed at providing platforms for film producers, advancing standards of excellence in filmmaking and empowering new talent in the region.

Additionally, they host numerous workshops and seminars in the field of representation and production, writing and directing, among others.

Since its first film in 2018, IFP has funded 20 titles and produced four which have been showcased at 95 film festivals across the globe, winning 34 awards.

This includes “Hajjan” which most recently won three awards at the Gulf Film Festival including best feature, best actor and best cinematography.


Diriyah’s JAX District granted status of industrial heritage site

JAX is home to a striking assembly of large warehouses that once formed an important industrial center in Riyadh region.
Updated 08 May 2024
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Diriyah’s JAX District granted status of industrial heritage site

  • Recognition by Saudi Heritage Commission honors the district for its role in the evolution of industry in the Kingdom and its role in shaping society
  • District, named after the company that established it in the 1970s, contains a striking assembly of warehouses
  • When commercial tenants moved out of the district in the mid-2000s, artists moved in

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Heritage Commission has designated Diriyah’s JAX District, near Riyadh, as an industrial heritage site.

Its industrial days behind it, the district is now known as a creative arts hub in the heart of Diriyah, which is also where the UNESCO world heritage site of At-Turaif can be found.

The official recognition of its past role falls under the aims of the Industrial Heritage Preservation Program to protect and celebrate places of historical significance to the industrial sector in the Kingdom.

The designation highlights the district’s unique industrial architecture, officials said, and gives it a place alongside other sites in the Kingdom recognized for their roles in the evolution of industry in the country and its role in shaping Saudi society. Granting it heritage site status pays tribute to its history as a center for large-scale industrial projects and underscores its position as a national cultural landmark, they added.

JAX, named after the company that established the district in the 1970s, is home to a striking assembly of large warehouses that once formed an important industrial center in Riyadh region.

In the mid-2000s, commercial tenants started to move out and a group of graffiti artists began to use the walls of abandoned warehouses as their makeshift canvas. Young artists also established workshops and studios in the vacated spaces. In the years that followed, additional creative spaces, including art galleries, studios and cafes, were established, major cultural institutions opened, and office space was built for creative agencies that set up shop there.

JAX District now hosts numerous events, including the Diriyah Contemporary Art Biennale, MDLBEAST XP Music Futures, the Hia Hub fashion, beauty and style conference, and light art festival Noor Riyadh. The Saudi Arabia Museum of Contemporary Art, the first museum of its kind in the Kingdom, is also located in the district.