Ramadan rituals, itikaf and iftar suppers, to be again allowed in two Mosques of Makkah and Madinah

Ramadan rituals, itikaf and iftar suppers, to be again allowed in two Mosques of Makkah and Madinah
April 2, 2022, 6:17 am

Customary communal Ramadan rituals including itikaf or secluded devotion, and iftar suppers will be allowed again in the two holy mosques in Makkah and Madinah (File photo: Pixabay)

The Arab News reported, after two years of COVID-19 restrictions, the two holy mosques in Makkah and Madinah will again allow customary communal Ramadan rituals including itikaf or secluded devotion, and iftar suppers — a return to normalcy welcomed by citizens and residents.

The decision was announced on March 22 by Sheikh Abdulrahman Al-Sudais, head of the General Presidency for the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques, on Twitter @ReasahAlharmain: “We are glad to announce the return of Itikaf in Haramain (two sanctuaries). It will be applied according to specific criteria, and permits will be available through the official website of the presidency soon.”

Itikaf takes place over the last 10 days of Ramadan when worshippers go into seclusion and devote their time to prayer and reading the Qur’an. It starts from the sunset of the 20th day of Ramadan and ends when the Eid moon is sighted. In itikaf, worshipers live and sleep in the mosques and only leave for ablutions.

Saudi Arabia’s Supreme Court has called on all Muslims throughout the Kingdom to sight the crescent moon of the holy month of Ramadan on Friday evening 01-04-2022 (File photo: Pixabay)

Before COVID-19, worshipers were welcomed at the two holy mosques for iftar by philanthropists who provide iftar sufras or meals at specific locations. The distribution of iftar meals was allowed last year in Ramadan but this year on Jan. 13, Al-Sudais announced the return of communal iftar sufras at the two mosques.

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Two thousand permits have been issued to those interested in this form of charity. For some Saudi families, providing iftar meals at the same spot in the precincts of the mosques, have been passed down through the generations.

Meanwhile, the general presidency is set to launch several programs to provide services for worshipers during Ramadan. Over 12,000 workers will be serving in Makkah’s grand mosque, with the third expansion used at full capacity.

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Crowd control measures have been instituted, with prayer areas designated for people with disabilities and the elderly.

Source: arabnews

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