Saudi Arabia to increase Mecca Grand Mosque capacity for Umrah in Ramadan
April 7, 2021, 8:55 am

Saudi Arabia to increase Mecca Grand Mosque capacity for Umrah in Ramadan

Muslims, keeping a safe social distance, perform Umrah at the Grand Mosque after Saudi authorities ease the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) restrictions, in the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia. (Reuters)

Saudi Arabia’s General Presidency for the Affairs of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque has decided to increase the capacity of the Grand Mosque in Mecca to 50,000 Umrah performers and 100,000 worshippers per day during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan for those who are vaccinated, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported on Tuesday.

This decision will go into effect on the first day of Ramadan, which is expected to begin on April 13, while adhering to the Kingdom’s COVID-19 precautionary and preventive measures, SPA said.

Saudi Arabia will grant permits for those wishing to perform Umrah or visit the Holy sites during Ramadan on the condition they are vaccinated, according to a statement from the Kingdom’s Ministry of Hajj and Umrah.

The ministry specified that those wishing to receive the permits must have taken two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine and based on their immunized status on the Tawakkalna app. It specified that this also applies to a person who has been vaccinated 14 days after receiving the first dose or a vaccinated person who has recovered from being infected.

Saudi Arabia on Tuesday reported 792 new coronavirus cases, bringing the total number of cases to 394,169, according to the Ministry of Health.

The death toll rose to 6,711 after seven new deaths were reported.

source: Reem Krimly

Image source: Reuters

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
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Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”