Over 9,000 Mosques at Holy sites get new look

Madina, Dec. 6, GNA - Over 9,076 Mosques at Holy sites of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have been given a new look for this year's Hajj season that has already seen over one million pilgrims arriving in the Kingdom from various parts of the world.

Three expert groups of technicians have been detailed to work around the clock to ensure no breakdown of the infrastructure including electricity and water supply to the sites.

The Director of Islamic Affairs, Abdul-Rahman Al-Hazemy who stated this at Mecca, said copies of the Holy Quran and prayer carpets had also been provided at all the completed mosque projects. Mr. Al-Hazemy said the Ministry had completed the emergency exit project in Nimrah Mosque in Arafat while electricity cables in women's bathrooms at Miqat Al-Sail Al Kabir have also been laid. He said the Ministry's projects included rebuilding of a number of rooms and passes in the Al-Kheef Mosgue in Mina as well as paving of roads for the Miqat Al-Jehafa at Rabegh.

He said besides the eastern yards of Arafat and Al-Meshar Al-Haram Mosque in Muszda-lifah, a small apartment had been built next to the Al-Kheef Mosgue for Imams.

Mr Al-Hazemy said: "We will collect all the copies of old Qurans and replace them with new ones published at King Fadh Quran Printing Complex at Madina."

He noted that the new measures were plans to avoid overcrowding and congestion saying the increase of the number of Mosques in the Holy Sites was a matter of priority.

Meanwhile to address the issues of congestion and overcrowding, the Ministry has built 150 new Mosques in those areas expected to have many pilgrims flocking in during rush hours and during prayer times. The Ministry has assigned about 880 Imams in the Holy areas during the Hajj season with each Mosque having a religious scholar besides the Imam.

From: Abdulai Mamudu Gariba, GNA Special Correspondent, Madina, Courtesy Ministry of Culture and Information, Saudi Kingdom and Ministry of Information, Ghana