Cairo: The Saudi holy city of Medina, home to Islam’s second holiest site, has prepared itself to receive thousands of Muslims who have performed the annual Hajj pilgrimage in and around Mecca.
The Medina mayoralty said it has mobilised more than 9,900 workers to ensure top-notch services and comfort for the faithful flocking to the city to visit and pray at the Prophet’s Mosque.
The mayoralty said that by means of this mobilisation, it seeks to step up field and oversight efforts round the clock to provide services to the pilgrims including food safety and monitoring of markets, shopping centres, coffeeshops and restaurants in the city.
Early groups of the faithful, who completed Hajj rites, started arriving in Medina.
More than 70,000 pilgrims are expected to reach the city on Saturday and Sunday, according to the Saudi news agency SPA.
Medina is famed for the Prophet’s Mosque, which houses Al Rawda Al Sharifa where the tomb of the Prophet Mohammed (Peace Be Upon Him) is located.
Last month, the city saw the arrival of thousands of Muslims from abroad by air en route to Mecca ahead of Hajj.
After performing Hajj, many overseas pilgrims usually head to Medina to pray at the Prophet’s Mosque.
Saudi Arabia has lifted limits on the numbers and ages of pilgrims from around the world for this Hajj season, reversing earlier restrictions prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Around 1.8 million pilgrims, including 1.6 million from abroad, attended this year’s Hajj, according to Saudi official figures.
