Cairo: Saudi and foreign officials attended the annual washing of the Holy Kaaba at the Grand Mosque, Islam’s holiest site in Mecca.
They were led on Wednesday by Deputy Governor of Mecca region Prince Badr bin Sultan deputiسing for Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz.
The official participated in the customary washing of the Kaaba from inside, using a mixture of the Zamzam water and rose water with other perfumes in wiping the wall of the cube-shaped structure from inside.
The mixture is usually prepared earlier before the occasion by the General Presidency for Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques in Mecca and Medina.
Footage in Saudi media showed the official and the invitees surrounded by security personnel as they headed to the holy site. Muslims around the world direct to Kaaba in their prayers.
The ceremonial washing was carried out two weeks after the replacement of the kiswa or cloth cover of the Kaaba, another annual event.
Millions of Muslims flock to Saudi Arabia, home to Islam’s holiest sites, to perform annual Hajj pilgrimage and Umrah or lesser pilgrimage.
The Umrah season got underway two weeks ago, timed with the start of the Islamic lunar Hijri year.
It followed Hajj that was attended in July by around 1.8 million Muslims for the first time in three years after pandemic-related restrictions were lifted.
Saudi Arabia expects around 10 million Muslims from abroad to do Umrah during the current season.
In recent months, Saudi Arabia has unveiled a host of facilities for overseas Muslims to come to the country to do Umrah.
Muslims holding different types of entry visas such as the personal, visit and tourist visas are allowed to undertake Umrah and visit Al Rawda Al Sharifa, where the tomb of the Prophet Mohammad (Peace Be Upon Him) is located at the Prophet’s Mosque in Medina.
