Over 4.2M worshippers pray at Grand Mosque on 27th night of Ramzan

Riyadh: More than 4.2 million worshippers and pilgrims thronged the Grand Mosque in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, on Wednesday night, March 26 (27th night of Ramzan 1446 AH), a night widely believed to be Laylatul Qadr (The Night of Power).

According to Arabic channel Al Ekhbariya, the Grand Mosque recorded an unprecedented 800,000 pilgrims and 3.4 million worshippers on the 26th day of Ramzan and the night of the 27th.

Breakdown of worshippers attending prayers:

• Fajr prayer – 703,000
• Dhuhr prayer – 614,300
• Asr prayer – 643,900
• Maghreb prayer – 740,100
• Isha prayer – 740,100

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Videos and images circulating on social media showcased the overwhelming number of worshippers filling every corner of the Grand Mosque and its courtyards. Many had gathered to perform Isha, Taraweeh, and Qiyam Al-Layl prayers on this spiritually significant night.

Enhanced operations to manage crowds

To facilitate smooth movement inside the Grand Mosque, authorities implemented extensive operational plans, including:

• Prepared the Mataf (circumambulation area) to accommodate 107,000 pilgrims per hour
• Deployment of 428 escalators, 28 elevators, and a 1,300-speaker modern audio system
• Cooling systems provided 90,000 tons of power to maintain a comfortable atmosphere.

Authorities have also equipped 428 escalators and 28 elevators and modern audio systems including 1,300 speakers, in addition to providing power sources with a capacity of up to 90,000 tons to cool the Grand Mosque.

The crowd surges even more in the final days of Ramzan.

Umrah holds immense significance in Ramzan. Many Muslims believe that performing Umrah in this holy month carries the merit of Haj.

With the holy month drawing to a close, the final days of Ramzan 1446 AH continue to see record-breaking numbers of pilgrims in Makkah. The month is expected to conclude on Saturday, March 29.