Saudi Arabia launches special prayer rooms for women at Grand Mosque

Saudi Arabia’s General Authority for the Care of the Affairs of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque has allocated special prayer rooms for women within the Grand Mosque during the holy month of Ramzan.

These spaces are fully equipped to offer a serene and accommodating environment for female worshippers.

Among the services provided inside these prayer areas are:

• Healthcare support, with emergency teams on standby.
• A lost and found service for quick retrieval of personal items.
• Quran memorisation and recitation correction sessions to assist women in their spiritual journey.
• Daily iftar meals for fasting women.
• Translated copies of the Quran for non-Arabic speakers.

Furthermore, guidance and counselling services on religious matters and rituals are available, helping women perform their acts of worship correctly. The mosque authorities have also implemented organised entry and exit procedures to ease movement within the prayer areas and corridors.

In a bid to enhance accessibility, special prayer rooms for people with disabilities have been established, complete with wheelchair-friendly pathways to ensure ease of movement within the mosque premises.

Over 200 smart screens deployed to monitor pilgrim movement in Makkah

In parallel with these initiatives, Makkah’s Control Center has deployed more than 200 smart wall screens to oversee and manage pilgrim movement during the busy Umrah season. These high-tech surveillance systems play a critical role in monitoring security operations across the holy city.

The Control Center supervises security measures at 11 main entrances to Makkah and over eight key security checkpoints, ensuring that pilgrims enter and exit smoothly and safely.

Security operations are meticulously coordinated across seven specialised security sectors, allowing for real-time monitoring and rapid response to any situation.

In addition, live surveillance feeds cover all districts and neighbourhoods of Makkah, with real-time data transmitted to the operations room within the Grand Mosque. This system enables direct coordination with the Security Operations Center at the Grand Mosque and the Unified Operations Center 911, ensuring seamless communication and swift action when required.

Operating 24/7, the technologically advanced centre works closely with security personnel to monitor crowds, manage pilgrim flows, and enforce security plans, thereby safeguarding the safety and well-being of all worshippers.