Grand Mosque
- Middle East
Saudi Arabia wraps up Haj 2026, begins planning next season
Makkah: Saudi Arabia has concluded the Haj 2026 (1447 AH) season with the departure of the last group of pilgrims, marking the end of a large-scale operation that supported worshippers from their…
- Middle East
Inside Kaaba washing ceremony: Saudi showcases ceremonial tools
Makkah: Saudi Arabia has unveiled a specially designed toolkit used during the annual washing of the Holy Kaaba, highlighting the Kingdom’s efforts to preserve one of Islam’s oldest traditions while enhancing services…
- Middle East
Watch: Ceremonial washing of Kaaba held at Makkah’s Grand Mosque
Makkah: The annual ceremonial washing of the Holy Kaaba was held on Tuesday, June 30, at the Grand Mosque in Makkah, continuing one of Islam’s oldest and most revered traditions. On behalf…
- Middle East
Saudi Arabia to hold annual washing of Kaaba on June 30
Makkah: Saudi Arabia will hold the annual washing of the Holy Kaaba on Tuesday, June 30, corresponding to the 15th of Muharram, as one of the most significant religious ceremonies associated with…
- Middle East
Makkah: Saudi Arabia announces Hateem entry timings
Makkah: Saudi Arabia has announced designated entry timings for worshippers wishing to offer voluntary prayers in the Hateem, also known as Hijr Ismail, the semi-circular area adjacent to the Holy Kaaba inside…
- Middle East
Kaaba Kiswah changed as new Islamic year 1448 begins
Makkah: The Kiswah of the Kaaba (Ghilaf-e-Kaaba) at the Grand Mosque in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, has been changed in an intricate annual ritual. The ceremony took place Tuesday morning, June 16, the…
- Middle East
New Kiswah ready for annual replacement of Kaaba
Makkah: Saudi Arabia has completed the new Kiswah, the black silk covering of the Holy Kaaba, ahead of its annual replacement at the Grand Mosque in Makkah with the start of the…
- Middle East
Saudi Arabia: Over 11 million pilgrims perform Umrah in Q4 2025
Makkah: Saudi Arabia recorded more than 11 million Umrah performers during the fourth quarter (Q4) of 2025, reflecting sustained demand for pilgrimage travel and religious tourism across the Kingdom. According to a…
- Middle East
Saudi Arabia suspends 21 Umrah companies over poor performance
Makkah: Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Haj and Umrah has suspended 21 Umrah service companies after performance evaluations revealed shortcomings in service quality and breaches of regulations governing the sector. The ministry said…
- Middle East
Saudi Arabia warns of SR 100,000 fines, 10-year ban for Haj permit violations
Makkah: Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Interior (MoI) has announced stringent penalties for individuals attempting to perform Haj without a permit, as well as for those facilitating such violations, ahead of the 1447…
- Middle East
Overstaying Umrah visas in Saudi Arabia may lead to jail, fines
Riyadh: Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Haj and Umrah has issued updated guidelines to streamline the departure of Umrah pilgrims as the season draws to a close, while reiterating strict penalties for visa…
- Middle East
Video: Umrah pilgrim prays on glass barrier inside Grand Mosque, security intervenes
Makkah: Saudi Arabia’s Public Security said authorities in Makkah intervened after a pilgrim was seen praying from the top of a glass barrier inside the Grand Mosque. The Special Forces for Haj…
- Middle East
Two Holy Mosques witness huge turnout on 27th night of Ramzan
A large congregation of worshippers gathered at the Grand Mosque in Makkah and the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah on Sunday night, March 16, marking the 27th night of Ramzan 1447 AH/2026, widely…
- Middle East
Saudi Arabia sets deadline for issuing Umrah visas
Makkah: Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Haj and Umrah has announced the final deadlines for issuing Umrah visas, as well as the entry and departure of pilgrims, as the current Umrah season 1447…
- Middle East
Photos: Aerial view of Makkah’s Grand Mosque during Ramzan’s last ten nights
Aerial photographs released by the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) capture the Grand Mosque in Makkah filled with worshippers during the last ten nights of Ramzan, one of the most spiritually significant periods…
