During the last decade of the holy month of Ramadan, there is an opportunity to perform Itikaaf at Masjid al-Haram and Masjid al-Nabawi located in Makkah and Madinah in Saudi Arabia. However, the registration has to be done subject to the prescribed conditions for Itikaaf. And this year, Saudi Arabia has doubled the number of Muslims who perform Itikaaf in the Holy Mosque. This information was given in a report on Saturday (March 23).
According to reports, the number of Muslim worshipers allowed to perform itikaf, or solitary worship, at Mecca’s Grand Mosque this Ramadan has doubled to 6,000, a Saudi official said.
This year, the authority in charge of the Grand Mosque in Makkah has allocated three floors for the Itikaf pilgrims, said Abdul Mohsen Al Ghamdi, head of the mosque’s guidance and counseling department.
Compared to last year, the number of authorized Itikaf pilgrims has increased two times to 6,000. One thousand of them are women. Last year, the number of Itikaf was 3000. However, due to efficient management and planning, the number of Itikaf participants has increased by 100 percent this year.
Registration for Itikaf at Masjidul Haram has started on March 17, i.e., from 7 Ramadan. Registration is being done through the authority’s website. The General Authority for Care of the Two Holy Mosques said that the registration will continue until the designated places for Itikaf in the mosque are filled.
However, some conditions have been imposed regarding Itikaaf in Masjid al-Haram. One of these is that the age of the applicant for Itikaaf cannot be less than 18 years. And on the 20th of Ramadan, the appointed time for Itikaaf should be in Masjidul Haram.
Following the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), a Muslim stays in the mosque only for the purpose of worship and to get close to Allah. In the last decade of the holy month of Ramadan, Itikaf is to be observed in the mosque. It should be noted that the holy month of Ramadan started in Saudi Arabia on March 11 this year.
