Masjid al-Haram

Source : Arab news / 28 June 2013

The ongoing expansion of the mataf (the circumambulation area around the Kaaba) will double the hourly capacity of the area from 48,000 pilgrims to 105,000 pilgrims after its completion in three years.

The expansion project, ordered by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah, is expected to be completed in October 2015. It will accommodate more worshippers when the capacity in the other parts of the Grand Mosque rises to 2.5 million people following the completion of the entire expansion project.

Source : Agencies | 11 Dec 2012

Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz has ordered the preservation of the Ottoman portico within the Masjid al-Haram (Grand Mosque) in Mecca during a project to expand the prayer area in the mosque, a Turkish daily reported on Sunday.

The project will increase the size of the mosque to 500,000 square meters, doubling its current size. However, there have been debates as to whether the historic Ottoman portico within the Masjid al-Haram (Grand Mosque) in Mecca will be demolished as part of the project or not.

Source : Arab News | 16 Nov 2012

Preliminary work for the expansion of the mataf (the circumambulation area around the Kaaba) started yesterday with the installation of huge cranes at the northeastern courtyard of the Grand Mosque. The contractor undertaking the expansion has sought the evacuation of preachers’ offices in the mataf and the command office of the Haram Security forces close to Al-Safa Gate.

The expansion is being undertaken on the basis of a study prepared by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Institute for Haj and Umrah Studies.

Source : Agencies | 22 Oct 2012

More than a million Hajj pilgrims flocked to the Holy Kaaba in Mecca, Saudi Arabia on Friday to join in the last Friday prayers before their visit to the Plain of Arafat next week. Muslim pilgrims from all over the world met Kaaba for the Friday prayer.

By Jassim Abuzaid | 18 Oct 2012

The General Presidency of the Two Holy Mosques Affairs handed in the new Kiswa (Kaaba's cover) to the senior gatekeeper of the Kabaa yesterday in Makkah.

Sheikh Abdurrahman Al-Sudais, chief of the general presidency, handed in the Kiswa to Sheikh Abdul Qadir Al-Shaibi in order to put it on the Kaaba on the 9th of Dul Hijja (Oct. 25), as is the annual custom.

By Nadim Al-Hamid | 06 Oct 2012

Since Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) handed over the key to the Kaaba to Othman bin Talha, the prophet’s companion’s lineage sons have been inheriting it and the title Sadin of the Kaaba until today.

The Sadin is the keeper of the Kaaba’s key.

“Sadins are originally members of the Al-Shaibi family whose history can be traced to pre-Islamic period,” said Sadin Nizar Al-Shaibi.

The family’s history in key keeping goes back to the days of Prophet Ibrahim, peace be upon him, according to Al-Shaibi.

Source : Arab News | 04 Sept 2012

A 23-meter high arch is currently being constructed along the Makkah-Jeddah Expressway to indicate the Haram boundary of Makkah, so that people will know the exact limits of the Haram area.

In statements published by business daily Al-Eqtisadiah yesterday, construction supervisor Muhammad Eid said the base of the Shariah arch had been completed, and work was now progressing on the three columns on which the arch would be built. “Work on the construction of the arch will be completed mid-October,” he added.

Source : Arab News | 11 Aug 2012

A new plan of operation for effectively managing crowds during the Haj and Umrah seasons will divide the areas close to the Haram Mosque to three zones.

“The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Institute for Haj Research prepared the plan for crowd management in the Central Zone around the Makkah Haram area. According to the plan, the Grand Mosque, the external courtyards, and the roads leading to the Grand Mosque will be considered three separate zones,” Vice President of Academic Affairs Muhammad Idris said in a statement.

Source : Al Arabiya | 03 Aug 2012

Since it came into being and till now, it is still one of the mysteries of history. It is the door of the Kaaba. There is no documentation of its initial shape or what its builders looked like. There is, however, one indisputable historical fact: the Kaaba had two doors for a long time.

Source : Arab News | Makkah | 23 Jul 2012

Sheikh Abdul Rahman Al-Sudais, head of the Presidency for the Two Holy Mosques, said the capacity of the Grand Mosque has been increased to accommodate an additional 200,000 people.

The ground floor of the King Abdullah Expansion Project for worship was opened, increasing the mosque’s capacity.

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah has issued directives to make partial use of the project from last Friday, the first day of Ramadan.