MAKKAH — The Director of the Female Guides Affairs Unit in the Grand Mosque Sheikh Adel Al-Hamdan said the unit has a qualified female cadre to guide women visitors to the Grand Mosque on the etiquette one should observe in and outside the mosque. They advise women visitors on some Shariah matters and the places allocated for them. They advise, guide and call the women to Allah with kind persuasion at several locations in the Grand Mosque. For example, there are female guides in the Holy Qur'an Section who monitor the Qur'an shelves where copies of the Qur'an are kept so as to keep them well arranged and clean in the women's prayer areas. Female guides in the Gates Section politely advise women carrying bags to keep them in the lockers in the courtyards of the Grand Mosque. As to the female guides in the cleaning section, they supervise the cleaning of the women's prayer areas and restrooms. The female guides in the courtyards section organize the women's rows in the prayer areas allotted for women. They prevent women from blocking or praying in the passages. Al-Hamdan said the plan is being carried out by over 900 fulltime and seasonal female guides. The Presidency for the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques trains and qualifies them to deal kindly with women visitors and pilgrims. A program was carried out this year in the female students' section in the community college and adult education in Umm Al-Qura University. They also received training courses in English language and computers. The presidency provides a number of services to physically challenged individuals including allotting special entrances for worshipers using wheelchairs. These gates include King Abdulaziz, the new Ajyad, Hunain and Al-Safa gates apart from Al-Arqam and Al-Marwah escalators; and Al-Marwah, 74, 84 and 94 gates. Several other escalators and elevators are located at various points in the Grand Mosque. Copies of the Holy Qur'an in Braille are also provided. Al-Hamdan mentioned that female visitors should wear the Hijab. They should not jostle with men at the Black Stone, Al-Multazim (main door of the Ka'ba) and Maqam (Station) Ibrahim. They should also pray in the areas earmkarked for women.
