Special services for Mutakifs in Prophet's Mosque MAKKAH/MADINA – Over two million people offered Friday prayers in the Grand Mosque in Makkah and the Prophet's Mosque in Madina. At the Prophet's Mosque, more than half a million worshippers performed Friday prayer. Here the authorities are introducing a set of integrated services with the efforts of about 15,000 cadres from security bodies, Prophet's Mosque Affairs authority, Ministry of Haj, and Madina Mayor's Office, in addition to health care seasonal facilities. They all work within the Central Zone. Prince Muhammad Bin Abdul Aziz International Airport Thursday received 39 international flights carrying tens of thousands of visitors who are being offered round-the-clock medical services through 10 health facilities. The Madina Environmental health Authority has increased its inspections over restaurants during the past few days – especially places within the Central Zone where food is sold to mosque's visitors. Meanwhile, the director of Public Relations and Information at the Presidency of the Prophet's Mosque Affairs, said 40,000 Mutakifs are expected to be sitting in seclusion (Itikaf) in Haram for the rest of holy month. He said a program for Mutakifs has been completed and involves signing of an undertaking – written in Arabic, Urdu and English – that includes certain instructions such as not bringing anything other than a pillow and a blanket inside the Haram, not hanging cloths on the mosque's walls and be committed to the location allocated for Mutakifs to the north of the latest expansion. The official said gates were allocated for the entry and exit of Mutakifs as 10,000 lockers were provided to them.
