Worshippers, pilgrims in Saudi Arabia's Grand Mosque surge to record 4m in one day

During the current sacred month of Ramadan, the Grand Mosque in Mecca, Islam's holiest site, experienced unprecedented numbers of worshippers and pilgrims, with over 4 million gathering on a single day. On Wednesday, the 26th day of Ramadan, the mosque saw 3.4 million worshippers, setting a new attendance record according to official reports.

Ghazi Al Shahrani, CEO of the General Authority for Care of Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques, confirmed the record-breaking figures, noting that on the 26th day and the night of the 27th, around 800,000 pilgrims and 3.4 million worshippers visited the mosque.

Detailed figures show significant attendance at each prayer time: approximately 703,000 at Fajr (dawn), 614,300 at Dhuhr (noon), 643,900 at Asr (afternoon), 740,100 at Maghreb (sunset), and 740,100 at Isha (night).

Ramadan, a month of intense worship, is expected to conclude on Saturday. Throughout this period, hundreds of thousands of Muslims, both local and international, gather at the Grand Mosque for prayers and Umrah, the minor pilgrimage. Saudi authorities have implemented measures to manage the influx and ensure comfort for worshippers, including designated entry gates.

The numbers of visitors typically surge during the final days of Ramadan, reflecting the significance and spiritual intensity of this period for Muslims worldwide.