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Makkah: Occupancy in hotels in Makkah this Ramadan has declined by about 30 per cent, Dr Osama Fadl Al Bar, the Mayor of Makkah, has said.
The mayor said there was no truth in reports appearing in a section of the press, saying hotel rates have increased exorbitantly in the city during this Ramadan.
Dr Al Bar, who is also a member of the Central Haj Committee, told reporters that reduced occupancy in hotels was mainly due to the fact that Umrah pilgrims have mostly opted to stay in residential buildings and apartments situated at a distance from the Grand Mosque.
Dr Al Bar said out of the total of 2.87 million Umrah pilgrims, 2.39 million have returned to their countries. This means only 480,732 are still in Saudi Arabia and many of them are visiting the Prophet's Mosque in Madinah.
Embassies of the Kingdom worldwide issued about 3.3 million Umrah visas this year, he said.
Regular bus services
Dr Al Bar said most pilgrims from inside the kingdom do not stay in hotel accommodations. They bring all their daily requirements with them and stay in apartments and buildings in areas such as Aziziya, Misphala and Sharae Mansour districts.
These places are well-connected with regular bus services and therefore the pilgrims have no difficulty commuting to the Grand Mosque, Dr Al Bar explained.
Some pilgrims prefer to end their fast and offer Taraweeh prayers in the Grand Mosque and that is the time when the roads leading to the Grand Mosque are crowded, he added
Late-night prayers
Meanwhile, the Presidency for the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques entrusted Shaikhs Abdul Rahman Al Sudais, Adil Al Kalbani, Maher Al Muaqali, Abdullah Al Jahni and Saud Al Shuraim for leading the Qiyam-ul Lail (late night) prayers, from yesterday.
Al Sudais, Al Kalbani and Al Muaqali will take over the leading of prayers for the first few nights of the last 10 days of Ramadan. Thereafter, all five will take turns.
Al Shuraim, Al Jahni and Al Kalbani will lead the Tarawih prayers on the first nights of the last 10 days of Ramadan.
During the final few days of the month, Fajr prayer will be led by Shaikh Saleh Bin Humaid, Dhuhr by Shaikh Osama Khiyat, Asr by Shaikh Khalid Al Ghamdi, Maghreb by Shaikh Al Sudais and Isha prayers by Shaikh Salih Aal Talib.
Eid Al Fitr prayers will be led by Dr Shaikh Saleh Bin Humaid.
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