Free Wi-Fi in Saudi Arabia’s Makkah Haram courtyard

Pilgrims and visitors to the Grand Mosque in Makkah can take advantage of free Wi-Fi service in the courtyards of the mosque.

This is part of a series of technological services being introduced by the Presidency for the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques for the benefit of the faithful, according to Bandar Al-Khuzaim, director of the information technology center at the presidency.

Al-Khuzaim said the free Wi-Fi service in the courtyards of the Grand Mosque aims at establishing online contacts between the presidency staff and worshippers.

The presidency staff will use this popular wireless networking technology to send guidance and awareness text messages to pilgrims and visitors to the Grand Mosque, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Tuesday.

Al-Khuzaim said the presidency will also make available Bluetooth service for worshippers in the mataf (circumambulation area around the Holy Kaaba) so that those who perform tawaf can know the number of rounds of circumambulation that they have finished. This service is being introduced in cooperation with the technological innovation center at Umm Al-Qura University of Makkah.

“The presidency has also introduced the issuing and renewal of online booking of iftar meals at the Grand Mosque. Both individuals and firms can take advantage of this service to donate iftar meals for worshippers,” he said.

Al-Khuzaim announced that a new facility has been introduced for the electronic registration for performing itikaf (seclusion in the mosque to worship Allah) in six languages. They are Arabic, English, French, Urdu, Turkish and Persian.

A similar online facility is available for those who want to visit the Grand Mosque Exhibition and the Kaaba cover (kiswa) factory, he added.