RIYADH – The General Presidency for the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques inSaudi Arabias has set aside special areas in the Grand Mosque in Makkah foruse by people with special needs who visit the mosque to perform regularprayers or for other rituals including Haj and Umrah, Al Arabiya hasreported.

There are three designated prayer areas for the disabled, one each forpeople with hearing impairments, the visually challenged and those withphysical disabilities.

People with physical disabilities will be given access to the specialprayer areas around the clock throughout the week while the prayer areasfor those with hearing impairment will be ready only in the morning onFridays.

While inaugurating the project recently, Sheikh Abdul Rahman al-Sudais,head of the presidency, said the initiative was within the presidency’sefforts to help the guests of God to perform their religious rituals andprayers in ease and comfort.

“We do care for people with special needs and are determined to providethem will all the services necessary to facilitate their religious rites,”he said.

The special prayer area for the physically challenged is located at theKing Fahd Expansion and can be accessed through the mosque’s Gate No. 68.The special area for people with hearing impairment can be accessed throughKing Fahd Gate or Gate No. 93.

“We designate special prayer areas for people with hearing impairment everyFriday near Gate 93 or King Fahd Gate. The areas are provided with lightedbarricades and carpets,” said Dr. Misfer Asiri, director of social serviceat the presidency, told Saudi Gazette.

A religious scholar answers questions from people with hearing disabilitieswith the help of a sign language interpreter. (Saudi Gazette)

“We serve the worshippers in the area with Zamzam water and meals. We alsoscreen videos of lessons offered by the sheikhs inside the Grand Mosque aswell as the fatwas issued by them. All the videos have subtitles in severallanguages. There is a sign language translator to interpret the Fridaysermon to people with hearing problems. He also translates questions fromthe deaf people for the sheikhs and the answers given by them. This takesplace every Friday after the Juma prayer,” Asiri said.

The presidency prints and distributes hundreds of thousands of cards withsigns and symbols for non-Arabic speakers with hearing impairment, saidAsiri.

These cards help people with physical challenges to get to any gate or anyspot inside the Grand Mosque.

“The cards are handed out at the gates of the Grand Mosque and at all entrypoints, including airports, seaports and land crossings. An electronic copyis available on the presidency’s website as well. Currently, the cards areavailable in five languages but we are planning to add seven more languagesin the future. We have also published books on religion in Braille for thevisually impaired,” said Asiri.

Electric wheelchairs are provided to the physically challenged to helpperform rituals easily and comfortably.

The presidency recently launched a new electronic service to provideupdated information to people with hearing impairment and to answer theirquestions on religious matters.

Even people from outside the country can call the service, which isavailable through sign language, for fatwas.