ARAB NEWS | 14 August 2012

Sheikh Abdul Rahman Al-Sudais, senior Imam of the Haram in Makkah and head of the Presidency for Two Holy Mosques, has called on all pilgrims and worshippers to uphold the sanctity of the two holy mosques. He also reminded women worshippers at the mosque that it is better for them to stay in their homes if certain conditions for attendance were not met.

“We all must respect the sanctity of the two holy mosques, and respect each other and cooperate with one another,” Al-Sudais said while giving a lecture at the mosque last Wednesday. He said all believers must keep away from activities that violate the sanctity of the two holy mosques such as taking photos and chatting on mobile phones and women mingling with men.

“Some women come to the Haram neglecting the teachings of the Prophet (peace be upon him), applying perfumes, showing their beauty and without wearing Islamic dress,” said Al-Sudais, who is also an imam of the Grand Mosque.

He quoted a Hadith of the Prophet SAW saying, “You should not prevent women from entering the houses of God (mosques), but homes are better for them,” indicating the imam preferred women to stay at home without jostling with men at the Haram during this peak season.

Sheikh Al-Sudais does not favor people doing itikaf  in the mosque’s ground floor, although his predecessor had allowed it. “We have to respect the Grand Mosque. We should know that Haram is not a hotel,” said Al-Sudais, who has been imam of the Grand Mosque for almost three decades.