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Saudi announces record-breaking 904,000 Umrah pilgrims on 4th day of Ramadan
The Mataf area (white marble, open-air area directly surrounding the Kaaba) has been allocated exclusively for Umrah performers throughout the day to ensure safety during rituals
- PUBLISHED: Wed 25 Feb 2026, 8:58 AM
Saudi Arabia announced a new record for the number of pilgrims who performed Umrah ever on Saturday, February 21.
The Haramain revealed 904,000 pilgrims had performed Umrah on Saturday, which corresponds to the 4th of Ramadan, 1447 AH, in the Islamic calendar, breaking past records.
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Last year, a record was set on March 7 for the highest number of Umrah pilgrims, amounting to 500,000.
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During Ramadan, when the Grand Mosque sees a rise in number of worshippers, Saudi authorities tend to tighten their security measures in order to ensure safety and crowd control.
The Mataf area (white marble, open-air area directly surrounding the Kaaba) has been allocated exclusively for Umrah performers throughout the day to ensure the safe performance of rituals.
As prayer spaces fill up quickly, especially on Friday, Maghrib, Isha, Tarawih, and Tahajjud prayers in the last ten days of Ramadan, worshippers have been instructed to proceed to available courtyards and designated areas as directed.
Meanwhile, movement through mosque doors must follow directional signage and congregating in walkways, roads, and courtyards has been made prohibited.
To manage the crowd and congestion surrounding the Grand Mosque, authorities have implemented traffic control measures and pedestrian-only routes in the central area.
In the central area, designated pedestrian routes are in place, and vehicles are prohibited from entering them for extended periods around prayer times. Unauthorised motorcycles and bicycles are banned from the area, and vehicles parked in locations that affect pedestrian safety are subject to towing and traffic violations.
Transportation of worshippers is being organised through public buses from King Abdulaziz International Airport and from 14 designated parking areas, including nine within the holy capital and five on roads leading to it. Worshippers who are unable to access the Grand Mosque or its external courtyards during peak crowding are being directed to nearby mosques and equipped prayer halls.
