JEDDAH — For millions of pilgrims who visit the holy sites in Saudi Arabia, the ultimate prize of the day is to get the closest to the Ka`bah and be able to hear the heavenly recitation of the Quran by the imam of Al Masjid al-Haram. But thanks to modern technology, every pilgrim, even those praying hundreds of meters away from the mosque itself, are enjoying the same through new start-of-the-art sound phones.
“When you are some three hundred meters away from the imam, it’s very hard to hear the voice and follow him in the prayer,” Sheikh Mansour Al-Amer, manager of Hajj and `Umrah Gifts Foundation, told IslamOnline.
“But thanks to the new smart phones, that’s history.”
More than 50 high-quality phones, provided by the foundation, have been installed within five meters of each other to transmit sound to the hundreds of thousands of worshippers praying in and near Al Masjid al-Haram.
Amer says the huge numbers of worshippers who flock to Islam's holiest shrine every Ramadan inspired them.
"Necessity is the mother of invention."
Nearly three million Muslims come to Makkah during Ramadan to perform `Umrah.
After breaking their fast, the faithful attend Tarawih, a special nightly prayers which extends for hours.
Laylat Al-Qadr
Pilgrims praised the idea as helpful and creative.
"Everyone tries to pray close to the imam," Ayman Khalil, a 40-year-old pilgrim, told IOL.
"Such smart phones would help people avoid overcrowding inside the mosque and near Ka`bah.”
For Amina Mohammad, the new idea was bringing an end to the exhaustion the 75-year-old pilgrim suffers to find a place where she can hear the imam.
"There is no problem now," she said.
"I can pray in Ramadan nights in any place without suffering."
The new phones were put to the test during the 27th night of Ramadan as millions prayed and supplicated heartily on the night Muslims believe is Laylat Al-Qadr.
“O’ Allah we seek Your refuge,” supplicated Sheikh Abdul Rahman Al-Sudais as the sea of faithful said “Amen”.
“O’ Allah make our last deeds in this world be the best of our deeds and let the best day be the day we meet You.”
Laylat Al-Qadr is the most virtuous night in the whole year for Muslims as the first verses of Qur'an were revealed to Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) during that night.
It falls in the last ten days of Ramadan and is better than a thousand month.
Several Muslim scholars believe it is the 27th night of Ramadan.
Source: IslamOnline
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