Arab News

RIYADH: The Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Dawah and Guidance said 53 million people benefited from its Ramadan programs and dawah activities during the holy month.

The ministry implemented King Salman’s program to provide iftar meals in 60 countries, benefiting 1.5 million people around the world, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

It also launched the king’s program to distribute dates in 93 countries, benefiting 2 million people through the distribution of 500 tonnes of dates.

Additionally, the ministry held the Imam Program abroad with the participation of 192 imams to lead Taraweeh and Qiyam prayers in 44 countries, benefiting almost 1.75 million worshipers. These programs are provided by the ministry during Ramadan each year, in response to requests from sheikhs, and Islamic centers and associations in countries around the world.

The ministry prepared about 85,000 mosques and prayer halls in various regions of the Kingdom to receive worshipers and those observing etikaf. It also issued 6,777 permits, upon requests from mosque staff and dawah and guidance associations, to hold iftar banquets for fasting people, benefiting more than 5.7 million people.

Furthermore, the ministry awarded contracts for several projects for the maintenance, cleanliness and operation of 1,993 mosques and prayer halls in several regions of the Kingdom, for a total value of SR149 million ($40 million).

In the Umrah program, the General Secretariat for Islamic Awareness in Hajj and Umrah Affairs in Makkah provided almost 1.5 million services to Umrah performers during Ramadan, benefiting more than 7.7 million people.

During Ramadan, the ministry displayed more than 40 million guidance messages for Umrah performers through electronic monitors in various areas, reaching almost 4 million people.