Assistant of Sacred Premises and Pilgrims’ Affairs of Astan Quds Razavi stated, “12000 fasters will be invited daily to the Razavi holy shrine for serving Iftar.”
Mahmoud Mumtaz in a news meeting with media correspondents expounded on the special programs of the holy shrine in the blessed Ramadan month asserting, “It is intended to spread 3000 meters table-cloth each day in the Hidayat courtyard to serve more than 360,000 fasters of Imam Reza’s (A) pilgrims.”
Noting that theRazavi generosity plan is one of Mashhadi people’s requests, he said, “Through this plan, some special groups of servants and Khuddam are responsible for distributing the invitation letters across the mosques and districts of Mashhad by lot.”
Noting that more than 500 servants do pre-cooking, cooking, and serving affairs each day in 6000 working hours, the Assistant of Sacred Premises and Pilgrims’ Affairs of Astan Quds Razavi declared, “Cooking daily as much as 2500 kg. rice, 2000 kg.meat, 20000 soup meals, and 3000 liters boiled water indicates the broad extent of services rendered to the pilgrims.”
Regarding foodstuffs packages he also said, “Iftar packages contain cheese, greens, date, foam cup, SuleZard (a traditional meal made from rice and sugar), one man salt, fork, soft tissue, soup small bowl, and sachet tea.”
Distributing two million Iftar packages across the lines of congregational prayers
Mumtaz said, “During Ramadan two million Iftar packages will be distributed across the lines of congregational prayers in the courtyards and porticoes of the Razavi holy shrine that contain honey-milk, roulette cake, and date.”
Regarding the way of receiving fasters in the holy shrine, the Assistant of Sacred Premises and Pilgrims’ Affairs of Astan Quds Razavi also said, “The Iftar ceremony begins one hour before the evening Azan, starting with reciting one part of the holy Qur’an, panegyrizing, and holding congregational prayer followed by directing the guests to the reception place and offering the blessed foodstuffs package upon their entrance.”
Expecting three million attendances to the holy shrine during Qadr nights
He also referred to the ritual of Qadr nights in the holy shrine asserting, “With respect to our experiences from previous years, we expect that 3 million pilgrims will come to the holy shrine during Qadr nights.”
He referred to over 20,000 Khuddam and staff working in these days with the responsibility of distributing and collecting more than 1,500,000 Qur’an manuscripts and prayer books, distributing more than 1,500,000 mineral water bottles, carpeting the courtyards and porticoes, and controlling the courtyards and porticoes from security point of view.
As another measure planned by the Assistance Office of Sacred Premises and Pilgrims’ Affairs of Astan Quds Razavi during Qadr nights, Mumtaz referred to expansion of medical emergency services in the shape of fixed and mobile bases, distribution of shoes pockets, informing about the ceremonies, separation of porticoes and mounting welcome banners, rendering deposit, the lost, and wheelchair services, and coordination with the fire unit.
“The ceremony of distributing daily 800 bunches of flower over the Zarih in the Ghadir portico one hour after the morning prayer will be also held by sweepers and ‘Scent of Rezan’ (Shamin-e Rezwan) forces”, he remarked.
Naqqareh playing ceremony during Ramadan month in dawn from 1:29 until 1:50 a.m., holding birthday celebration of the noble of the Ahl al-bayt (A.S.), Imam Hassan (A.S.), and recitation of the holy Qur’an in the Dar al-Salam portico from 2:00 p.m. are other programs noted by Mumtaz.
At the end of his talk, he requested the pilgrims to help the servants in keeping order and security in the holy shrine through observing the pilgrimage manners, keeping calmness, not sitting on traffic pathways and entrances, avoiding filming and taking photos in the sacred premises, observing proper Islamic clothing, observing sanitation and cleanness, putting the prayer seals and prayer books in their places, guiding the lost ones to the related offices, paying attention to directions of Khuddam, informing Khuddam about suspicious matters, caring about the elderly and the disabled pilgrims while attending the Zarih, delivering the found objects to the related offices, etc.
/129
