1. VARIOUS OF MUSLIM WORSHIPPERS PERFORMING FIRST FRIDAY PRAYERS OF THE HOLY MONTH OF RAMADAN

2. (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) PILGRIM FROM MOROCCO, YOUSSEF AIT, SAYING:

“We have no words to describe - or anything to say - we thank God, that he granted us success by being here in front of the Kaaba and at the sacred house of God.”

3. VARIOUS OF WORSHIPPERS PERFORMING TAWAF AROUND THE KAABA AT MECCA’S GRAND MOSQUE

4. VARIOUS OF SUDANESE PILGRIM, ABDUL-HAYY AL-SIDDIQ SULEIMAN AHMED, PRAYING

5. (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) SUDANESE PILGRIM, ABDULHAYY AL-SIDDIQ SULEIMAN AHMED, SAYING:

“Today, by the grace and power of God, on the third day of Ramadan, which happens to be a Friday. Praise be to God, on a Friday, the number of pilgrims performing Umrah at the sacred house of God is immense on this blessed day. By the grace of God, we now completed the Tawaf since we began the Fajr prayer, which indicates the large number of pilgrims performing Tawaf and Umrah. Praise be to God, we did not encounter any problems during the Tawaf.”

6. (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) SUDANESE PILGRIM, ABDULHAYY AL-SIDDIQ SULEIMAN AHMED, SAYING:

“And in this place, I pray for my people in Sudan, that God may unite them and bring them together, and that he ends this strife and the ongoing war in Sudan. The people of Sudan are suffering greatly, those who are displaced and others who are refugees.”

7. VARIOUS OF WORSHIPPERS AROUND KAABA

8. WORSHIPPERS SPEAKING

9. (SOUNDBITE) (English) INDIAN PILGRIM, ABDULRAHMAN, SAYING:

“A whole Ummah (Muslim nation) is standing together. All the Muslims are coming from various parts of the world. I’m standing with the Umma (Muslim nation). And while performing a Tawaf here, I feel like it's very beautiful, seeing all the white, you know, people wearing white and performing Umrah here in front of Kaaba. I feel blessed, loved, and I am waiting for Friday (prayers). Thank God, and I am also remembering people from Gaza in our prayers, to give them peace, give them justice, God willing, thank God.”

9. VARIOUS OF WORSHIPPERS PERFORMING TAWAF AROUND THE KAABA AT MECCA’S GRAND MOSQUE

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

Ramadan, the holiest month in Islam, drew worshippers from around the world to Mecca, with the first Friday prayer (February 20) considered especially significant by many believers.

The central courtyard of the Great Mosque of Mecca, housing the famed Kaaba was filled with worshipped performing the ritual known as tawaf, while others sat in prayer and recitation of the Quran.