Saudi Arabia Sets Separate Hijr Ismail Visiting Hours for Men and Women

The General Authority for the Care of the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques announced designated entry times for the Hijr Ismail (also called the Hateem) inside the Grand Mosque in Makkah. Women may enter the semi‑circular area adjacent to the Kaaba daily from 6 am to 9 am, while men are allowed from 10 pm to 1 am. The schedule is intended to regulate crowd movement, improve worship conditions and enhance the overall visitor experience.

The authority also noted that Hijr Ismail is part of the Kaaba’s original foundation and holds special religious significance. In a related development, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman approved a programme to host 1,000 Umrah pilgrims—both male and female—from around the world at his personal expense, to be carried out in four phases during the 1448 AH year. The first phase will accommodate 250 pilgrims from 16 Asian countries, including Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, Japan, China and Mongolia.