Arab Press

بالشعب و للشعب
Friday, Aug 22, 2025

Sri Lankan couple serving the faithful in Makkah for 17 years

Sri Lankan couple serving the faithful in Makkah for 17 years

A Sri Lankan couple are extremely gratified for the unique opportunity to serve Hajj and Umrah pilgrims as well as visitors to the Grand Mosque in Makkah for about 17 years.
The couple, Ashraf and Fatima, are among 12,000 employees under the General Presidency for the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques who are deployed in the Grand Mosque. The couple expressed their happiness for having been blessed with the honor of serving Islam’s holiest shrine for a long period of time. They praised the Almighty for bestowing them His infinite blessing to engage in a job that enables them to earn a livelihood and at the same time win God’s pleasure.

They recalled many unforgettable stories and experiences while working at the Makkah Haram.

The story began 17 years ago when Fatima came to work at the Grand Mosque. She was assigned to take care of the women’s prayer areas as well as prayer rugs spread out there. After a few years, she wanted to bring her husband Ashraf to be part of the Haram Presidency’s workforce.

“After four years of working alone at the Haram, I asked the Haram Presidency to allow her to bring her husband from Sri Lanka to work along with her. The presidency accorded approval for her request, and eventually, Ashraf was hired as a worker at the Grand Mosque,” she said.

Even though Ashraf was alone in Sri Lanka, he was busy with some activities there. Therefore, initially, he was reluctant to leave Sri Lanka for Saudi Arabia.

However, Fatima's persistent persuasion changed his mind and he decided to set out for Makkah. Now, he feels extremely happy to have this great blessing of working in the Haram and serving pilgrims and worshippers day and night.

“It is a matter of immense pride and happiness for me to work at the Grand Mosque. Fatima and I work in the same shift and assist each other, and we perform Umrah on a weekly basis,” he said while noting that the job in Makkah made their life totally changed and they feel blessed in serving the pilgrims and visitors to the Grand Mosque.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Arab Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Dogfights in the Skies: Airbus on Track to Overtake Boeing and Claim Aviation Supremacy
Tim Cook Promises an AI Revolution at Apple: "One of the Most Significant Technologies of Our Generation"
Are AI Data Centres the Infrastructure of the Future or the Next Crisis?
Miles Worth Billions: How Airlines Generate Huge Profits
Zelenskyy Returns to White House Flanked by European Allies as Trump Pressures Land-Swap Deal with Putin
Beijing is moving into gold and other assets, diversifying away from the dollar
Trump Backs Putin’s Land-for-Peace Proposal Amid Kyiv’s Rejection
Zelenskyy to Visit Washington after Trump–Putin Summit Yields No Agreement
Iranian Protection Offers Chinese Vehicle Shipments a Cost Advantage over Japanese and Korean Makers
United States Sells Luxury Yacht Amadea, Valued at Approximately $325 Million, in First Sale of a Seized Russian Yacht Since the Invasion of Ukraine
Saudi Arabia accelerates renewables to curb domestic oil use
Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodríguez announce engagement
Asia-Pacific dominates world’s busiest flight routes, with South Korea’s Jeju–Seoul corridor leading global rankings
Private Welsh island with 19th-century fort listed for sale at over £3 million
Sam Altman challenges Elon Musk with plans for Neuralink rival
Australia to Recognize the State of Palestine at UN Assembly
The Collapse of the Programmer Dream: AI Experts Now the Real High-Earners
Armenia and Azerbaijan to Sign US-Brokered Framework Agreement for Nakhchivan Corridor
British Labour Government Utilizes Counter-Terrorism Tools for Social Media Monitoring Against Legitimate Critics
WhatsApp Deletes 6.8 Million Scam Accounts Amid Rising Global Fraud
Texas Residents Face Water Restrictions While AI Data Centers Consume Millions of Gallons
India Rejects U.S. Tariff Threat, Defends Russian Oil Purchases
United States Establishes Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and Digital Asset Stockpile
Thousands of Private ChatGPT Conversations Accidentally Indexed by Google
China Tightens Mineral Controls, Curtailing Critical Inputs for Western Defence Contractors
JPMorgan and Coinbase Unveil Partnership to Let Chase Cardholders Buy Crypto Directly
British Tourist Dies Following Hair Transplant in Turkey, Police Investigate
WhatsApp Users Targeted in New Scam Involving Account Takeovers
Trump Deploys Nuclear Submarines After Threats from Former Russian President Medvedev
Germany’s Economic Breakdown and the Return of Militarization: From Industrial Collapse to a New Offensive Strategy
Germany Enters Fiscal Crisis as Cabinet Approves €174 Billion in New Debt
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
President Trump Diagnosed with Chronic Venous Insufficiency After Leg Swelling
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
Kurdistan Workers Party Takes Symbolic Step Towards Peace in Northern Iraq
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Russia Formally Recognizes Taliban Government in Afghanistan
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Mediators Edge Closer to Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Agreement
Germany Seeks Taliban Deal to Deport Afghan Migrants
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
×