— Sessions for memorization of the Holy Qur’an will be allowed in the Grand Mosque in Makkah starting from Saturday after suspension for nearly a year and a half due to COVID-19. Badr Al Muhammadi, the head of sessions at the General Presidency for Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques, said that sessions would be held in person daily from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. “The department has worked out an operation plan for gradual return of the Holy Qur’an sessions in the Grand Mosque,” he said. He explained that the phased plan is based on regulations initially limiting the attendees to eight learners and holding a single daily session as part of health precautions. Only fully vaccinated people will be allowed to participate in the sessions. Last month, Saudi authorities reintroduced in-person lectures in the Grand Mosque, ending a halt of nearly two years over COVID-19 concerns. Saudi Arabia has started relaxing COVID-19 restrictions in the Grand Mosque amid mass vaccinations in the kingdom where over 37 million doses of vaccines have been administered. — SG