of the General Presidency for the Affairs of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque, numbered 32/1 and dated 15/3/1421 AH, together with the attached report prepared by an engineering committee comprising the Saudi Binladin Group, the Consortium of Consulting Engineers, and the General Presidency for the Affairs of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque. The report proposes a solution to this issue by widening the roof of the Grand Mosque on the eastern side adjoining the circumambulation courtyard through the addition of thirteen metres (13 m) to the present narrow passageway, bringing its total width to twenty metres (20 m). This will necessitate laying new ground-level foundations and installing additional columns rising from the ground to the roof, which will pierce the old structure of the mosque in that section.

The Council holds that the recommendation of the aforementioned engineering committee should be approved, for it serves the public interest of the pilgrims and ʿumrah performers who perform ṭawāf, and because it is impermissible to circumambulate outside the Grand Mosque. Success lies with Allah alone. May blessings and peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his Companions