Madinah Gov. Prince Faisal bin Salman looks on as coffee is served using the Siqaya method.

A Saudi charity organization aims to revive the Siqaya service, an old tradition that has become obsolete by time where pilgrims, guests and visitors of the Grand Mosque in Makkah and the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah were offered water during the holy month of Ramadan as a gesture of good will by the natives.

The Siqaya system was carried out mainly during Ramadan, which involves serving guests with water held in a pot strapped to the back of its beholder, called Saqqa. The saqqa (the person serving water) in the old days enjoyed great respect from the visitors for the services he would offer to them by quenching their thirst.

“We are supplying Zam Zam water, cold water, juice and coffees to visitors in the Two Holy Mosques,” said Abdullah Al-Marghani, coordinator of Siqaya program, adding that the liquids will be stored in healthy and hygienic containers, which are being carried by our volunteers who will be touring in the Two Holy Mosques’ campus.

Over 100 volunteers have been deployed to serve the guests of Allah, he said, adding that the volunteers will be wearing green uniforms and can be easily spotted inside the holy mosques and also at the main entrances of the mosques and other assembly points carrying water containers on their back.

He said the containers are properly equipped to preserve cold and hot water and other liquids for as much time as possible as visitors can choose the kind of drink they prefer.

Al-Marghani said the new service aims to bring back to minds the good well traditions that used to prevail by the ancestors who used to exert great efforts in service of the holy mosques visitors during the holy seasons.

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