Abstract
Purpose The purpose of this study is to analyze the crowd dynamics of the visitors at Al-Masjid al-Nabawi during the most oversaturated period to characterize the most critical conditions and suggest technical solutions to accommodate visitors and provide them safe passage. Design/methodology/approach In this study, the time of entrance from the Al-Salam Gate to the tomb and from the tomb to the exit from the Al-Baqi’ Gate has been collected in the most oversaturated period. To be precise and to model the worst case, important crowd measures of effectiveness data are collected in the two holiest times considered by Muslims, during the holy month of Ramadan and the month of Dhul-Hijjah and during the busiest hours of the day to consider safety factors while proposing future solutions. The conventional manual head-counting method has been adopted to determine the crowd density and to carry out actual counting of the visitors from the recorded videos and photos captured by the legitimate authority. Findings The analyses revealed that the crowd dynamics in the month of Ramadan (peak) are statistically different from those for other times (off peak). In general, the crowd dynamics at all times on days other than Ramadan are almost identical. Originality/value The results of crowd characterization from this study are expected to help optimize crowd management in the Masjid at the most critical location and time. The data collected in this study could be used for future research to simulate similar crowd scenes or for even different crowd management scenarios in case of emergencies such as fire hazards or evacuation process.
Highlights
Located in the western region of Saudi Arabia, Medina attracts Muslims worldwide for its historical significance and the Al-Masjid an-Nabawi, the mosque established over the tomb of Prophet Mohammed
The analyses revealed that the crowd dynamics in the month of Ramadan are statistically different from those for other times
Visiting Al-Masjid an-Nabawi and greeting Prophet Mohammed’s (PBUH) tomb are holy acts that attract most of the visitors who come to Medina from all around the world
Summary
Located in the western region of Saudi Arabia, Medina attracts Muslims worldwide for its historical significance and the Al-Masjid an-Nabawi, the mosque established over the tomb of Prophet Mohammed. Medina becomes overcrowded in the busiest Islamic seasons, Al-Hajj (Kırlangıçoglu, 2015), considering the immense devotion of Muslims toward their spiritual obligations. The Al-Hajj and Umrah seasons enhance Saudi Arabia’s annual income; statistical analysis of the crowd density at the Mosque of Prophet (PBUH) in Medina is worth understanding. The crowd density could increase up to four times Medina’s actual population during the busiest seasons. This enormous number warrants a wise consideration for crowd management (Alshehri et al, 2015). The crowd density must be limited to ensure visitors’ safety (Moussaïd et al, 2011), as overcrowding would put visitors at risk. Crowd management during the Al-Hajj and Umrah seasons necessitates a meticulous analysis of the crowd density. As evacuation plans are mostly dependent on the crowd estimates, the approximate number of the visitors along with the citizens must be studied well (TSO, 2010) to establish a constructive plan
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