Saudi Arabia has implemented a ban on inscribing Quranic verses on jewellery and gold embroidery to safeguard the sanctity of Islam's holy text, according to a Saudi media report.

The Ministry of Commerce in the kingdom has underlined the importance of refraining from etching Quranic verses on jewellery, as reported by the Okaz newspaper.

The Ministry referred to an official letter issued by the kingdom's Mufti, who expressed concerns that such items might be used as amulets, which goes against Islamic teachings.

The prominent Saudi cleric also emphasized that inscribing Quranic verses on gold items could lead to a diminishing of the sacredness of these verses, particularly when wearers enter places like toilets.

This prohibition was officially communicated in a letter addressed to the Federation of the Saudi Chambers of Commerce, as reported by the paper.

Saudi Arabia, as the birthplace of Islam and home to its holiest sites, including the Grand Mosque in Mecca and the Prophet Mosque in Medina, places significant importance on the sanctity of religious artifacts and the Quranic text.

Millions of Muslims from across the globe journey to the Grand Mosque in Mecca, home to the Holy Kaaba, to perform their prayers and embark on Umrah, a lesser pilgrimage. The annual Hajj pilgrimage, conducted in and around Mecca, remains a central religious rite for Muslims.

Saudi Arabia is anticipating the arrival of approximately 10 million Muslims from abroad to undertake Umrah during the ongoing season. This season follows the annual Islamic Hajj pilgrimage, which saw approximately 1.8 million Muslims attending in and around Mecca for the first time in three years after pandemic-related restrictions were lifted.

Following their Umrah rites, many pilgrims make their way to Medina to pray at the Prophet Mosque and visit Al Rawdah Al Sharifa, the site where the tomb of the Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) is located.

Saudi Arabia's ban on Quranic verses on jewellery underscores the nation's commitment to upholding the sanctity of Islamic text and teachings, reflecting its pivotal role in the Islamic world as the guardian of the two holiest sites in Islam.