The authorities in Saudi Arabia are trying to stop the practice of charging a reservation fee for prayer spaces at the Grand Mosque in Mecca, reports say.
During Ramadan, when the mosque becomes particularly crowded, each space can sell for more than US $300 (�180).
Saudi newspapers say two people have been arrested for reserving and selling spaces at the holiest site in Islam.
Last week, a religious authority forbade the practice, and leaders said it contradicted the spirit of Islam.
Sheikhs and imams have said being at the front of the Grand Mosque is a privilege that should not be bought, but rather earned by dedication and effort.
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