[Eh085zE7]

Is it just practically impossible to avoid "free-mixing"? The Saudi "police" could have set times for the women and the men. For example:
Fajr to Zuhr: men
Zuhr to 'Asr: women
....
Additionally you get men and women praying "next to each other" in that area... maybe not intentionally but you can't find an empty space?

Or it's an exception to the general principle of no free mixing... if the Prophet (saw) allowed it then so be it.

Somebody argued (wrongly) that if in the holiest place free mixing is permitted so therefore this ban on free mixing of the sexes is a cultural / non-Islamic practice!