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King Abdullah approves expansion of Makkah's Grand Mosque 01/05/08 Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz has approved the an expansion project for the northern part of the Grand Mosque in Makkah. The project includes additions to the northern portion of the Grand Mosque complex as well as pedestrian tunnels and a service station. In recent years Saudi authorities have implemented a number of projects to expand the Grand Mosque. In 2007, the entire Mosque was fitted with air conditioning so that worshippers could perform their prayers in comfort. More than 10 million Muslims visit the Grand Mosque in Makkah annually to perform Hajj and Umrah and attend regular and special prayers. http://www.saudiembassy.net/2008News/News/IslDetail.asp?cIndex=7603 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Kingdom's Grand Mufti reiterates call for moderation 04/03/2008 Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia and Chairman of the Senior Ulema (Religious Scholars) Sheikh Abdulaziz Al-Ashaikh yesterday reiterated his call for moderation in Islam and condemned extremism, Asharq Al-Awsat reported today. The Grand Mufti made the remarks during a meeting with the press following a workshop at the headquarters of the Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz Chair for Contemporary Islamic Studies at King Saud University. "Fanatical zeal cannot be considered part of religion, even if they [extremists] falsely pretend to be devout," the Grand Mufti said, as quoted in Asharq Al-Awsat. He added that moderation "protects the youth of the nation and guides them towards the good whilst warning them against perversity, fabrication and ideological, moral and behavioral deviance." The Grand Mufti also acknowledged the critical role played by modern technology and media in the education of the younger generation. He noted that media outlets "play an effective role in reforming the nation and guiding it - provided that their programs urge towards aspiring to what is good and righteous and calling for ethics and virtue and strengthening one's faith." http://www.saudiembassy.net/2008News/News/IslDetail.asp?cIndex=7789 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Minister of Islamic Affairs calls for moderation 04/09/2008 Minister of Islamic Affairs, Endowments, Call and Guidance Sheikh Saleh Al-Asheikh has called for moderation and denounced extremism. Sheikh Saleh made the remarks in a speech at the Officers' Club in Riyadh yesterday. Moderation is the most important factor for the survival of the Muslim nation, the sheikh said. He added that a proper understanding of Islam will lead to moderation because the Holy Qur'an and the Sunnah both advocate moderation. http://www.saudiembassy.net/2008News/News/IslDetail.asp?cIndex=7806 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Two new museums to be established in Makkah and Madinah 04/25/2008 The Supreme Commission for Tourism (SCT) has announced plans to establish an Islamic heritage museum in Makkah and a Qur'an museum in Madinah in cooperation with the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, the Arab News reported today. The project is geared towards the nearly 10 million foreign pilgrims who visit Saudi Arabia every year to perform the Hajj and Umrah. The two museums are just the beginning, SCT Secretary-General Prince Sultan bin Salman told the Arab News. "We'll establish six new museums in different regions this year and renovate 12 others," he said. Prince Sultan also revealed plans to establish a large museum in Jeddah, which attracts more than two million tourists and visitors each year. It will be located at Khozam Palace, and will be similar to the National Museum in Riyadh. The new museums are part of five-year strategy on the part of SCT to develop antiquities and museums across the country. The Kingdom's heritage and museum sector is expected to witness tremendous development in the coming years with the issuance of a new law regulating its activities, Prince Sultan said. Prince Sultan also discussed excavations in association with foreign geological missions in various parts of Saudi Arabia. A German team is currently conducting digging works in Taima with the support of Saudi teams. The SCT has started a new program to promote tourist villages in five regions of the country. It also plans to build a series of heritage hotels making use of heritage palaces and historical sites in various parts of Saudi Arabia. The SCT is also reviewing offers made by developers to implement the Al-Oqair tourism project in Al-Ahsa, which is expected to become one of the major tourist centers in the Kingdom. In addition, it plans to establish another major tourist destination on the Red Sea in the next few months. http://www.saudiembassy.net/2008News/News/IslDetail.asp?cIndex=7858 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bus fleet expanded by more than 1,000 in preparation for the Hajj 07/29/08 The General Cars Syndicate (GCS) has added more than 1,000 new buses to its fleet in preparation for the upcoming Hajj season, the Arab News reported today. "The General Cars Syndicate (GCS), which is made up of 16 transport companies, spent SR800 million ($213 million) to buy new vehicles. They started the upgrading process at the end of last pilgrimage season," Acting GCS President Muhammad Zakaria Al-Jawaharji told the Arab News. The organization has contracted with 66 Hajj delegations from around the world to transport some 1.5 million pilgrims in 18,700 buses, Al-Jawaharji said. Plans are underway for a multilingual GCS website that will include English, French and Arabic in its initial phase. Other languages are expected to be added gradually. http://www.saudiembassy.net/2008News/News/NewsDetail.asp?cIndex=8058 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Statement from the Islamic Saudi Academy in response to the US Commission on International Religious Freedom 06/13/2008 [WASHINGTON, DC] - The US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) once again issued an erroneous report about the Islamic Saudi Academy. The report contains mistranslated and misinterpreted texts, and references to textbooks that are no longer in use at the Academy. The Islamic Saudi Academy has provided an excellent education for thousands of students in the greater Washington metropolitan area. Graduates of the Academy have been accepted at many top academic universities and colleges in the US. The Academy welcomes dialogue and constructive criticism, and has always had open lines of communication with governmental bodies and with the community. It has made its textbooks and curriculum available for review by third parties, including Fairfax County. It has held open-house events for congressional offices and the media. The Academy has repeatedly extended invitations to the USCIRF to visit its campus, review materials and meet with teachers and administrators in order to establish a constructive dialogue. But the USCIRF has refused to accept these invitations, which speaks volumes about the seriousness of the commission's intentions. http://www.saudiembassy.net/2008News/Press/PressDetail.asp?cIndex=311 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Kingdom to spend $20 billion on ICT 07/29/08 Saudi Arabia plans to spend $20 billion on Information and Communications Technology (ICT) this year, making the Kingdom the top investor in ICT, the Arab News reported today. According to a recent report by international research company Global Insight, the Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region plans to spend $73 billion on ICT, exceeding $95 billion over the next three years. In 2008, the region is projected to overtake the United States in the purchase of ICT products and services. Businesses in the Middle East are experiencing five percent growth, compared to four percent in the US. One of the fastest growing regions in the world, the Middle East is strategically positioned as a global technology hub, and ICT companies are seeking to capitalize on this attractive market with increased investment in the area. http://www.saudiembassy.net/2008News/News/NewsDetail.asp?cIndex=8055
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