Al-Khayf Mosque: The Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Dawah and Guidance’s efforts to help pilgrims by offering them educational programs throughout this year’s Hajj season are reflected in a series of lectures being held at Al-Khayf Mosque in Mina, from Aug. 19 to 24.
The lectures are divided into different schedules throughout the five days, ensuring that each pilgrim can catch at least a couple for the duration of their stay.
Al-Khayf Mosque is one of great significance in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, especially during Hajj days. The word “Al-Khayf” in Arabic means what has risen above the stream of water and inclined the width of the mountain.
Al-Khayf Mosque is located in the heart of Mina, at the foot of Al-Dhiba’a mountain in the south of Mina, close to the smallest Jamarat.
It is also known as the Mosque of Prophets because numerous prophets are said to have prayed in this mosque, including Prophet Mousa.
In 1987, Al-Khayf was expanded and reconstructed at a cost estimated at SR90 million ($24 million). Four towers were built, 410 air-conditioning units were installed, as well as 1,100 fans. A toilet complex was constructed behind the mosque with more than 1,000 toilets and 3,000 faucets.
ThePlace: Al-Khayf Mosque in Mina
ThePlace: Al-Khayf Mosque in Mina
Japanese researchers hope to restore coral from Saudi-made structures
- Coral skeletons made for Saudi Pavilion at Japan expo last year
- Results of Japanese study to be revealed at Riyadh Expo 2030
TOKYO: Japanese universities are seeking to restore coral reefs and marine ecosystems after receiving artificial structures that Saudi Arabia made and showcased at last year’s Osaka-Kansai Expo.
The coral skeletons were donated to the University of the Ryukyus in Okinawa and Kansai University in Osaka Prefecture, Kyodo News reported at the weekend.
The structures are made from calcium carbonate, a material on which corals are believed to grow more easily compared to artificial alternatives such as concrete or metal.
The skeletal structures were created using 3-D printers, with one piece produced a day during the expo, and displayed across an entire wall in the Saudi Arabia Pavilion, which had an area focusing on sustainable marine environments.
Coral reefs serve as habitats for much marine life, but over 40 percent of the world’s 892 species face possible extinction, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
The University of the Ryukyus, which received about 150 of the artificial coral skeletons, will place them in waters off the eastern coast of Okinawa’s main island and then examine their impact on the ecosystem.
Kansai University has placed theirs in the sea around Kagoshima Prefecture’s Yoron Island to observe their growth after transplanting coral polyps onto the structures.
The results of the research are expected to be revealed at the Riyadh Expo in 2030.
“I had never imagined that Japan and Saudi Arabia would cooperate on coral research,” said Masato Ueda, a professor specializing in regenerative medicine at Kansai University.
Ueda said he wants to demonstrate to children that “humanity is attempting to restore the environment.”
