JEDDAH: The aim of the conference of International Islamic Fiqh Academy (IIFA) being held in Madinah is to highlight the true nature of Islam, say officials and members of the Saudi Shoura Council.
The 23rd session of the conference organized by IIFA in collaboration with the Islamic University in Madinah under the patronage of King Salman will provide research scholars with an opportunity to present their research and studies based on the Qur’an and the Sunnah.
Based on the research findings, scholars will suggest ways to eradicate social and economic issues facing the Muslim world.
The event also aims to promote the true understanding of Islam and its tolerant nature.
The conference will also highlight the role of scholars in educating the masses and in enlightening the Islamic world. Several officials and academics told the Saudi Press Agency that the Islamic Shariah has the ability to achieve social harmony and human happiness. The Shariah, they added, has the solution to all human problems. However, they stressed the need to refer to authentic religious sources to find those solutions.
International Islamic Fiqh Academy event to suggest ways to fight social issues
International Islamic Fiqh Academy event to suggest ways to fight social issues
Saudi wildlife center records rare sighting of critically endangered leatherback turtle in Red Sea
- NCW says the leatherback traveled thousands of kilometers to reach the Red Sea
- The closest known nesting grounds are located in India’s Andaman Islands, some 6,500 km distant
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia's National Center for Wildlife (NCW) has documented a rare sighting of a leatherback sea turtle in the Red Sea, marking a significant biological record for one of the planet's most critically endangered marine species.
The sighting occurred approximately 30 kilometers off the coast of Al-Qunfudhah within the Blue Holes Protected Area, a newly established marine reserve, according to the Saudi Press Agency.
The NCW confirmed that the presence of a leatherback in these waters is an exceptional event. Recognized as the largest turtle species on Earth, the leatherback can weigh up to 900 kilograms. It is easily identified by its unique leathery, black carapace—distinguished by five longitudinal ridges rather than a hard bony shell—and its ability to dive to depths exceeding 1,000 meters.
Noting the species' migratory nature, the center explained that leatherbacks travel thousands of kilometers foraging for jellyfish. The specimen likely navigated through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait in search of food.
This is considered a remarkable journey, the NCW said, noting that the nearest known populations reside in the Indian Ocean, spanning waters from South Africa to Sri Lanka (roughly 7,000 to 8,000 kilometers away). The closest known nesting grounds are located in India’s Andaman Islands, approximately 6,500 kilometers distant. No nesting activity has been recorded in the Red Sea.
According to the IUCN Red List, the leatherback is Critically Endangered in the Indian Ocean. While data for the Red Sea and Arabian Gulf is scarce, recent isolated sightings include a juvenile recorded in Jordan in December 2025 and another off Djibouti in 2019.
The NCW emphasized that these rare appearances highlight the ecological importance of the Kingdom's marine conservation efforts in the Red Sea. The center pointed to the Farasan Islands Marine Protected Area, along with the new Blue Holes and Ras Hatiba reserves, as critical sanctuaries that could support the potential expansion of such endangered species' ranges.
