The journey begins: One million Muslims begin first rituals of Hajj 2022

Muslim pilgrims pray around the Kaaba at the Grand Mosque on Tuesday during the annual Hajj pilgrimage. (AFP)
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Updated 07 July 2022
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The journey begins: One million Muslims begin first rituals of Hajj 2022

  • Kingdom launches massive operation to protect pilgrims’ health and safety

MAKKAH: A million pilgrims began the spiritual journey of a lifetime as the first rituals of the annual Hajj began.

Hundreds of thousands of worshippers circled Islam’s holiest site, the Kaaba at the Grand Mosque in Makkah. Many held umbrellas to block the sun as the temperature climbed to 42C.

On Thursday, the pilgrims will move to a vast tented city at Mina, about 5 kilometers from the Grand Mosque, ahead of the main rite at Mount Arafat, where the Prophet Muhammad delivered his final sermon.

Saudi authorities have mounted a massive operation to ensure the health and safety of pilgrims. The Saudi Health Ministry has prepared 23 hospitals and 147 health centres in Makkah and Madinah, the second-holiest city in Islam, to accommodate pilgrims.

Four hospitals and 26 health centers are also ready to treat pilgrims in Mina. There are more than 1,000 beds for patients requiring intensive care and more than 200 specifically for heatstroke patients, and more than 25,000 health workers are ready to respond to cases as they arise.

 “It’s all going well so far. I have moved around a lot and saw rules are being respected,” said Faten Abdel Moneim, 65, a mother of four from Egypt.

Naima Mohsen, 42, also from Egypt, said: “Being here is the best thing that has ever happened to me. I can’t wait for the rest. My only problem is the weather. It’s just too hot.”

FASTFACTS

• The Hajj follows a route Prophet Muhammad walked nearly 1,400 years ago and is believed to trace the footsteps of the prophets Ibrahim and Ismail.

• The Qur’an says that all Islam’s followers who are physically and financially able should make the pilgrimage once in their lifetime.

One million fully vaccinated Muslims, including 850,000 from abroad, are allowed at this year's Hajj, after two years of curtailed numbers because of coronavirus pandemic restrictions.

In 2019 about some 2.5 million Muslims from around the world took part in Hajj, but after that the pandemic forced a downsizing. Only 60,000 fully vaccinated residents of the Kingdom took part in 2021, up from a few thousand in 2020.

The restoration of the Hajj stirred bittersweet emotions for pilgrims Sutrisno and Sri Wahyuningsih, two teachers from Indonesia. Sri’s parents were supposed to take part in 2020, but their plans fell victim to the pandemic.

Sri’s father will now never make the journey after he died from a stroke in March, and her mother could not take part because she is over this year’s age limit of 65.

Nevertheless, Sutrisno, 54, and Sri, 51, are joyful at undertaking the Hajj in place of Sri’s parents. “It’s such a huge moral burden to me,” said Sri. “But my mother has given her blessings to me and I have to think that this is a journey I have to go through, everything is Allah’s decision, and I have to go on the Hajj.”


Saudi Arabia hosts first Qur’an and Sunnah contest in Mauritania

Updated 57 min 54 sec ago
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Saudi Arabia hosts first Qur’an and Sunnah contest in Mauritania

  • Saudi envoy inaugurates Jusoor Exhibition showcasing Kingdom’s cultural and religious contributions

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia inaugurated the first King Salman Competition for Memorizing the Qur’an and Sunnah of the Prophet on Tuesday in Nouakchott, Mauritania.

Organized by the Saudi Ministry of Islamic Affairs in cooperation with Mauritania’s Ministry of Islamic Affairs and Original Education, the event runs from Oct. 15-19.

A total of 136 contestants from 16 West African nations are competing, judged by a panel of 10 experts. The prize pool is SR1,218,000 ($324,000).

Mauritania’s Minister of Islamic Affairs Sidi Yahya Ould Cheikhna Ould Lemrabet expressed gratitude to Saudi Arabia for hosting the competition in Mauritania, reflecting the country’s care for the Qur’an and Sunnah.

The competition’s preliminary rounds run until Oct. 17, with the final ceremony on Oct. 19, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Alongside the competition, Saudi Ambassador to Mauritania Abdulaziz Al-Raqqabi inaugurated the Jusoor Exhibition on Sunday.

The exhibition features more than 12 interactive sections, including areas focused on the Qur’an, photography, Saudi attire, the Two Holy Mosques, Arabic calligraphy, technology, hospitality, and children’s activities.

A large screen showcases Saudi Arabia’s efforts in serving Islam and Muslims globally. The sections highlight the Kingdom’s cultural, scientific, Shariah and linguistic contributions, as well as its initiatives in supporting the Qur’an, Sunnah, and holy sites.

The exhibition aims to strengthen ties between Africa and Saudi Arabia, allowing African nations to benefit from the services of the Ministry of Islamic Affairs. It also promotes the Kingdom’s message of moderation and rejection of extremism.

“We in Mauritania are proud of this choice, which reflects our identity,” Lemrabott said, pledging full efforts to ensure the competition’s success and its future growth.

The competition encourages Muslim youth to engage with the Qur’an through memorization, understanding and reflection. It also promotes healthy competition among participants and underscores Saudi Arabia’s commitment to teaching the Qur’an and spreading the teachings of Prophet Muhammad.

The Mauritanian minister highlighted the competition’s positive impact on participants, allowing them to compete honorably in Qur’an memorization and recitation, with the prizes serving as a valuable incentive. 

He said that Mauritanian contestants has prepared diligently for the competition, expecting them to impress others with their Qur’anic memorization and recitation skills.

Lemrabott expressed gratitude to King Salman for sponsoring the competition and thanked President Mohamed Ould Cheikh Ghazouani for his support of Qur’an memorization and recitation.

The minister emphasized the important role of the Jusoor Exhibition in offering visitors insights into Saudi Arabia’s history and its efforts in preserving the Qur’an and Sunnah.

“This exhibition is a great opportunity to educate the Mauritanian people about this history,” he said.


Saudi crater holds secrets to life on Saturn moon, study finds

Updated 15 October 2024
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Saudi crater holds secrets to life on Saturn moon, study finds

JEDDAH: A crater in Saudi Arabia holds clues for possible life on one of Saturn’s moons, more than 1 billion km from Earth, a study has found.

Scientists from King Abdullah University of Science and Technology sampled the extreme environment of Al-Wahbah Crater near Taif, comparing it to Enceladus, Saturn’s sixth-largest moon.

They discovered extremophiles in the crater that suggest the existence of biosignatures on the celestial body, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Enceladus has become a curiosity to astrobiologists due to the large ocean below its icy crust. The water is highly alkaline and saline, and includes complex molecules, such as methane and oxygen, consistent with signs of life. Al-Wahbah Crater contains a similar environment.

“Al-Wahbah Crater serves as an Earth analog for Enceladus’ ocean, where similar conditions might support life,” said Alexandre Rosado, the KAUST professor who led the study, told the SPA.

To identify the unique characteristics of life in the crater, scientists isolated 48 bacterial strains, finding two that had a composition indicating an adaptability suitable for the extreme environment of Enceladus.

Based on their genetic, metabolic and chemical profiles, the two strains showed an effective survival strategy for the extreme environment of the crater.

“The strains are thermohaloalkaliphilic bacteria, thriving in high temperatures, salinity and alkaline pH. These conditions mimic the environments on Enceladus, making them ideal candidates for studying life in such extreme conditions,” Junia Schultz, a postdoctoral researcher involved in the project, told SPA.

Along with a high tolerance for alkalinity and extreme temperatures, the two strains possess other advantageous features inferred from their genomic capabilities, such as potential resistance to high pressures and ionizing radiation, which minimizes DNA mutations.

Al-Wahbah is not the only analog of Enceladus’ environment on Earth, but scientists researching extraterrestrial life prefer the site to other locations.

“Environments with conditions similar to Enceladus are rare on Earth. Other places have been studied for resembling Enceladus’ ocean. However, they are not as accessible or well suited for the type of microbial studies we conducted at Al-Wahbah,” said Alef dos Santos, a Ph.D. student who contributed to the study.

Rosado and his colleagues said that their study is the first to demonstrate the utility of Saudi Arabia’s extreme environments as a model for detecting extraterrestrial life.

Other locations in the Kingdom, on land and in the Red Sea, may prove valuable in seeking biosignatures on planets such as Mars, they added.

Having sent its first female astronaut to space in 2023 and with plans to launch its first space tourists in 2026, Saudi Arabia aims to build a major presence in the space industry in the near future.

The findings at Al-Wahbah could position Saudi Arabia as an invaluable partner for several space agencies, including NASA.

The US agency’s Europa Clipper project plans to launch missions for the exploration of Enceladus in the coming years, the SPA said.

“In addition to advancing our understanding of how bacteria might adapt to hostile environments, this research aids in guiding the continued astrobiology quest for extraterrestrial life” said Dr. Kasthuri Venkateswaran, a retired scientist from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab and adjunct professor in the department of space studies at the University of North Dakota.


Saudi hospital has become a global leader in organ transplants

Updated 15 October 2024
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Saudi hospital has become a global leader in organ transplants

  • Over 9,000 organ transplants since 1981 and 1,092 in 2023
  • World’s first fully robotic liver, heart replacement surgeries

RIYADH: has become a world-leading facility for organ transplantation.

KFSHRC’s Organ Transplant Centre of Excellence has garnered international acclaim for its expertise in solid-organ transplants, including liver, kidney and lung procedures, said the hospital in a statement on Monday.

In the past year, the hospital successfully conducted 1,092 transplants.

KFSHRC has performed a series of groundbreaking surgeries, most notably the world’s first liver transplant from a living donor using robotic technology in both organ retrieval and implantation.

Building on this success, the surgical team recently completed the world’s first fully robotic heart transplant, further solidifying Saudi Arabia’s position as a global leader in healthcare innovation.

Since the program’s inception in 1981, the hospital has performed 9,000 successful transplants.

Recognizing the critical challenge of donor-patient compatibility, particularly in kidney transplants, KFSHRC established the pioneering Kidney Paired Donation program.

This program facilitates the exchange of living donors with incompatible blood types and tissues between multiple patients, significantly increasing the pool of available organs and reducing waiting times.

The KPD program has enabled KFSHRC to perform over 5,000 kidney transplants.

KFSHRC’s commitment extends beyond the transplant surgery itself. Understanding prevention’s crucial role in patient well-being, the hospital established a specialized vaccination clinic for solid-organ transplant recipients in 2023.

This clinically tailored vaccination plans for each patient’s unique immune status and type of transplant, minimizes the risk of infections that could compromise outcomes.

The clinic has already served over 150 patients, achieving a high compliance rate for the Shingrix vaccine.

For the second consecutive year, KFSHRC has secured the top spot in the Middle East and Africa, and ranks 20th among the world’s top 250 academic medical centers.

Brand Finance recognized the facility as the most valuable healthcare brand in the Middle East for 2024.

Newsweek magazine also included the facility among the world’s best 250 hospitals and in the World’s Best Smart Hospitals list for 2025.


Saudi crown prince arrives in Egypt to meet President Sisi

Updated 7 min 28 sec ago
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Saudi crown prince arrives in Egypt to meet President Sisi

RIYADH: The Saudi Royal Court announced on Tuesday that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had departed for Egypt. 
During his visit, the Crown Prince will hold talks with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi.
The discussions will center on enhancing bilateral relations between Saudi Arabia and Egypt, as well as addressing key issues of mutual concern.


Saudi art exhibition set for global debut

Updated 15 October 2024
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Saudi art exhibition set for global debut

RIYADH: The Museums Commission has announced plans to launch a landmark exhibition on the art of the Kingdom to bring Saudi contemporary work to the global stage.

The exhibition will tour several countries, introducing international audiences to the vibrant art scene in Saudi Arabia and showcasing the nation’s most prominent contemporary artistic endeavors.

The exhibition is set to debut in Brazil this November to coincide with the G20 Summit. This will ensure that Saudi art is showcased to a global audience during one of the world’s most significant international events.

Following its inauguration in Brazil, the exhibition will return to Riyadh, where it will be hosted at the Saudi Arabia Museum of Contemporary Art in the Jax district in early 2025.

The exhibition will then travel to Beijing, where it will be presented at the National Museum of China toward the end of 2025.

The exhibition’s inaugural event in Brazil will feature works by about 15 Saudi artists, representing diverse genres and generations.

The artists will contribute installations, sculptures, oil paintings and drawings that reflect the richness and diversity of Saudi Arabia’s contemporary art scene.

By organizing the exhibition, the Museums Commission aims to empower and promote Saudi artists by providing them with an international platform to display their creativity.

The initiative also seeks to elevate the Kingdom’s cultural profile on the world stage and highlight its growing influence in the global arts and culture arena.