MAKKAH: The second “Building Bridges Between Islamic Schools of Thought” international conference concluded in Makkah early on Saturday, with participants from more than 90 countries adopting the “Encyclopedia of Islamic Intellectual Harmony.”
Held under the patronage of King Salman bin Abdulaziz, the two-day conference gathered senior muftis, scholars, and thinkers who also approved the strategic and executive plan for the document “Building Bridges between Islamic Sects,” a media statement said on Saturday.
The conference was organized by the Muslim World League and held under the theme “Towards an Effective Islamic Alliance.”
The high-level session dedicated to the recitation of the conference’s final statement, which was issued at dawn on Saturday, was attended by the Secretary-General of the Muslim World League, and Chairman of the Muslim Scholars Association, Sheikh Dr. Mohamed bin Abdul Karim Al-Issa; Member of the Council of Experts for Leadership in Iran, Sheikh Ahmed Mobalghi; Adviser at the Royal Court in Saudi Arabia, Imam and Preacher of the Grand Mosque, Sheikh Dr. Saleh bin Abdullah bin Hamid; Head of Religious Affairs at the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque, Imam and Preacher of the Grand Mosque, Sheikh Dr. Abdulrahman Al-Sudais; Secretary-General of the International Islamic Fiqh Academy of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, Dr. Mustafa Qutb Sano; Member of the Council of Senior Scholars in Saudi Arabia, Dr. Youssef bin Mohamed bin Saeed; and the Mufti of Sidon in Lebanon, Sheikh Mohamed Osseiran.
The attendees witnessed the launch of the “Encyclopedia of Islamic Intellectual Harmony,” which was supervised by the Intellectual Protection Center at the Saudi Ministry of Defense, and was prepared by 60 scholars over about 1,800 pages.
The encyclopedia was refereed by the General Secretariat of the Council of Senior Scholars in Saudi Arabia, the Islamic Fiqh Academy, and the Supreme Council of the Muslim World League to be a roadmap for relations between Muslim sects.
Participants also decided in the final statement to consider the “Document on Building Bridges between Islamic Schools of Thought” with its 28 articles as the basis and starting point for the path of joint Islamic action “scientifically” and “intellectually,” with a view to strengthening brotherhood and solidarity among the peoples of Muslim nations.
The attendees further extended their sincere thanks to the leadership of the Kingdom for the great services they are providing to Islam and Muslims.
They also affirmed their pride in the comprehensive Islamic identity, and their supportive stance toward the steadfastness of the Palestinian people on their land, and their rejection of displacement and destruction projects.
The conference witnessed several sessions addressing developments in Palestine, Sudan, and Syria, as well as issues concerning Muslim minorities around the world.
2nd ‘Building Bridges Between Islamic Schools of Thought’ conference concludes in Makkah
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2nd ‘Building Bridges Between Islamic Schools of Thought’ conference concludes in Makkah
- Participants from more than 90 countries discuss development of comprehensive Islamic identity
- 1,800-page ‘Encyclopedia of Islamic Intellectual Harmony’ prepared by 60 scholars
Second group of King Salman pilgrim program beneficiaries arrives in Saudi Arabia
- 1,053 Hajj pilgrims from 76 countries were welcomed to the Kingdom with roses and refreshments.
RIYADH: The second group of beneficiaries of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Guests Program for Hajj, Umrah and Visit for this year has arrived in the Kingdom, Saudi Press Agency reported on Thursday.
1,053 Hajj pilgrims from 76 countries were welcomed to the Kingdom with roses and refreshments.
The Minister of Islamic Affairs, Call and Guidance Sheikh Abdullatif bin Abdulaziz Al Al-Sheikh said hosting the pilgrims highlights the leadership’s keenness to care for Muslims around the world and to present a civilized model of warm welcome, generous hospitality, and comprehensive organization.
He emphasized that the ministry is working according to an integrated vision that addresses the smallest details, through an advanced field work system that aims to provide the utmost comfort to the program’s guests, from the moment they arrive until the completion of their rituals.
This will be achieved through quality services that include luxurious accommodation, comprehensive catering, facilitated transportation, comprehensive healthcare, and educational and enrichment programs that enhance the guests’ experience of their pilgrimage journey, the minister said.
The minister added that the program clearly embodies the comprehensive development achieved by the Kingdom in managing Hajj affairs and the advanced capabilities and accumulated expertise it possesses, which allow it to provide the best services to pilgrims.
KSrelief extends contract for Masam Project
- Saudi personnel and international experts are implementing the project and working with Yemeni teams trained to remove all types of mines
- Work aims to eliminate the threat of mines and protect the lives of innocent people from the dangers they pose
RIYADH: The Saudi aid agency KSrelief has extended by one year its contract for the Masam Project to clear mines in Yemen.
Saudi personnel and international experts are implementing the project and working with Yemeni teams trained to remove all types of mines planted in the country.
The work aims to eliminate the threat of mines and protect the lives of innocent people from the dangers they pose. In addition, the project also focuses on training and capacity-building activities for Yemenis in land mine clearance.
Abdullah Al-Rabeeah, adviser at the Royal Court and supervisor general at KSrelief, said: “The renewal of this contract with the implementing partner reflects the center’s sense of humanitarian responsibility toward our brothers in Yemen, given the critical importance of this unique project in completing the clearance of Yemeni territory from mines that were planted in an unprecedentedly indiscriminate manner.
“These mines, deployed in various forms and camouflaged in locations targeting unarmed civilians, have caused permanent injuries, lifelong disabilities and numerous casualties among women, children and the elderly, and other acts that pose a threat to security and life.”
He noted that the project has removed 495,855 mines and various shells to date.
Ancient Saudi city of Qurh a historic stop for pilgrim and trade caravans
- Qurh was capital of Wadi Al-Qura, a center for Arab markets
- Architectural features date back to the early Islamic periods
ALULA: Qurh, an ancient city in Saudi Arabia’s AlUla governorate, served for centuries as a vital hub for pilgrims and traders, according to the Saudi Press Agency.
Located about 20 km south of AlUla’s old town, near the village of Mughayra, Qurh is one of the Royal Commission for AlUla’s archaeological sites. AlUla’s other main heritage sites are Dadan, Hegra and the Old Town.
Qurh’s ruins spread across an expansive plain surrounded by medium-height mountains. The ruins include remnants of architectural structures, marketplaces, streets, and palaces, all of which highlight the city’s once-thriving economic and urban life.
Architectural features dating back to the early Islamic periods also suggest that settlement and cultural growth continued after the advent of Islam.
Qurh was the capital of Wadi Al-Qura and a center for Arab markets, as described by the historian Hisham bin Al-Kalbi, who identified it as a commercial and cultural center and a cradle of the arts.
The city was located on the route of the historic Incense Road, a trade artery used to transport precious goods from the southern Arabian Peninsula to the north, passing through Wadi Al-Qura.
According to Abdulrahman Alsuhaibani, the RCA’s vice president for culture, the excavations in Qurh have so far proved “that there was some interaction with China at the beginning of the Islamic period.”
“Evidence exists of interactions and trade extending as far as China,” he said in an interview produced by FT Longitude in partnership with the RCA.
“With China, for example, (there were) merchants who brought porcelain, medicines and silk to Arabia with incense for sure, ivory, while other valuables travelled in the opposite directions.”
AlUla, part of Saudi Arabia’s western province of Madinah, has been home to the ancient Dadanites, Lihyanites, Nabataeans, Sabaeans, Minoans, Egyptian, Romans and Arabs, he said.
Saudi defense minister holds talks with UK security, defense officials
- Prince Khalid bin Salman and UK National Security Advisor Jonathan Powell discussed strategic partnership between the two countries
LONDON: Saudi Arabia’s Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman held talks with the UK’s National Security Advisor Jonathan Powell in London on Wednesday.
The two sides “reviewed the strong friendship and strategic partnership between Saudi Arabia and the UK,” the Saudi Press Agency reported. “They also reviewed areas of cooperation and discussed regional and global developments, as well as ongoing efforts to support security and stability.”
The talks followed a meeting on Tuesday between Prince Khalid and British Defense Secretary John Healey during which they discussed strategic defense cooperation.
Saudi Embassy coordinating with Turkiye to find boy who fell into a creek
- The embassy coordinated with child’s family after he reportedly went missing in a river in Trabzon province
- Turkish authorities are investigating the incident
ANKARA: The Saudi Arabian Embassy in Turkiye confirmed on Wednesday that it is coordinating with Turkish authorities to search for a Saudi child who reportedly fell into Haldizen Creek in Uzungol region.
According to the Saudi Press Agency, the embassy issued a statement clarifying the reports circulating in media outlets and across social media platforms regarding the incident in Trabzon province.
“From the first moments of the incident, the embassy coordinated with the child’s family and contacted the relevant Turkish authorities to investigate the incident,” the statement said.
“The authorities have responded and are gratefully conducting extensive searches in the area and its surrounding to locate the child. We ask God Almighty to crown these efforts with success and to protect everyone from all harm,” it added.
