RIYADH: An electronic rent project has been launched to facilitate electronic payments and minimize disputes, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
According to the project, launched jointly by the ministries of housing and justice, real estate brokers across the Kingdom must document a unified rent contract in the e-ejar network as an approved contract and an executive document.
The launch of the network represents plans to facilitate a rent process between tenants, landlords and real estate brokers that will minimize disputes and find a quick solution to such conflicts, Housing Minister Majid Al-Hogail said.
He said all parties of the rent contract across the Kingdom can use the network’s electronic services at the nearest approved real estate brokerage office. Research for brokers can be accessed through the “real estate brokers” application.
Minister of Justice Waleed Al-Samaani said the unified rent contract will have a positive impact on the judicial sector as it will greatly minimize the flow of cases related to the rent sector.
He said the contract is meant to streamline relations and responsibility limits between the contractual parties through its authentication via the electronic network.
The new initiative is being worked out in cooperation with other government agencies including the ministries of interior and communications.
Minister of Communication and Information Technology Abdullah Al-Suwaha praised the partnership between different government parties for launching the electronic rent program.
He referred to the automation of procedures for more than 2.5 million housing units through the exchange of government information to provide rent services accurately, quickly and safely.
E-rent network launched to organize Saudi real estate sector
E-rent network launched to organize Saudi real estate sector
Saudi authorities pump nearly 1 million cubic meters of water to serve Hajj pilgrims
- Saudi Water Authority said that providing water to pilgrims was one of its continuous tasks during the Hajj season
- National Water Company pumped more than 980,633 cubic meters of water to key holy sites in Makkah and Madinah
MAKKAH: Saudi water authorities have provided nearly a million cubic meters of water to serve the 1.4 million Muslim pilgrims participating in the Hajj since Wednesday.
The National Water Company said that it pumped more than 980,633 cubic meters of water to key holy sites visited by pilgrims, including Makkah, Madinah, Mina, Mount Arafat and Muzdalifah.
The Saudi Water Authority, a government body overseeing water operations in the Kingdom, said that providing water to pilgrims was one of its 24-hour continuous tasks during the Hajj season.
On Thursday, it presented its comprehensive water supply chain plan, which begins with seawater desalination, undergoes transportation and treatment, and ends with distribution, reuse and irrigation.
An interactive presentation, “The Story of Water in Hajj,” was shown in numerous languages at the Hajj Media Hub, an integrated media center supporting journalists covering Hajj, in the Makkah Chamber Exhibition and Events Center.
It showcased advanced technologies for water desalination, storage, transportation and treatment, along with smart operations and sustainability solutions, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Saudi Arabia is getting creative and everyone has a chance to shine, says DJ Viva
- The Saudi Canadian artist tells The Mayman Show how she left a career in academia to pursue a more creative path — after a challenge from a friend
- She talks about her nerve-racking first international show, differences between performing in the Kingdom and overseas, and what motivates her various projects
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia is experiencing a boom in all the various forms of creative expression and this is creating a wealth of opportunities, according to Saudi Canadian musician DJ Viva.
Appearing on the third episode of the seventh season of The Mayman Show, the artist — who has performed across the Kingdom and around the world, opening for global stars including David Guetta — recalled her first international performance, describing it as a nerve-racking experience.
“I was in Cannes at the Cannes electronic music festival, (which) happens every August over there,” she said. “It was very nerve-racking, but I loved it.
“It was good to see the difference between what’s happening here, locally (in Saudi Arabia), and how things are conducted internationally.”
Despite the nerves, she said was proud that she had been able to step out of her comfort zone and noted: “The audience there is very different. I feel like it is a bit more difficult to read them; maybe because I’m used to here (in the Kingdom).”
DJ Viva told how she left behind a career in academia to pursue a creative career and her adventure began as a result of a bold challenge from a friend.
“I used to teach at the business university in Jeddah,” she said. “One day, my friend, he was a DJ, came up to me. It was the first big event that happened here — at King Abdullah Economic City, when Tiesto was there — and he (my friend) was DJing on one of the yachts for the VIP guests.”
The friend asked her why she has not tried her hand at creating music. Given that she was an educator, she explained, the question initially seemed strange, but her friend wanted her to see how much time and effort it takes to be a music creator and his question was actually more of a challenge.
Beyond the musical realm, DJ Viva is also a certified aerial artist, the founder of an art gallery, and a brand collaborator who combines music, fashion and storytelling in her projects. She is also clear about what motivates her.
“For me, it’s the part that I get to create an impact on people’s lives and create a feeling,” she said.
“I mean, I always say that in a lot of my interviews; whether it’s visual arts, which I also do, or aerial arts or music, it’s all creativity. You must go inside yourself and take something out to give to people.”
It is all about giving something back and making an impact on the people around you, she added.
“With visual arts, it’s about people seeing your paintings,” she explained. “With music, it’s about what they’re hearing and how they react to it.”
DJ Viva appears very content with where she is at this stage of her career and has no regrets about her decision to shift from the halls academics to the creative world.
“I like the space that I’m in right now,” she said. “I love the creative realm. I find it much more fulfilling.”
Her upcoming plans include further work on a long-running project related to cosmetics.
“That’s something I’m going to be revisiting later this year,” she said. “I started during COVID-19 and it did take off very nicely. But unfortunately my partner in that (project), she passed away. So I kind of froze it for a while.”
In 2023, DJ Viva founded the Sensation Art Gallery in Jeddah, described as a modern, luxury, holistic art experience. Her concept for it is that it represents an expression of all the various types of creative work in which she is involved.
“If you attend the gallery, you’ll see that there’s the visual arts and then we have the DJs and the musicians outside,” she explained.
“We also have mixology and all the different types of food art happening there, as well as the aerial arts.”
As for the evolution of the creative scene in Saudi Arabia, DJ Viva said the country is “hungry for entertainment. That’s really such a good thing. It’s nice to see the excitement and to see how they appreciate music here — and creativity as a whole.”
As the wider development and transformation of the Kingdom continues, she said that the progress in all the creative industries is happening quickly and on an even bigger scale.
“I think, in the coming years we are going to be continuing that trajectory and there’s going to be a lot of growth,” she predicted.
Physically demanding Hajj journeys echo pilgrimages of the past
- Adventurous Muslims challenge themselves by walking, cycling, riding and sailing to Hajj
- Horseriders take seven months to make journey from Spain to Makkah
RIYADH: While some worshippers choose to travel to Hajj in comfort, others see the pilgrimage as an opportunity to test their physical and spiritual fortitude.
Following in the long tradition of epic journeys that led the faithful of history to Makkah, adventurous Muslims today are challenging themselves in a variety of ways.
This year, three friends on horseback rode more than 8,000 kilometers over seven months from the south of Spain to Saudi Arabia to complete the Islamic rites in the holy capital.
Their route retraced a historic one first trod by Andalusian Muslims living in Europe more than 500 years ago.
Abdelkader Harkassi, Abdallah Hernandez and Tariq Rodriguez travelled through Spain, France, Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia, Serbia, Turkiye, Syria and Jordan before crossing into Saudi Arabia’s Northern Borders region and making their way to Makkah.
Hernandez told Arab News that the ride was a “trip of challenges where every step (was) felt by us and the horses, but (was) also a journey for the soul.”
The riders set off with limited funds and were supported by Muslims that they met along the way.
Another group of worshippers took to the seas, taking about two months to sail more than 7,400km from London to Makkah.
Abdul Wahid, Tauseef Ahmed, Jody McIntyre, Dobbir Uddin and Taher Akhtar from London had no previous sailing experience before training for the maritime mission.
Speaking to Arab News, Wahid, 38, said he was inspired by the combination of influences of his Muslim faith and the maritime history of the UK.
“It is kind of merging our religion Islam with the country (where) we are residing, and reviving this long-forgotten way to Hajj,” he said.
In June 2022, British pilgrim Adam Mohammed arrived in Makkah after setting off from his home in Wolverhampton, UK 11 months earlier and 6,500km away.
He walked through the Netherlands, Germany, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Turkey, Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan to reach Saudi Arabia.
Mohammed told Arab News at the time that, while studying the Qu’ran during COVID-19 lockdowns, he felt a spiritual calling inviting him on the journey.
“Suddenly, I woke up one day and something inside me told me to go to Makkah all the way by foot from my home,” he said. “I could not ignore this voice and decided to go for it.”
Pulling a 250kg cart in which he slept, prepared food and kept his personal belongings, Mohammed said that there were “no big difficulties” on his travels, and that he was undertaking the challenge for religion and not for fame.
Nabil Ennasri, a French pilgrim of Moroccan origin, cycled more than 5,000km to reach Makkah for the 2023 Hajj season.
He began his journey in Paris and crossed 11 countries including Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania, Greece, Jordan and Turkiye.
The 41-year-old wanted to revive the traditional pilgrimage experience and use his trip to raise awareness for global warming.
Ennasri was able to retrace the historical journey taken by Muslims, and some of his own relatives, in the past.
“Some members of my family also traveled on foot. It could have taken months or even years. Some lost their lives during the journey,” he said.
“When I remember these moments, I find the strength in me.”
Explaining the significance of his journey, he added: “My first objective is to explain global warming; it is very important for our children and future generations.
“My second goal is to understand what kind of difficulties people (experienced) on pilgrimage in ancient times, to understand their long journeys on foot.”
The trip was reminiscent of those carried out by millions of Muslims over the centuries, most of whom would have to have endured far greater hardships than travelers today.
Perhaps history’s most well-known Muslim explorer, Ibn Battuta, set off from his native Morocco in 1325 and did not return for another 24 years.
He ended up discovering a love of travelling, reaching as far as China, but the first leg of his journey was to the holy capital to perform Hajj.
In 2020, a Moroccan named Ghulam Yassin arrived in Makkah after retracing much of Ibn Battuta’s original journey.
Yassin travelled on foot and by bicycle for four years to perform Hajj — one of the five essential pillars of Islam.
Generous Saudis were so inspired by his journey that they pledged to cover the cost of his pilgrimage the following year.
In June 2022, Indian pilgrim Shihab Chottur arrived in Makkah after walking 8,600km from his home in Malappuram, Kerala.
Chottur, who was 31 at the time, set off on foot carrying 12kg of luggage with $8,500 in his pocket.
He passed through Pakistan, Iran, Iraq and Kuwait, and a year later arrived in the Kingdom.
The money he brought with him turned out not to be needed, because the Saudi government and Indian consulate decided to sponsor his Hajj.
Instead, the shop owner used it to pay for his mother to complete the pilgrimage the following year.
The Hajj pilgrimage is mandatory for all Muslims who are physically and financially able to complete it at least once in their life.
While the Saudi authorities continue to make the process more accessible and comfortable for all believers, including those with mobility issues, every year physically demanding journeys such as these remind us of the difficulties of performing Hajj in the past.
Guardians of the sacred: SRCA and university volunteers unite to shield pilgrims
- The SRCA’s logistical symphony spans 578 ambulances, nine helicopter surveillance teams and 80 rapid-response vehicles
ARAFAT: Beneath Makkah’s unrelenting sun, the Saudi Red Crescent Authority, or SRCA, and university volunteers have engineered a sanctuary of safety for Hajj 2025.
From SRCA’s 7,517 paramedics to Umm Al-Qura University’s medical students, this human tapestry works in lockstep across Islam’s holiest sites.
The SRCA’s logistical symphony spans 578 ambulances, nine helicopter surveillance teams and 80 rapid-response vehicles threading through human currents.
Mobility support includes 500 electric scooters and 205 golf carts pre-positioned at ritual grounds, while 633 logistics specialists orchestrate medical supply chains.
Fourteen emergency clinics and 32 first-aid stations anchor operations, with nine ambulance buses drilled for mass casualties.
Volunteers confront predictable yet constant health threats. Kholood Abdulwasea, an SRCA volunteer who traveled from Madinah to serve in Makkah, reported: “The cases we face, mostly they were having heat exhaustion. Some of them had hypoglycemia.” She credited mitigation efforts: “It wasn’t much because of the water sprays and the efforts put into providing water.”
Medical students corroborated this clinical landscape. Rawabi Omar Al-Arabi, a fifth-year Umm Al-Qura University medical student leading the Systematic Hajj Program, cited heatstroke, dehydration and hypoglycemia as predominant issues.
Jannah Halawani, a second-year peer heading the Media Committee, expanded the list, as she told Arab News: “Heatstroke, low blood sugar, low blood pressure, plus fractures or wounds needing stitches.”
Coordinating 10,000 caregivers across shifting pilgrim tides presented particular hurdles. Al-Arabi highlighted accommodation logistics as her team’s steepest challenge: “Coordinating large volunteer groups across field hospitals while ensuring 24/7 oversight. That’s the toughest part.”
Transportation emerged as another pressure point. Halawani emphasized the complexity of reaching ritual sites such as Arafat and Mina, calling it a “massive time and coordination” effort.
Beyond statistics, the human spirit defined the mission. Abdulwasea called her contribution an enduring honor: “It was a good day and I’m honored to be part of this noble mission.”
For university volunteers, the experience resonated deeper. Al-Arabi described serving pilgrims as “life-changing,” stressing that sacrificing seven days with family was “worth every second” for the privilege of honoring Allah’s guests.
Halawani captured the sentiment: “An indescribable privilege. Being chosen by Allah to serve Hajj pilgrims honors both the location and the moment. If you get this chance? Grab it. It’s truly unmissable.”
Arafat sermon emphasizes faith and unity
- Sheikh bin Hamid says Day of Arafat is a ‘great station of faith’
DUBAI: Sheikh Saleh bin Abdullah bin Hamid, imam and preacher of the Grand Mosque, delivered the annual Arafat sermon on Thursday at Namirah Mosque, marking one of the most sacred moments of the Hajj pilgrimage.
Addressing pilgrims gathered on the plains of Arafat, Sheikh Bin Hamid described the Day of Arafat as a “great station of faith” where the meanings of monotheism, piety and unity among Muslims were embodied. He urged worshippers to seize the spiritual opportunity of the day through remembrance, gratitude and sincere supplication to Allah.
“The Day of Arafat is a time when Muslims stand as one before their creator, equal in faith, stripped of worldly distinctions, adorned with the values of servitude and humility,” he said. “It is a day of answered prayers and multiplied good deeds.”
The sermon was attended by senior Saudi officials and religious leaders, including Prince Saud bin Mishal bin Abdulaziz, deputy governor of Makkah Region and vice chairman of the Central Hajj Committee, the Grand Mufti of the Kingdom, Sheikh Abdulaziz Al Al-Sheikh, Minister of Islamic Affairs Sheikh Abdullatif Al Al-Sheikh, and Minister of Hajj and Umrah Tawfiq Al-Rabiah.
The Arafat sermon is considered the spiritual centerpiece of Hajj, drawing millions of Muslims each year to the site where the Prophet Muhammad delivered his Farewell Sermon over 1,400 years ago.
