Library of Makkah Grand Mosque is ‘beacon of knowledge’

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The library’s main entrance will be from the Kaaba Mountain Road. (SPA)
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Inside the Grand Mosque library. (SPA)
Updated 17 August 2018
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Library of Makkah Grand Mosque is ‘beacon of knowledge’

  • The library at the Grand Mosque is one of the oldest libraries in the Islamic world
  • It was established during the second century (Hijri calendar) at the beginning of the Abbasid period in 160 AH

JEDDAH: The library of Makkah Grand Mosque, which is affiliated with the General Presidency for the Affairs of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque, is one of the oldest libraries in the Islamic world. It was established during the second century AH at the beginning of the Abbasid period in 160 AH.

It was named the Library of Makkah Grand Mosque in 1357 AH when King Abdul Aziz bin Abdul Rahman Al-Saud set up a committee of Makkah scholars to study its conditions and organize it in accordance with its status and importance. 

The library began under one of the domes of the Grand Mosque dedicated to the preservation of copies of the Qur’an. 

In 1357 AH the library moved for the first time outside the Grand Mosque to become affiliated with the Ministry of Hajj until 1385 AH, when it was affiliated with the General Presidency of Religious Supervision at the Grand Mosque. It then changed its name to the General Presidency for the Affairs of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque and became a public library to serve students of religion.

The establishment of the Library of Makkah Grand Mosque project near the Grand Mosque and within the historical expansion project of the Grand Mosque affirms the status of the two Holy Mosques and the state’s keenness to take care of them and of the system of services provided and the scholarly and historical importance of the library. 

The establishment of the library near the Grand Mosque came as a permanent substitute for the rented building, according to the full designs and engineering plans of the project which are reflected in the finest style, the best level and most creative design worthy of the status of the Grand Mosque and everything related to it, especially the ancient library of the Grand Mosque, which has served knowledge and scholars for about 12 centuries. 

The project is located on the Kaaba Mountain Road on the northwestern side of the services building for the third Saudi expansion project and is crossed by the first ring road.

The multi-purpose library project aims to establish a scientific center and a world-class cultural and knowledge center in the holy capital centered on a central library of 20 million titles.

The project includes the lower service floors, the transport station and several other floors. There are other components of the cultural center such as the exhibition hall, the museum, the planetarium and the galleries.

It also has a large reading hall, a multi-story tower that includes bookshops, specialized bookshelves, research and translation centers, administrative offices, a conference center and a large lecture hall with all attendant services for more than 1,000 beneficiaries.

The library’s main entrance is on the Kaaba Mountain road and from the upper deck of the expansion project building. This will directly connect with the yards of the Grand Mosque. There will also be a back entrance from the proposed road linking the site to Omar bin Abdul Aziz Street.

The project aims to create a scientific edifice and a cultural center in the Grand Mosques area to be a magnet for visitors to Makkah throughout the year.

The project reflects the interest of the leadership in science and its students and translates the efforts and projects carried out by the state in the two Holy Mosques to achieve the objectives set for them. It provides a central library of world-class orientation, using the latest technologies, including nearly 20 million volumes of “books and manuscripts” with enough reading spaces for both men and women, offering the latest in the world of research tools and services.

All potential will be harnessed to make the library a cultural center with the largest number of visitors in the region — both residents of Makkah and visitors from all over the world — by focusing on the ideal diversity between cultural uses and services required and providing services such as the planetarium, galleries and modern technology screens.

The library will have enough reading spaces for both men and women, children’s desk services, translation and research centers, high-tech storage, delivery and receipt of folders, special collections and multi-media tools, as well as specialized services of the library with the latest scientific means, a manuscripts and digital library, a department for rehabilitation and restoration of ancient manuscripts and adequate administrative space.

The library, in its present location, has 15 sections serving readers and researchers to help them access library information, books, manuscripts, periodicals, lessons and audio speeches. 

Rare books have been digitised to offer fast service in line with expansion technologies and digital information storage to accommodate 160,000 books, 5,314 original and photocopied manuscripts, 2,500, and 40,000 periodicals.

The General Presidency for the Affairs of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque has been keen that people with special needs benefit from the services provided by the library through the allocation of a pavilion that cares for the blind and the disabled with books and brochures printed in braille and audio tapes, including more than 2,300 tapes and 700 books in science and literature.


Saudi Shoura Council speaker holds talks with Pakistani National Assembly counterpart

Updated 9 sec ago
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Saudi Shoura Council speaker holds talks with Pakistani National Assembly counterpart

ISLAMABAD: Saudi Shoura Council Speaker Abdullah bin Mohammed Al-Sheikh held official talks with Pakistani National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq in Islamabad. The talks were part of Al-Sheikh’s current official visit to Pakistan.

During the meeting, both parties went over fraternal relations and ways to strengthen the bonds between the two countries and their fraternal peoples.

They also discussed ways to boost bilateral parliamentary relations and enhance mutual cooperation between the Saudi Shoura Council and Pakistan’s National Assembly in a way that contributes to increasing parliamentary cooperation toward broader perspectives, and serving common interests.

They also touched on a number of topics and issues of common interest in all areas.


King Abdulaziz University launches Saudi Arabia’s first PET/MRI Alzheimer’s diagnostic service

Updated 35 min 26 sec ago
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King Abdulaziz University launches Saudi Arabia’s first PET/MRI Alzheimer’s diagnostic service

  • Early detection and diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease plays a critical role in improving patients’ quality of life

JEDDAH: King Abdulaziz University unveiled on Thursday the first diagnostic service for Alzheimer’s disease using integrated positron emission tomography and magnetic resonance imaging, collectively known as PET/MRI.

The service is offered through KAU’s Molecular Imaging Center (I-One), operating under the umbrella of Wadi Jeddah, the university’s investment arm.

The center, the only facility in Saudi Arabia’s Western and Southern regions equipped with a cyclotron for radiopharmaceutical production, spearheads the initiative.

A PET/MRI scan works by creating a three-dimensional image of the body using a PET scan and an MRI scan.

The KAU’s Alzheimer’s diagnostic service utilizes Amyloid PET/MRI imaging, developed in collaboration with Oryx Isotopes.

Early detection and diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease plays a critical role in improving a patient’s quality of life and slowing the progression of the condition.


UAE publishers take part in Jeddah Book Fair 

Updated 19 December 2024
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UAE publishers take part in Jeddah Book Fair 

  • Emirati writers sign books, speak with readers
  • Fair continues at the Jeddah Superdome until Dec. 21

JEDDAH: Over 20 Emirati publishing houses are taking part in the Jeddah Book Fair 2024, which features almost 1,000 publishers from 22 countries.

The Saudi Literature, Publishing, and Translation Commission is hosting the fair in the Jeddah Superdome until Dec. 21.

UAE publishers have made a significant presence at the fair, with publications in literature, science, children’s stories, and comics, the WAM reported.

Emirati publishers said that the Jeddah Book Fair is one of the most important events in the Arab cultural calendar, praised for its high public turnout and the diversity of publications available in fiction and self-development genres, according to WAM.

The fair includes lectures, seminars, and workshops by nearly 170 speakers, writers, and experts from Saudi Arabia and other countries.

Emirati writers signed their books and communicated directly with readers at the fair, WAM added.

The fair has also dedicated a special area for children featuring educational and interactive writing and animation industry activities.

More than 450 pavilions and a cultural program with more than 100 events have been organized as part of the fair.

It is the third book fair organized by the Literature, Publishing, and Translation Commission in 2024 after the Riyadh International Book Fair and Madinah Book Fair.


Madinah culinary arts club hosts Cooking Challenge 2 as part of winter events

Updated 19 December 2024
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Madinah culinary arts club hosts Cooking Challenge 2 as part of winter events

  • Event celebrated the distinctive culinary heritage of Madinah while enhancing the skills of local chefs
  • Two contestants were selected to compete in preparing Madinah’s traditional kabli dish, which was judged by a panel of experts

MADINAH: The Culinary Arts and Hospitality Club in Madinah on Wednesday hosted Cooking Challenge 2 as part of its winter activities in the region.

The event celebrated the distinctive culinary heritage of Madinah while enhancing the skills of local chefs, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

From a pool of 350 club members, two contestants were selected to compete in preparing Madinah’s traditional kabli dish, which was judged by a panel of experts. 

The evaluation criteria included taste, adherence to food health and safety protocols, professional safety standards, creativity and innovation, quality standards, and mastery of cooking techniques. 

The challenge featured Chef Alaa Al-Ahmadi and Chef Asmaa Al-Attas with the latter emerging as the winner.

Chef Enayat Khan, head of the Culinary Arts and Hospitality Club in Madinah, explained that the club’s mission is to unite chefs in Madinah under one platform to exchange knowledge and expertise. 

A key focus is preserving traditional Madinah dishes as well as Saudi cuisine as a whole.

Khan highlighted the club’s diverse pool of national talent, encompassing professionals and passionate amateurs, and expressed the club’s ambition to display Madinah’s culinary excellence on the global stage.

Chef Abdul Wahab Al-Dawi, director of public relations and marketing at the Culinary Arts Club, emphasized the richness and diversity of Saudi cuisine, shaped by the Kingdom’s geography and the integration of animal, marine, and agricultural products. 

He noted that Saudi cuisine has made a notable impact at international exhibitions, reflecting its growing global recognition. 

He said the club continues to host culinary events aimed at enhancing the skills of aspiring chefs, nurturing culinary talent, and discovering new creators in the Madinah region.


Saudi initiative launches pioneering care center for people with disabilities

Updated 19 December 2024
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Saudi initiative launches pioneering care center for people with disabilities

  • Integrated residential care facility is expected to serve over 280 beneficiaries annually
  • Project designed to serve as model for development of similar facilities

RIYADH: A Saudi social care project worth SR83 million ($22.1 million) is set to transform support services for people with disabilities in Saudi Arabia’s Qassim Region after a trilateral agreement was signed on Thursday.

The Sakhaa Program, the Abdulaziz Al-Ohali Charitable Foundation, and the Onaizah Association for Development and Human Services, known as Taheel, have joined forces to establish an integrated residential care facility which is expected to serve over 280 beneficiaries annually, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

The initiative aligns with the program’s efforts to support the community through creating sustainable development opportunities and enabling benefactors to actively participate in achieving social and economic development in the Kingdom.

Deputy Secretary-General Nasser bin Mohammed Asiri signed on behalf of the Sakhaa Program, alongside Fahd bin Abdulaziz Al-Ohali, chairman of the Al-Ohali Foundation’s board of trustees, and Musaad bin Yahya Al-Saleem, vice chairman of Taheel Association.

The memorandum of understanding outlines an ambitious project to establish a center that will provide a comprehensive and supportive environment to meet the needs of people with disabilities, according to the SPA.

The facility will offer integrated services, including full residential care supported by specialized rehabilitation programs, comprehensive healthcare covering both therapeutic and preventive aspects, as well as recreational and educational activities to enhance residents’ social and psychological well-being, ensuring their independence and enabling active community participation.

The project’s funding model combines government support, community contributions, and nominal fees to ensure sustainable, high-quality care delivery. Infrastructure development, equipment, and operational costs are included in the total investment.

The project is designed to serve as a model for developing similar centers in the future, the SPA added.