Makkah News and Updates

It’s a blessing to serve the Guests of Allah

11 July 2013 - 02 Ramadan 1434 H

MAKKAH – Sheikh Abdulrahman Al-Sudais, Head of the Presidency for the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques, made late Tuesday night an inspection tour of the ongoing expansion work at the Grand Mosque.

Speaking to reporters, he said that serving the holy mosques and the pilgrims as well as extending to them the best possible facilities is a great blessing from Allah Almighty to this great nation, its leaders and people.

“We are honored by the order and directive of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah to open the ground floor, first floor and the first mezzanine of the annex of the Grand Mosque and its outer squares. We are also witnessing the unprecedented progress in the expansion of the mataf (circumambulation area around the Holy Ka’aba),” he said, adding that the Umrah pilgrims and visitors of the Grand Mosque will take advantage of the first phase of the expansion project in the holy month of Ramadan.

Accompanied by Maj. Gen. Yahya Al-Zahrani, Commander of the Security Forces at the Grand Mosque, Sheikh Al-Sudais inspected the lighting, air-conditioning, fire-extinguishing and sound systems at the new building and its squares that can accommodate more than 400,000 worshippers. He also toured the new areas for ablution and toilets.

He urged Muslims not to repeat Haj or Umrah so as to facilitate performance of the obligatory ritual by those who did not perform it before.

Sheikh Al-Sudais also inspected the first phase of the mataf expansion project, especially the temporary mataf area for the pilgrims with special needs that can accommodate 1,500 people per hour.

A major workshop on the expansion project and the services rendered to the faithful is underway in Makkah.

On Tuesday, King Abdullah ordered the partial opening of the new expanded building of the Grand Mosque.

The building is part of the largest ever expansion in the history of the Grand Mosque, launched by King Abdullah in August 2011, at a cost of SR80 billion.

http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index...20130711173123

1 Ramadan 1434 - 10 July 2013

chandelier at King abdulla gate pathway

Green Carpets in New Haram

Main Dome @ Shamiya Project

11 July 2013

Photos by SX4

New Minaret Progress in Shamiya Expansion

Photos by SX4

Anjum Hotel

Photos by SX4

An opportunity no Muslim would miss

Friday 12 July 2013

Umrah pilgrims visiting here say it is a privilege and absolute joy to break their fast in the Prophet's Mosque.

Abd Al-Jaleel Fadl, a Pakistani Umrah pilgrim, said he was extremely happy to be in the mosque during Ramadan and had praise for the "great and outstanding services available to visitors as soon as they set foot in this holy land. We were warmly welcomed by all people we met."

"I especially like the umbrellas in the yards of the mosque which protect worshippers from the heat of the sun, and the fans spraying water vapor on worshippers. This is especially valuable for fasting people who move around under high temperatures during the day," he said.

Abd Al-Razzaq Issam, an Egyptian pilgrim, said he always dreamed of visiting the two holy mosques. "Now my dream has come true and I thank Allah for that. I could perform the rituals in this holy month of Ramadan, which brought tears of joy to my eyes. I have been dreaming of doing this for a long time, to visit all these places and drink from the water of Zamzam," he said.

The Prophet's Mosque is a hive of activity during Ramadan. Meals are laid out after Asr prayer, in preparation for Maghrib time. There are all kinds of dates, fruit juices, bottles of water, yoghurt and laban. These are provided free by the residents of Madinah, who do it for the sake of Allah and follow the injunction that every Muslim should provide food to a fasting person.

The mosque is filled with people of all ages, sitting and waiting to break their fast. This spirit of giving and sharing impresses many visitors.

Inside the mosque, only dates, water, laban and coffee are allowed. But in the courtyards, everything can be served: fried chicken, meat, rice, fruits and juice.

It's really a huge banquet, with some Ramadan meals provided in the mosque costing up to SR 8,000.

http://www.arabnews.com/news/457780

Conditioned umbrellas to protect worshipers
at Quba mosque from the heat sun

مظلة مكيفة لحماية المصلين بمسجد قباء من حرارة الشمس

12 July 2013

يجري حاليا إنشاء مظلة كبيرة في الساحات الغربية لمسجد قباء التاريخي جنوب المدينة المنورة، لوقاية نحو أربعة آلاف مصل من أشعة الشمس الحارقة، ومن المقرر أن يتم وضع عدد كبير من المكيفات على جميع جهات المظلة.

وأوضح لـ «عكاظ» مدير فرع وزارة الشؤون الإسلامية والأوقاف في المدينة المنورة الدكتور محمد الخطري، أن الهدف من إنشاء المظلة هو وقاية المصلين خارج المسجد من حرارة الشمس، حيث تشهد درجات الحرارة ارتفاعا كبيرا هذه الأيام، مشيرا إلى أن إنشاء المظلة الحالية والتي سيتم الانتهاء منها خلال الأيام القليلة المقبلة، لا علاقة له بمشروع توسعة مسجد قباء. في المقابل وقفت «عكاظ» على مشروع المظلة في الساحات الغربية، حيث رصدت الانتهاء من وضع نحو 16 مكيفا في الموقع، بالإضافة إلى مباشرة الشركة المتعهدة في إنشاء المظلة بمشاركة عدد كبير من العمالة الفنية. يذكر أن الموقع الحالي للمظلة هو نفس الموقع الذي شهد الخيمة الرئيسة لعاصمة الثقافة الإسلامية، والتي تمت إزالتها قبل نحو ثلاثة شهور.

وجاء إنشاء المظلة استجابة لمطالب المصلين بحمايتهم من أشعة الشمس الحارقة، وذلك بعد أن تمت إزالة النخيل الذي كان يغطي ساحات المسجد، وذلك إبان الاحتفاء بالمدينة المنورة عاصمة الثقافة الإسلامية، حيث إن أشجار النخيل كانت تساهم في الوقاية من أشعة الشمس، كما أن الخيمة الرئيسة التي شهدت حفل افتتاح هذه المناسبة الثقافية الإسلامية، وبعد الفراغ من الحفل تم فتحها للمصلين في أيام الجمعة، إلا أن الشركة المتعهدة رفعتها بانتهاء العقد المبرم بينها والأمانة العامة للمدينة المنورة عاصمة الثقافة الإسلامية، الأمر الذي تسبب في تعرض المصلين في الساحات الخارجية من الجهة الغربية لحرارة الشمس، سيما وأن المدينة المنورة تشهد هذه الأيام ارتفاعا ملحوظا في درجات الحرارة التي قاربت 50 درجة مئوية.

http://www.okaz.com.sa/new/Issues/20...0712619780.htm

Google translation: Being created large umbrella in the western squares of the historic Quba Mosque south of Medina, to prevent four thousand worshipers from the scorching sun, is scheduled to be a large number of air-conditioners on all points of the canopy.

He told «Okaz» Director of the branch of the Ministry of Islamic Affairs and Endowments in Medina Dr Mohamed Alkhatri, that the objective of the establishment of the umbrella is the protection of worshipers outside the mosque from the heat of the sun, which is experiencing temperatures increased significantly these days, pointing out that the establishment of parachute current and which will be completed them during the next few days, has nothing to do with the draft expansion of Quba Mosque. On the other hand, stood 'Okaz' umbrella project in Western arenas, where the finalization of the spotted about 16 adapted on-site, in addition to the company directly biding in the establishment of the canopy with the participation of a large number of technical labor. It is noteworthy that the current location of the umbrella is the same site that saw the main tent of the capital of Islamic culture, which has removed about three months ago.

The establishment of the umbrella in response to the demands of worshipers to protect them from the scorching sun, and after it has been removed palm, which covered arenas mosque, and that during the celebration of Medina Capital of Islamic Culture, where the palm trees they contribute to the prevention of sunlight, and the tent main witnessed the opening ceremony of the occasion Islamic cultural, and after the completion of the ceremony was opened to worshipers on Fridays, but the company biding filed by the end of the contract between them and the Secretariat of the Medina, the capital of Islamic culture, which caused the exposure of worshipers in the squares of Foreign Affairs of the western side of the heat of the sun , especially since Medina witnessing these days a remarkable rise in temperatures that approached 50 degrees Celsius.

10 July 2013

Ramadan 03,1434 - Night of 11 July 2013

photo by Ibn Hanif

11 july 2013 After taraweeh

by SX4