Makkah 2012
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Makkah 2012
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17 November 2012
The President General of the Affairs of Masjid-al-Haram and Masjid-an-Nabawi, Dr. Abdur Rehman As-Sudais, has said that the Mataf Expansion project will go through three phases which are distributed over three years.
He pointed out that the project includes constructing floors above the first Saudi expansion and leveling the hallways with the current Mataf Courtyard, with addition to creating obstacle-free spaces inside the hallways.
This statement came yesterday while he was inaugurating a work-shop paving way for the Custodian of al-Haramain al-Shareefain King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz's project to increase the capacity of the Mataf Courtyard, which was held in partneship with the General Presidency (of the affairs of al-Haramain), Haram Security force, Civil Defense and the Saudi Bin Laden group.
As-Sudais also reassured the importance of keeping the Mataf clean and maintaining it from sand and dust, and the attempt to complete the project in the duration ordered by the Custodian of Al-Haramain Al-Shareefain, explaining that the capacity will reach 150,000 people per hour.
He also explained that the project includes an integrated system of Tawaf and Sa'i for disable people, in addition to the system of a network of external pedestrian bridges which will help in managing the crowd movement inside Masjid-al-Haraam.
http://www.alarabiya.net/articles/20...17/250098.html
Saturday 17 November 2012
Prince Sultan bin Salman, president of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA), stressed the importance of “the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s Marvelous Masterpieces Exhibition’ as a window on Saudi culture and heritage to the outside world while formally opening the expo in Washington D.C. on Thursday.
The exhibition was organized by the SCTA in collaboration with Sackler and Fryer Museum, an affiliate of Smithsonian Foundation for Museums and Research.
“People know only about Saudi Arabia’s religious, political and economic dimensions that make noticeable marks on the outside world, but the cultural dimension of the Kingdom has been confined to the realm of experts, scientists and researchers,” the prince said.
The series of Saudi antiquities exhibition was first launched under the aegis of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah at the Louvre Museum in Paris in 2010 with the aim of highlighting the splendid cultural features of the Kingdom to the outside world.
"During the past stops in France, Spain, Russian and Germany, the exhibition attracted more than 1.5 million visitors,” the prince added.
Chairman of the Board of Directors of King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies, Prince Turki Al-Faisal, Saudi Ambassador to the United States Adel Al-Jubeir, Secretary-General of the Smithsonian Foundation for Museums and Research G. Wayne Cliff, Director of Sackler and Fryer Museum Julian Rabie, a number of princes and Saudi and US dignitaries apart from a number of Islamic and Arab diplomats were present at the opening ceremony.
The exhibition includes some 320 masterpieces illustrating the history of the Arabian Peninsula from the Stone Age to the modern times.
In his welcome speech, Cliff expressed his pleasure at the Saudi authorities selecting the museum to launch the first leg of the exhibition’s US tour.
“The exhibition would provide a rare opportunity to the US public to enjoy various aspects of the Kingdom’s history and civilization, which were not known to them except to a few antiquities experts and scientists,” Cliff said. Rabie also spoke on the occasion stressing the importance of the event.
During the opening event, the hosts and guests exchanged memorial gifts as a mark of the official opening. The exhibition will receive visitors from Saturday, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The guests toured the exhibition and listened to interpretations and explanations from the museum guides.
Cultural and arts activities will also be staged on the sidelines of the exhibition.
The last show of the exhibition, organized early this year, was hosted by Berlin’s Pergamon Museum.
“This exhibition shows the cultural and civilized dimension of Saudi Arabia, which is saying to the world today that it is indeed a country that embraces many civilizations. It also shows that the role that the Kingdom and its leadership are playing today is in fact a historical genuine role that was crowned in the past by Islam, which by the way, did not eradicate these civilizations,” a German visitor commented after viewing the exhibition.
The exhibition’s two-year world tour has been undertaken after receiving approval of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah.
It was hosted in Paris by the Louvre Museum, La Caixa Forum Museum in Barcelona, Spain and Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, Russia.
“The exhibition showcases 300 archaeological findings including some excavated 10 years ago reflecting the civilization that existed in the Arabian Peninsula,” Rabie, who is also former professor of Islamic Art and Architecture at the Oxford University, said while addressing a press conference attended by more than 70 US media persons on Wednesday.
Ali Al-Ghabban, deputy chairman of the SCTA, took the journalists around explaining to the history of each showcased piece. Some of the artifacts are more than a million years old while some others are of the modern of Saudi awakening, he said.
http://www.arabnews.com/saudi-arabia...ural-dimension
Article + video: http://english.alarabiya.net/article...15/249792.html
Exhibition website: www.roadsofarabia.com
A news from the past...
Saturday, December 30, 1899 - Karachi
It was a rare opportunity to meet the custodian of the Khana Kaaba, the most revered place for the Muslims of the world where they perform Tawaf round the clock, 24 hours a day, is in Karachi for the past three days for a short visit, and was feted to a grand luncheon here Sunday afternoon.
The honoured guest, Sheikh Abdul Qadir Yahya Al-Shebi, belongs to the well known family of Saudi Arabia, known as the Shebis.
They hold the key to the Kaaba Sharif for thousands of years. When the Holy Prophet Mohammad 
conquered Makkah, he ordered for the key to the doors of the Kaaba Sharif, the building in the middle of the Haram Sharif, to clear it from idols. On being informed that the key to the door of the Kaaba Sharif was held by the Shebi family, the Prophet (PBUH) called for him.
The then Shebi came and handed him over the key to the Nabi-e-Kareem . The Prophet (PBUH) opened the door, removed the idols, which kuffar had kept there as their “gods”, and washed the entire Kaaba, cleaned it from inside, in order to make it worthy for prayers, and Tawaf, etc.
Ghusl (washing) of Kaaba Sharif, has become a tradition since then and is continuing uninterrupted, The Kaaba Sharif is given ghusl twice a year, every 30th of Shabaan, and 15th of Muharram to keep it clean for the Muslims coming for Hajj and Umra, and anytime during the year.
After performing the Ghusl, the Prophet (PBUH) handed over the key to the door of the building to a Shebi but then Jibrael (A.S) brought Wahi on him that the key to the Kaaba Sharif would remain in possession of the Shebi family till the day of judgement, and anyone trying to take it from them, would be treated by God Almighty as guilty of tyranny. In his short speech, Abdul Qadir Shebi who inherited the key after its earlier custodian Aziz Shebi who passed away last year, thanked the people of Pakistan for their hospitality. Earlier, Amir A Khan, the chief executive of an organization, called Ana Haji, which produces many Islamic items, and plans to expand its business to serve the Muslims of the world, thanked Mr Shebi for gracing the occasion.
The lunch was attended by former Supreme Court Chief Justice Abdul Hameed Dogar, Mr Jan Mohammad and Mr Rauf Tabani, and others.
http://pakobserver.net/detailnews.asp?id=183056
Different Keys of the Kaaba
Old and new Doors of the Kaaba
Today Door...
Google translation:
Mecca: Ali Amiri 2012-11-20 1:34 AM
Blocked the expansion of the day, which was ordered by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz, and began the actual work where yesterday the eastern part of the old campus from the eyes Taivin and seeking temporary, specifically in the area at the well of Zamzam length 12 meters and width of 6 meters, where they were fencing and isolating it from wandering and endeavor.
The President-General for the Grand Mosque and the Prophet's Mosque, Dr Abdul Rahman Al Sudais, the eastern side that has been initiated represent a bottleneck, pointing out that it aligns endeavor, and constitute the northern half east of the Grand Mosque, and ends on the south side for the door Safa.
Sudais said that work continues around the clock to complete the project within the time limit is three years, adding that the project will increase the capacity of the expansion took shape after the end of the 150 thousand Careers in time. He added that the removal will be limited to the first Saudi extension except the main gates and lighthouses, noting that while preserving the old campus will be reduced in proportion to align level bowl circling, and associated role cellar, and will provide a link effective and direct between external areas and dish wandering without overlapping in motion with users of the ground floor .
And between Sudais it excluded from interface old campus east façade, which interface concrete was rebuilt more than once in the last ten years for the expansion of the corridor adjacent to the endeavor, which is a bottleneck in the day in the halls of the first floor and roof, was resurfacing stone Shimeisy old. He pointed out that it will consolidate and strengthen the old campus in ways unprecedented engineering to keep all the elements during the work attributed to reduction. He said that although the project will double the capacity of three times; but it will relieve a lot of movement and opposes existing bottlenecks due to the continued increase in the numbers of of Kasdi the Grand Mosque.
The Sudais that eventually will be free of obstacles and dangers, stressing that the project will raise the level of services using the latest systems and technologies to improve the service provided to Kasdi Grand Mosque, noting that it will include sound systems, lighting and HVAC system for Cruising with special needs completely separate from the system infantry.
For his part, said the commander of a security force campus Brigadier Yahya Al-Zahrani that work in the expansion ultimately will not affect the movement Taivin around the Kaaba, noting that it was preparing a plan for this area so that the transition from wandering to endeavor with ease and flow, and that the work area isolated completely circling movement and seek.
Google translation:
20 November 2012
Closed General Presidency for the Two Holy Mosques yesterday 76 Baba from the northern side, in the context of starting the implementation of the expansion project up in the Grand Mosque, in time Undersecretary of the Ministry of Hajj and official spokesman of the Ministry of Hatem Hassan Qazi is not affected by the Umrah season this business, and there is no intention to stop it because implementation of development projects, pointing out that the Umrah and the ongoing visit by predetermined schedule.
The Director of Public Relations at the General Presidency for the Two Holy Mosques Ahmed Mansouri that closing those doors starting from door Marwa, pointing to begin removing bridge Alraqhobh which connects Ghazh second floor of the effort in favor of the expansion project North, will be transferred to another location, and began employment at work without disturbing Kasdi Grand Mosque and the worshipers.
For his part, President General for the Grand Mosque and the Prophet's Mosque, Dr. Abdulrahman bin Abdulaziz Al Sudais that the draft of King Abdullah - may God protect him - to increase the capacity of the Tawaf will keep the interface the old campus overlooking the dish circumambulation and removal will be limited to the first Saudi extension except the main gates and lighthouses, However maintaining the old campus will be reduced in proportion to align level bowl circumambulation and associated role cellar, and will provide a link effective and direct between external areas and dish wandering without overlapping in motion with users of the ground floor, and excluded from the front the old campus east façade which interface concrete was recreated for more than once in the last ten years for the expansion of the corridor adjacent to the endeavor, which is the bottleneck in the day in the halls of the first floor and the roof, and has resurfacing stone Shimeisy old, and will consolidate and strengthen the old campus in ways that engineering is unprecedented to keep all the elements during the work reduction attributed.
He added that as well as Saamenh this project blessed double the capacity of three times; it will relieve a lot of the opposed movement and existing bottlenecks due to the continued increase in the number of Kasdi Grand Mosque, also will raise an unprecedented and unique level of quality and variety of services that will have the pilgrims.
He appealed Kasdi Grand Mosque to keep away from the workplace, and reduce the frequency of the Grand Mosque to complete this project blessed.
Holy Mosque under construction work
New structure in the courtyard
New structure in the courtyard
Part of Ma'sa empty...look closed
Part of Ma'sa empty...look closed
Google translation:
Separation of electricity and high corridor temporarily to maintain the smooth flow of pilgrims
160 m 2 launches removal boxes in the Mataf
21 November 2012
Executing company began the expansion of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz to Mataf took shape yesterday, to close the first 160 m 2 in the historic building, through the construction of scaffolding needed to start expansion works.
Was unplug this part as a prelude to start removing the electrical tools of lamps and chandeliers, fans and headphones under the direct supervision of electrical engineers.
The Okaz a specialist in the project that after the preliminary work of the project, will be followed by demolition and removal of concrete columns inside the box, followed by expansion in the boxes, respectively, after the division of labor.
And learned Okaz intention General Presidency for the Two Holy and the company executing the project to expand Mataf up the establishment of destination for a temporary increase of up to half a wall Kaaba for the duration of expansion where it will work under the day the interim, in order to maintain smooth flow of wandering and is not affected by the Umrah season this construction work .
The expansion comes the Mataf to increase the capacity of 40 thousand Careers in time to about 150 thousand Careers in time.
As the project will anchor a separate Mataf for places prayer and link the different roles and facilitate the movement of entry and exit to and from the Mataf, with the need to break up lumps of human squares and at the entrances and corridors, and the introduction of a direct link to dish up corridor endeavor and provide necessary facilities and services in the appropriate places.
It is noteworthy that President General for the Grand Mosque and the Prophet's Mosque, Dr. Abdulrahman bin Abdulaziz Al Sudais between the project will keep the interface the old campus overlooking the dish circumambulation and removal will be limited to the first Saudi extension except the main gates and lighthouses, and with maintaining the old campus will be reduced in proportion to align level bowl circumambulation and associated role cellar, and will provide a link effective and direct between external areas and dish wandering without overlapping in motion with users of the ground floor, and excluded from the front the old campus east façade which interface concrete was rebuilt more than once in the last ten years for the expansion of the corridor adjacent to the endeavor, which is the bottleneck up in the corridors of the first floor and the roof, and was resurfacing stone old Shimeisy, and will consolidate and strengthen the old campus in ways unprecedented engineering to keep all the elements during the work attributed to reduction.
On the other hand started the presidency in the installation of glass sweatshirt in the second round of the bid between Safa and Marwa to protect it from dust and prevent the entry of birds into the Haram al-Sharif.
This cannot be undone and I am sure it will be greatly appreciated.
Please wait...
