Saudi Cabinet establishes new independent body for affairs of two holy mosques arab.news/npwb4
Sheikh Abdulrahman Al-Sudais was appointed head of religious affairs at the two holy mosques by royal order
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Cabinet on Tuesday approved the establishment of an independent body called “The Presidency of Religious Affairs at the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque” that is linked to King Salman.
The body will be responsible for supervising the affairs of imams and muezzins of the two holy mosques and all matters related to their religious affairs including seminars and Islamic lessons, Saudi Press Agency reported.
The General Presidency for the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques will be transformed into a public body called the “General Authority for the Affairs of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque.”
The body will be financially independent, linked to the king, and will undertake tasks, services, operations, maintenance, and development related to the two holy mosques.
The General Authority for the Affairs of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque will have a board of directors whose chairman and members will be appointed by royal decree.
Sheikh Abdulrahman Al-Sudais was appointed head of religious affairs at the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque by royal order.
Tawfiq Al-Rabiah was appointed, by royal decree, chairman of the board of directors of the General Authority for the Affairs of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque.
The Cabinet also discussed talks on the Ukraine crisis that were held in Jeddah last week. More than 40 countries, including China, India, the United States and European countries took part in the talks.
The talks were part of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s efforts to reach lasting peace and mitigate the effects of the crisis.
The Cabinet also reaffirmed its support for precautionary measures by the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies, known as OPEC+, to stabilise the oil market.
How Does The King’s Decree Affect The Two Holy Mosques?
The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman issued a royal decree on Tuesday revamping the structure of how the Two Holy Mosques are managed.
Previously the General Presidency for the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques established by royal decree in 1966 by King Faisal oversaw the management of the entire Two Holy Mosques including its construction, maintenance of the Mosque and the Ka’bah, Library, the production of Kiswah.
The Presidency also managed the religious aspects of the Two Holy Mosques, including the management of Imams, Muadhin, Teachers, Scholars, and the College of Masjid Al Haram and Masjid An Nabawi. The Presidency was headed by Sheikh Abdur Rahman As Sudais since 2012.
Royal Decree Explained The King issued a Royal Decree effectively dissolving the General Presidency and established two seperate entities to manage the affairs of the Two Holy Mosques one would be the “General Authority for the Care of Masjid Al Haram and Masjid An Nabawi” and the other “Presidency for Religious Affairs of Masjid Al Haram and Masjid An Nabawi”
The General Authority for the Care of Masjid Al Haram and Masjid An Nabawi would be tasked with managing the affairs of the Two Holy Mosques aside from the religious aspects, which would include devolopment, maintaincence, crowd control etc, The King has appointed the Minister of Hajj and Umrah Dr Tawfiq Rabiah as Chairman of the Council of the General Authority for the Care of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque
The Presidency for Religious Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques will be overseeing the religious aspects of Masjid Al Haram and Masjid An Nabawi which include, Management of Imams and Muadhin, Scholars, Teachers, Colleges of Masjid Al Haram and Masjid Al Nabawi, Department of Translations etc
The King has issued a royal decree appointing Sheikh Dr Abdul Rahman As Sudais as President of this new Religious department.
Conclusion The King’s decision to divide the organization and affairs of the Two Holy Mosques is to improve efficiency and lower pressure on the centeralized structure of the now dissolved previous presidency, Sheikh Sudais will now be focussing entirely on religious aspects of the Two Holy Mosque reliving him of the management of the Two Holy Mosques. Wheras Dr Tawfiq Rabiah has been heavily tasked now to see the affairs of the Two Holy Mosques in addition to his role as Minister of Hajj and Umrah
What happened to shaikh maher today during jummah? Rumours saying he fainted but nothing. On Saudi news about it. Could be something simple as needed to vomit or passing wind, his voice was little off.
Sheikh Maher Faints During Jummah
MAKKAH: Sheikh Maher Al Muaiqly, Imam and Khateeb of Masjid Al Haram was taken ill during Jummah Prayers after reportedly suffering a sudden loss in blood pressure.
Subsequently, Sheikh Sudais who was present in the first row took over mid-prayer and concluded the Jummah Prayers
The Imam began slurring during the second part of the Khutbah and ended the Sermon prematurely and ordered “Establish Prayers”
Behind the cameras, Sheikh Maher had taken a seat on the minbar and was immediately attended to by Imams Sheikh Sudais and Sheikh Humaid and was offered a cold drink, The Imam then after a brief rest of 2 minutes felt strong enough to establish Prayers
The Imam, however, began to severely slur during recitation and fainted but was immediately caught by his bodyguards who escorted the imam to a medical centre, Sheikh Sudais took over and led the Jummah prayer to its conclusion
The Religious Affairs for Masjid Al Haram and Masjid An Nabawi issued a statement confirming the incident and assured that the Imam was in good health and spirits,
The Head for the affairs of the Two Holy Mosques Sheikh Sudais was also reassured of the Imam’s health and prayed for his health and sent him his good wishes
The Imam was due to lead to Fajr and Dhur Prayers in Masjid Al Haram on Saturday but was instructed by Chief Imam Sheikh Sudais to rest and instructed Sheikh Yasir Ad Dawsary to lead the Prayers instead
Saudi Arabia agrees to increase flights and reduce costs of pilgrims from Pakistan
Saudi Gazette report
ISLAMABAD — Minister of Hajj and Umrah Dr. Tawfiq Al-Rabiah announced the signing of a new agreement with Pakistan aimed at increasing the number of flights between the two countries as well as to reduce costs for Hajj and Umrah pilgrims from that country.
A high-ranking Saudi delegation, headed by Al-Rabiah, arrived here on Sunday on a four-day official visit. During the last leg of the visit, the minister will open Nusuk Exhibition in the southern port city of Karachi on Tuesday.
Addressing a press conference in the presence of Pakistan’s Minister of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony Aneeq Ahmed, Al-Rabiah said that that the unified national platform Nusuk simplifies procedures for pilgrims, and gives Hajj and Umrah pilgrims the freedom to choose hotels and the related facilities and services.
Al-Rabiah said the Nusuk platform would contribute to the issuance of Umrah visas in less than 24 hours, and the visa period can be extended from 30 days to 90 days. “The Pakistani pilgrims can visit the tourist, historical and cultural places, and visit any region in Saudi Arabia. Our goal is to make Umrah an unforgettable historical experience,” he said.
Al-Rabiah said the Nusk exhibition will be opened in Karachi on Tuesday. “A large number of Saudi and Pakistani tourist and Umrah companies will attend the exhibition,” he said.
The minister noted that this is his first visit to Pakistan as Minister of Hajj and Umrah, and that it comes as an extension of the historical relations that are under the direct supervision of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman and Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman.
Al-Rabiah said that all the joint efforts between the two countries have contributed to an increase in the number of Pakistani Umrah pilgrims to more than one million last year.
Former Pakistani Minister of Religious Affairs Muhammad Talha Mahmood, Saudi Ambassador to Pakistan Nawaf Al-Maliki and other officials also attended the meetings with the Saudi delegation. A key agenda item during the meetings was the discussions about the potential increase in Pakistan’s Hajj quota, which could be determined based on the country’s new census.
During the visit, discussions focus on matters concerning the facilities for Hajj and Umrah pilgrims, as well as the potential expansion of the Makkah Road project to other Pakistani cities. The Saudi delegation has a packed schedule of meetings with top Pakistani leaders, including the President, Caretaker Prime Minister, and the Chief of Army Staff.
Earlier, upon arrival, Al-Rabiah was warmly received by Minister Aneeq Ahmed and Saudi Ambassador Nawaf Al-Maliki at the airport. The Saudi delegation comprises heads from various government departments, including civil aviation, airlines, and representatives from the General Authority of Civil Aviation.
More fear mongering in preparation for more lies around the globe with further lockdowns looming amid the American elections. (However, please remain on topic and not derail the thread with convid lies)
Saudi Arabia tells Umrah pilgrims to wear face masks amid global rise of new Covid-19 variant Saudi authorities advise mask-wearing amid global rise in Covid-19 cases
Saudi Arabia’s public security authority has advised Umrah pilgrims to wear face masks when visiting holy sites.
The advice comes amid global reports of a new variant of the deadly coronavirus spreading worldwide.
Last week the World Health Organisation (WHO) said it is tracking a new strain of the coronavirus as new global cases reached around 1.5m from July 10 to August 6, an 80 percent increase compared to the previous 28 days.
Saudi issues Covid face mask advice
The EG.5, also known as Eris, is a sublineage of the omicron variant and has been detected in 51 countries, including the United States, China, South Korea and Japan, according to an initial risk evaluation.
While overall risk is low, “based on its genetic features, immune escape characteristics, and growth rate estimates, EG.5 may spread globally and contribute to a surge in case incidence.”
Saudi security authorities have advised Umrah pilgrims to wear face masks to protect the health of themselves and others while in Saudi Arabia.
In a statement on an official social media account, it said: “Wearing a mask in the Two Holy Mosques, in Makkah and Madinah and their surrounding areas, protects you and others from disease infection.”
Guest of Al-Rahman..
Wearing a mask in the Two Holy Mosques, in Makkah and Madinah and their surrounding areas, protects you and others from disease infection. pic.twitter.com/ctXiZg5Nja
— الأمن العام (@security_gov) August 6, 2023
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WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the organisation is tracking the spread of the new variant.
He said: “The risk remains of a more dangerous variant emerging that could cause a sudden increase in cases and deaths”.
Tedros recalled that three months have passed since he declared the end of Covid-19 as a global health emergency, though at the time he cautioned that it remains a threat.
Since then, the number of reported cases, hospitalisations and deaths globally has continued to decline.
Meanwhile, the number of countries reporting data to WHO also significantly declined. In the past month, only 25 per cent reported their Covid-19 deaths and only 11 per cent reported their hospitalisations and intensive care unit admissions.
Tedros said the risk of severe disease and death is vastly lower than it was a year ago, due to increasing population immunity – whether from vaccination, infection or both – and from early diagnosis with better clinical care.
“Despite these improvements, WHO continues to assess the risk of Covid-19 to global public health as high. The virus continues to circulate in all countries, it continues to kill and it continues to change,” he added.
New #COVID19 variant of interest: EG.5.
Formerly a variant under monitoring, WHO has now designated this a variant of interest.
There has been a steady increase in this variant’s prevalence. As of 7 August 2023, over 7000 sequences have been shared from 51 countries.
More… pic.twitter.com/DlDdAPYMos
— World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) August 9, 2023
In response, WHO has published recommendations for countries, which include updating their national Covid-19 programmes to move towards longer term sustained management of the disease.
They are also urged to continue collaborative surveillance to detect significant changes in the virus, as well as trends in disease severity and population immunity.
Tedros called for all countries to report Covid-19 data, especially on death and severe disease, genetic sequences, and vaccine effectiveness.
Governments should continue to offer vaccination against the disease, especially for the most at-risk groups, and ensure equitable access to vaccines, tests and treatment.
Nearly seven million people have died from Covid-19, and there have been more than 769 million confirmed cases worldwide.
MAKKAH: One man drowned and dramatic bolts of lightning struck Makkah as the city was lashed by thunderstorms overnight on Tuesday and early on Wednesday.
Mohammed Al-Twaim, a teacher at Mina Elementary School, lost his life trying to escape from his car after it was engulfed by floodwater.
As pilgrims tried to circumambulate the Kaaba in the Grand Mosque, lightning hit the landmark Fairmont Makkah Clock Royal Tower hotel, illuminating the night sky. The storm brought gale force winds exceeding 80 kph and 45 millimetres of rain within 24 hours, said National Center for Meteorology spokesman Hussein Al-Qahtani.
Pilgrims outside the mosque were toppled over by the wind, which sent crowd barriers sliding across the rain-slicked floor. “The scene was very scary,” said Makkah resident Mohammed, who was grocery shopping at the height of the storm. “Everything happened within a few minutes, when it started raining in a crazy way.”
Another resident, Abu Mayyada, was out buying cigarettes and petrol when “everything went black in front of me” as the worst of the storm hit, he said. “Suddenly I lost control over the vehicle. I couldn’t see anything so I started listening to the Qur’an on the radio. I didn’t understand what was happening.”
The Makkah governorate said schools would remain closed, with classes conducted on an e-learning platform “in the interest of everyone's safety.”
The meteorology center warned of further storms in the Makkah region and elsewhere in western Saudi Arabia.
This cannot be undone and I am sure it will be greatly appreciated.
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