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Prophet's Mosque in Madinah
Old minaret in repair or renovation?
This photo appeared on flickr yesterday
15 July 2012
JEDDAH — Every year, Muslims around the world wait for the announcement of the beginning of the holy month of Ramadan with anticipation. The month begins with the sighting of the new moon.
Speculations are rife this year too with some astronomers saying it is impossible to see the Ramadan crescent before Thursday and the holy month will begin Friday and others saying it will be Saturday. So far, nothing is clear except the heated debate between astronomers who rely on mathematical calculations and those who would stick to the age-old tradition of sighting the crescent with the naked eye.
Last year, some astronomers claimed the Eid Al-Fitr was celebrated on the wrong day and Saudi religious scholars made a mistake while fixing the date.
The fasting month of Ramadan comes to an end with the sighting of the Shawwal crescent in the horizon with the naked eye. Under the Shariah, if the new crescent was seen by any trustworthy person supported by two witnesses his testimony would be documented and the whole nation would accept that testimony.
The majority of Muslims all over the world still stick to the tradition of looking to the sky to start their fasting and ending it despite the availability of advanced technology to precisely determine the birth of the new moon.
With Ramadan less than a week away, people eagerly await the announcement and local newspapers have started publishing views of experts and astronomers on the beginning of the holy month.
Abdul Aziz Al-Shammari, a scholar and astronomer, stated the obvious when he told a local newspaper that the first day of Ramadan would be either Friday or Saturday.
On the other hand, Hassan Basrah, head of the Astronomy Department at Jeddah’s King Abdulaziz University, has claimed that sighting the Ramadan crescent would be impossible Thursday with the naked eye and the fasting month would not start until Saturday.
According to the Islamic Crescents’ Observation
http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index...20120715129999
Minarets
MOHAMMED RASOOLDEEN
Monday 16 July 2012
Extensive arrangements are being made in all the mosques to accommodate the extra streams of worshippers during Ramadan.
The start of the holy month will be determined based on the sighting of the moon later this week.
Ramadan is likely to start Friday after astronomers said the new moon could be sighted Thursday evening.
Saudi astronomer Abdul Aziz Al-Shammari said: “The moon will set this coming Thursday six minutes after the setting of the sun, increasing the likelihood of the new moon being sighted on Thursday.”
The Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Endowments, Call and Guidance’s department in charge of mosques directed imams and muezzins in the Kingdom to keep the place tidy and ensure adequate supplies of power and water during the holy month to cater to the increased number of Muslims likely to visit mosques for Taraweeh prayers, which follows the regular Isha prayers.
Private contractors that maintain mosques have been asked to be on duty at nights during the holy month to guarantee a continuous water and power supply for all places of worship.
The mosques department maintains more than 6,000 mosques in Riyadh alone and other mosques in the city and suburbs have been built and maintained by members of the royal families and philanthropists in the Kingdom.
Improvised partitions for women will be built in mosques that do not have separate prayer halls for them.
Some of mosques are busy replacing their carpets and others are washing them to ensure they look fresh for the holy month.
Ubaidullah, an imam at a mosque in Riyadh’s Naseeriyah district said yesterday: “Everyone likes to come to the mosques for prayers during the holy month and we expect a larger congregation for Taraweeh prayers.”
He added the holy month not only provides a good opportunity for Muslims to greet one another and but also helps them perform good deeds that will be rewarded by Allah.
He said: “We are making every effort to provide worshippers with a conducive environment to offer their prayers in a serene atmosphere at the mosque."
He added loudspeakers outside the mosque premises would not be used during Taraweeh prayers according to instructions from the mosques department.
Ubaidullah said Isha prayers would be conducted approximately two hours after iftar (breaking of the fast) and would be followed by Taraweeh prayers from 9.15 p.m.
Midnight prayers (Qiyamul Layl) will be conducted from the 20th day of Ramadan until the end of the holy month. These prayers will begin at 1 a.m. for one hour.
Tents will also be constructed adjacent to the mosques to enable worshippers to break their fast during the month.
An official from a maintenance company that looks after 1,300 mosques in Riyadh said employees have been asked to work in the mosques till late at night during the month.
“These laborers are expected to keep the mosques neat and tidy and ensure a smooth supply of water and power.”
Director General of the mosques department in Riyadh Abdullah Al-Hamid said imams have been instructed not to delegate their duty of leading Taraweeh prayers to someone else without informing the ministry and getting permission in advance. Al-Hamid said: “The imams are expected to remain at their respective mosques during the last 10 days of the month and should not leave even to perform Umrah or visit Makkah.”
According to the ministry’s instructions, imams are not permitted to undertake any activities related to religious propagation unless they are licensed to do so.
Imams and muezzins should also ensure no beggar asks for alms inside or at the doors of mosques.
Al-Hamid said circulars were sent to all imams ordering them to perform their duties in the best possible manner and not miss any compulsory prayer in their respective mosques.
They should strive to maintain the status and spiritual atmosphere of mosques, it added.
No mosque official will be granted leave during the month of Ramadan unless there are exceptional circumstances, the circular said.
The imams should also keep their mosques open during daytime so worshippers have the opportunity to remain and pray there until the end of the night prayers.
The imams should also ensure carpets and mosque premises are regularly and properly cleaned.
They should report any contractors who fail to carry keep mosques clean.
Prince Turki bin Sultan, deputy minister of culture and information for information affairs, said a Ramadan broadcasting plan has been approved.
In a statement to the Saudi Press Agency, he said an integral part of the program is the live transmission of Taraweeh prayers and Tahaggud (late night) prayers from the Makkah-based Grand Mosque and the Madinah-based Prophet's Mosque.
He explained Saudi TV is also keen to provide its viewers with coverage of the Saudi Professional League that kicks off during Ramadan, coinciding with the London Olympic Games.
http://www.arabnews.com/mosques-prepare-ramadan
Makkah: Arab News
Monday 16 July 2012
Local authorities in Makkah unveiled plans to restrict the leveling of mountains that has been ongoing as part of construction projects.
Khaled Fida, director of the Urban Planning Department at the Makkah municipality, said municipal authorities would soon curb the demolishing of mountains to protect the holy city’s landscape and ecosystem.
He told Al-Eqtisadiah business daily on Sunday: “A study on taking advantage of Makkah’s hilly terrain as well as to preserve it as much as possible has been completed.” Future construction work would be in line with the findings of the study.
The official’s comments come at a time when the holy city is witnessing a massive construction boom. Many mountainous regions, including those in the central Haram area, have been leveled for construction.
These included the Jabal Omar and Jabal Kaaba regions. A giant development plan for Jabal Khandama is to be implemented in the near future.
Fida noted that Makkah’s landscape, which includes rugged and rocky terrain, is not easily accessible.
Building the city’s road network involves challenges, but the network of tunnels and related projects have helped overcome these hurdles.
Fida said the comprehensive plan for the development of Makkah up to the Hijra year 1450 is now in the last phase of preparation.
“The Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs and the Agency for Urban Planning are putting the finishing touches to the plan and that was in coordination with the Makkah municipal council and the Higher Authority for the Development of Makkah and the Holy Sites.”
He hoped the ministry would approve the project in the near future.
Referring to the difficulties faced by the municipality with regard to implementing urban planning, Fida said undeveloped districts in the city were posing a great challenge. Several agencies are tackling this problem and carrying out studies about developing these regions in the best possible way.
The ambitious Makkah Development Plan launched last year aims to implement massive projects worth over SR100 billion in the infrastructure, utilities, investment, real estate and tourism sectors over a period of 10 years.
Makkah Gov. Prince Khaled Al-Faisal said earlier the King Abdullah development project would make Makkah the first smart city in the Kingdom. He said the smart city project was part of the Kingdom’s efforts to improve services for pilgrims who come for Haj and Umrah.
He said the two-year strategic development plan for the Makkah province was prepared with the participation of intellectuals and businessmen and that the plan makes the Holy Kaaba the center of this massive development.
http://www.arabnews.com/mountain-lev...kkah-be-curbed
SPA
Tuesday 17 July 2012
The Supreme Court has called on all Muslims in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to sight the crescent of the blessed month of Ramadan on Thursday evening, Shaaban 29, 1433AH, corresponding to July 19, 2012, according to Umm Al-Qura Calendar.
In an announcement made this morning, the Supreme Court also called on whoever sees the crescent of the blessed month of Ramadan by naked eyes or through binoculars to report to the nearest court and register his testimony, or report to the authority of the region's governorate if there is no judge in the area where he sighted the crescent in order to facilitate his reaching to the nearest court.
The Supreme Court also urges all Muslims to sight the Crescent for the cooperation of all Muslims in righteousness and piety.
http://www.arabnews.com/supreme-cour...-moon-thursday
MAKKAH l PREPARATION l METRO LINK :
This cannot be undone and I am sure it will be greatly appreciated.
Please wait...
