October 13, 2006

THE CUSTODIAN OF THE TWO HOLY MOSQUES KING ABDULLAH IBN ABDUL AZIZ IS DECLARED THIS YEAR'S WINNER OF THE PRINCE NAIF IBN ABDUL AZIZ INTERNATIONAL PRIZE FOR SUNNAH AND ISLAMIC STUDIES. KING ABDULLAH APPROVES THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A CENTRE OF KIDNEY DISEASES IN JEDDAH. KING ABDULLAH DONATES $ 12 MILLION FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF MURRAN REGION IN YEMEN. THE SAUDI RE-EDUCATING COMMITTEE RELEASES MORE THAN 700 SUSPECTED MILITANTS WHO WENT THROUGH A PROGRAM DESIGNED TO RE-EDUCATE THEM ABOUT PROPER ISLAMIC CONDUCT. THE IMF PRAISES SAUDI ARABIA'S ACHIEVEMENTS IN THE ECONOMIC FIELD. The Higher Commission For Prince Naif Ibn Abdul Aziz International Prize For The Sunnah (The Prophet's Teachings) and Contemporary Islamic Studies has unanimously named the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz for the international prize to the service of the Sunnah this year. The Commission includes Muslim scholars from a number of Muslim countries in addition to a number of Muslim dignitaries. This development comes in recognition of King Abdullah's great efforts in the service of Islam and Muslims. The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz has been declared this year's winner of the Prince Naif Ibn Abdul Aziz International Prize for Sunnah and Islamic Studies. The higher commission for the prize which includes a number of Islamic scholars was unanimous in its selection of the King. King Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz was picked for the prize in appreciation of his efforts in the service of Islam and Muslims, especially the initiative he took to convene the emergency Islamic summit in Makkah last December, an official statement said. "We have also taken into consideration the position of King Abdullah as the leader of an Islamic country that uses the Holy Qur'an and Sunnah as the basis of its governance and life," the prize committee said in a statement. It said Saudi Arabia, under the leadership of King Abdullah, has been extending its continuous support to projects aimed at serving the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and teaching subjects related to it in all levels of education. "The Kingdom also establishes colleges and departments for Sunnah and related subjects, encourages national and international contests on Sunnah and the life of the Prophet and honors outstanding scholars who specialize in Sunnah and Islamic studies," the statement said. Interior Minister Prince Naif Ibn Abdul Aziz, who instituted the prize in 2002 to encourage scientific research in Sunnah and Islamic studies, expressed his delight at the selection of King Abdullah for the prestigious award. "The annual prize is given to outstanding Islamic personalities, scholars and researchers as well as to organizations and scientific centers that have made substantial contributions to the promotion of Sunnah," the prince said. Prince Naif commended the king's efforts in the service of Islam and Muslims. "King Abdullah has won the love and appreciation of the Islamic world as a result of these efforts," he pointed out. Prince Naif Ibn Abdul Aziz also thanked the king for his continuous support to the prize going back to the time when it was only an idea. The prince also underlined the progress and popularity achieved by the prize within a short span. Each prize consists of a cash award of SR500,000, a certificate of appreciation and a medal. Last year, Crown Prince Sultan distributed the prize to five winners. They were: Fatima Saleh Al-Jared (Saudi), Dr. Hikmat Basheer Yaseen (Iraqi), Dr. Rukaya Taha Al-Jabir Al-Alawani (Bahraini), Dr. Rawiya Ahmad Al-Dhahhar (Saudi) and Sheikh Adnan ibn Muhammad Al-Arour (Syrian). The prize committee consists of 14 members including representatives from the Muslim World League, Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Endowments, Call and Guidance, Al-Azhar Mosque, University of Islamabad, Umm Al-Qura University and Imam Muhammad Ibn Saud University. On the other hand Prince Salman Ibn Abdul aziz, the Governor of Riyadh region, honorary President of the Saudi Centre for Organ Plantation and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Prince Fahd Ibn Salman Charitable Association for taking care of kidney failure patients, has expressed thanks for Saudi leaders for the cabinet's approval of the conditions and controls organizing the acceptance of donation of organs by living non-relative individuals. In a statement to Saudi Press Agency, he said that in line with the order, the association is coordinating with the Saudi Centre for Organ Plantation to set legal controls contained in the edict by commission of senior Muslim scholars paving the way for their approval by health care council. In Sanaa the Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh announced the donation of $ 12 million from the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz to implement projects in Murran area at Hidan District of Saada governorate. President Ali Abdullah Saleh visited Murran area at Hidan District of Saada governorate. He was received and welcomed by the governor of Sada Yahya Muhammad Al Shami, the generals of the army and security, Sheiks, masters, and the mass who hailed his visit to get acquainted with their needs, particularly after the sedition led by Hussein Badr Al deen AL Houthy and his father. After inspected the damages of the disturbance Saleh asked the concerned authorities to compensate the victims of disturbance. He also ordered the concerned authorities to implement diffreent infrastructure projects in Murran area like schools, electricity, water, transportations and health centers projects. He gave his directives for the implementation of AlJumah Bani Fadel road that will help people move from one area to another easily. President visited the place where AL Houthy and his followers stationed and fought the security men, and asked the local authority to apply the amnesty to all the persons involved in that sedition. He exchanged talks with Hidan's citizens who congratulated him on Ramadan and his wining in the presidential elections, and affirmed that Hidana rea will witness development in different fields to meet with the needs of the citizens. On the other hand an advanced dialysis center with 100 units will be established in Jeddah soon at a cost of SR35 million. Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz has approved a proposal in this respect made by Prince Fahd Ibn Salman Charitable Society for the Care of Kidney Patients. "This center will become one of the cultural landmarks in Jeddah," Prince Abdul Aziz Ibn Salman, assistant minister of petroleum and minerals and chairman of the society, said about the center named after Makkah Governor Prince Abdul Majeed Ibn Abdul Aziz. Addressing businessmen at a fund-raising event at the residence of Khaled Al-Juffali, Prince Abdul Aziz thanked King Abdullah for granting approval for the project, which he said would serve the people of Jeddah and surrounding areas. "We hope and pray that Prince Abdul Majeed will open this center when he returns back to the country after full recovery," Prince Abdul Aziz said. There are 8,500 kidney patients in the Kingdom, he said, adding that their number was growing at an annual rate of nine percent. Talking from London by telephone, Prince Abdul Majeed said he was happy hearing the king's approval to the project. "I hope that this center will reduce the misery of our brothers and sisters suffering from kidney failures," the Makkah governor said. Some 60 businessmen, who took part in the event, contributed SR20 million for the project. "I am thankful for your support," the governor told the businessmen. Health Minister Dr. Hamad Al-Manie said his ministry would be more than happy to support humanitarian projects. He spoke about the government's efforts in the service of kidney patients. He said the new dialysis center would be established at King Fahd Hospital in Jeddah. Specialists from King Fahd Hospital gave a presentation of the center and its facilities. Al-Juffali, who is executive president of the center, emphasized the significance of the project in the light of the growing number of kidney patients in the country. "With the support of businessmen we can complete this project within two years," he said. Al-Juffali said a UAE businessman, who requested anonymity, had contributed $10,000 to the project. Wahib Binzagr and Al-Juffali gave SR500,000 each. The Health Ministry in association with the Prince Fahd ibn Salman Society had conducted a study on medical services being provided to kidney patients across the country and their present and future health requirements as well as prospects of establishing dialysis centers by charitable societies. The study called for upgrading existing dialysis centers by providing them with advanced medical equipment and facilities. It also emphasized the need for replacing some of the old dialysis centers with new ones as they lacked proper buildings and medical facilities. Presided over by its Chairman Dr. Saleh Bin Abdullah Bin Homaid, the Shoura Council held its 39th ordinary session. In a statement to the Saudi Press Agency, the Council's Secretary General Dr. Saleh Bin Abdullah Al-Malik said that the council approved the establishment of Islamic international foundation for trade finance. He noted that the council also discussed draft regulations on organizing services for Omrah performers and controls of collecting donations for charities in the kingdom. In Jeddah Deputy Interior Minister Prince Ahmed said that the government had released a large number of militants and extremists after they repented. "The releases are continuing," he added. "We are happy to say that the number of people released is more than those remaining in detention," Prince Ahmed told reporters at attending a ceremony in Riyadh to honor retired employees of the Interior Ministry. Interior Minister Prince Naif has ordered the release of all Saudi Guantanamo Bay returnees from the Kingdom's prisons in order to help them fast during Ramadan and celebrate Eid Al-Fitr with their families. The prisoners were released on bail and will have to return on Oct. 30 to complete remaining legal procedures, said Maj. Gen. Mansour Al-Turki, spokesman for the Interior Ministry. The release of the Guantanamo prisoners had good results in the past. Last month nine of 29 Saudi returnees from the US detention center in Guantanamo, who were repatriated in May and June to the Kingdom, were released. Ninety-five Saudis are still held at Guantanamo. Authorities have released about 700 suspected militants who went through a program designed to reeducate them about proper Islamic conduct. The program began three years ago after a wave of militant violence, beginning with attacks on Western compounds in Riyadh in 2003, struck the Kingdom. Sheikh Mohammed Al-Fifi, a member of the committee, describes the process of reeducation. "First we would deal with them in groups, then individually as they relay their thoughts," he said. "They became like this through provocative religious edicts on the Internet or in books, or via preachers who stir up young people's passions through sermons and lectures." Al-Turki told Reuters in an interview that those who have been released were not directly involved in the crimes. "They are sympathizers," he said. "There are many of these kinds of people, who are subject to the process of an advisory committee. Hundreds of them have gone through this and been released... They were arrested because they were suspects, but there was no hard evidence against them linking them to any terrorist act or planning." Al-Turki said the men had believed in the ideology of takfir the practice of a Muslim labeling another Muslim, group of Muslims, Islamic institutions or Islamic governments as being out of the fold of Islam. Meanwhile the latest International Monetary Fund (IMF) report said that Saudi Arabia, the Arab world's biggest economy, is poised to record a 6 per cent growth in GDP this year, compared to a 6.6 percent growth achieved last year, reaching $310 billion, Gulf News reported. IMF said that Saudi Arabia's prospects for 2006 are very favorable in light of the expected sustained increase in global demand for oil. Real GDP growth is expected to remain robust at almost 6 percent despite lower oil sector growth, 1.6 percent. The report said that inflation in the first quarter of 2006 was about 2 percent (on an annual basis) but is projected to be 1 percent for 2006 as a whole. Both the external current account and the central government overall fiscal balances are expected to register substantial surpluses of 31.1 percent of GDP and 17.2 percent of GDP, respectively. Net foreign assets of Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency (Sama) are projected to increase further to $167 billion, equivalent to 15 months of imports of goods and services.