December 29, 2006

CUSTODIAN OF THE TWO HOLY MOSQUES KING ABDULLAH BIN ABDULAZIZ RECEIVES TELEPHONE CALLS FROM EGYPTIAN PRESIDENT MOHAMMAD HOSNI MUBARAK AND BRITISH PRIME MINISTER TONY BLAIR. MUSLIM WORLD LEAGUE ORGANIZES THE SEVENTH MAKKAH CONFERENCE TITLED "SUPPORT FOR THE UMMAH'S PROPHET PEACE BE UPON HIM." Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz received a telephone call from Egyptian president Mohammad Hosni Mubarak. During the call, they exchanged congratulations on the blessed Eid Aladha and discussed current developments topped by the situation in the Middle East. The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz has also sent a message to President Ali Abdullah Salih of Yemen dealing with cooperation between the two countries and ways of enhancing it. The message was delivered by Prince Mohammed Bin Naif Bin Abdulaziz, Assistant Minister of Interior for Security Affairs, during an audience with the President in Aden. The meeting was attended by Major General Rashad Al-Ilaimi , Deputy Premier and Minister of Interior of Yemen, senior officials and Saudi ambassador to Yemen Ali Al-Hamdan. Furthermore, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz received a telephone from British Premier Tony Blair. They reviewed the regional and international developments, notably the situation in the Middle East, in addition to bilateral relations. On the other hand and on behalf of the minister of Islamic affairs, endowments, Dawa (call) and guidance Sheikh Salih Bin Abdulaziz Al Alsheikh, who also supervises the program for the King's pilgrim guests, Dr. Abdullah Bin Fahd Al-Lihaidan, Assistant Undersecretary of the Ministry for Islamic Affairs and Executive Manager of the program, received pilgrim guests of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz who arrived from different parts of the world to perform Hajj at an invitation of the King. In a press statement, Al-Lihaidan said the Ministry was assigned to implement the King's initiative to invite Muslims from different parts of the world to perform Hajj at his own expense. Al-Lihaidan conveyed to them the greetings of the King, wishing them successful Hajj, good health and safe return. Under the patronage of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz, Muslim World League organized here the seventh Makkah conference titled "Support for the Ummah's Prophet Peace be Upon him." The conference was attended by the Saudi Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdulaziz Al Alsheikh. During the session, speeches were delivered defending Islam's prophet in the face of anti-Islam campaigns. A fire spread to the underground and first floor of a building full of pilgrims in Makkah, with 16 pilgrims being rushed to hospital for treatment after smoke inhalation. In a statement, the official security spokesman of the Ministry of Interior Major General Mansour Bin Sultan Alturki said civil defense on-duty force in Makkah was notified at 15:00 on Monday afternoon of a fire breaking out at Dar al-Ghaza rent-flat building, located on a commercial complex in Makkah. Upon the arrival of the civil defense squad at the site, it was apparent that the fire has spread to the underground and first floor, Alturki said, adding that civil defense aircraft also took part in evacuating the pilgrims who ascended to the upper floors of the building. Thanks to Allah almighty, the fire was controlled and all residents were evacuated. The spokesman said, adding that the conditions of the affected pilgrims were stable. Investigation of the reasons of the incident was immediately conducted, the source concluded. Saudi Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdulaziz Al Alsheikh has met with guests of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques in their residence in Makkah. During the meeting, the Mufti talked about the virtues of Islam and rewards of Hajj and answered the guests' religious questions. The Minister of Hajj Dr. Fuad Bin Abdulsalam Al-Farsi inaugurated here today the grand Hajj symposium organized by the Ministry of Hajj entitled ''facilitation in Hajj in light of Sharia and its aims''. A speech ceremony was held on this occasion. Addressing the ceremony, Dr. Al-Farsi pointed out that the selection of this title is in accordance with the directives of the government of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz to protect the pilgrims' lives, to achieve security and safety in Hajj and to enable pilgrims to perform their Hajj rituals easily and comfortably. Dr. Al-Farsi noted that the government of the King and the Crown Prince has mobilized all its capabilities to achieve these architectural and engineering accomplishments in all the holy places and has recruited all human powers to achieve utmost ways of safety of pilgrims through endless series of projects and accomplishments. Then the Minister of Hajj also inaugurated an exhibition held on the fringes of the symposium.