|
|
January 12, 2007 |
|
||
|
|
|
|
||
|
|||||
NUMBER OF PILGRIMS EXCEEDS THAT OF PREVIOUS YEARS. EXPANSION PROJECT AT THE TWO HOLY MOSQUES IS ONE OF THE GREATEST ACHIEVEMENTS. CONFERENCE CALLS UPON ISLAMIC COUNTRIES AND GOVERNMENTS TO STAND UNITED TO DEFEND THE ISLAMIC FAITH AND ITS PROPHET. Prince Naif Bin Abdulaziz, The Minister of Interior and Chairman of Supreme Hajj Committee has sent a cable of congratulations to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz on the completion of pilgrims' arrivals in the Kingdom for this year's Hajj via airports, land posts and seaports, noting that for the first time in the history of hajj arrivals, the number of pilgrims coming from abroad sets a record of 1,654,407 pilgrims. In his cable, Prince Naif pointed out they have arrived safely and comfortably thanks to the continual care and attention of the King and the Crown Prince to utilities of Hajj services that enable pilgrims to perform Hajj rituals safely and comfortably. Prince Naif said the number of pilgrims included 902,082 males, 55 %; and 752,325 females, 45%, an increase of 92,913 pilgrims, 6% in comparison with pilgrims' number last year. He added that 1,500,519 pilgrims have arrived by air, 129,903 by land and 23,985 by sea and they belong to 187 nationalities. The expansion project at the two Holy Mosques, implemented by the Saudi Government, is one of the greatest achievements. The expansion project, implemented at a cost of more than SR 70 billion, had had the aim of enabling pilgrims (Hajj and Umrah performers), and visitors to the two Holy Mosques to perform their rituals in comfort and ease. At the Holy Mosque in Makkah, the expansion project has occupied an area of 76,000 square meters and at the Prophet's Mosque in Madinah it has occupied an area of 82,000 square meters.. Following the expansion project at the Holy Mosque in Makkah, the total area of the Haram will increase to 356,000 square meters, including the areas surrounding the Holy Mosque. This expansion has increased the capacity of the Holy Mosque from 340,000 worshippers to 770,000. The number of worshippers is doubled at times of religious events like Hajj and the blessed month of Ramadan. At the Prophet's Mosque in Madinah, the area of the Mosque has increased to 98,500 square meters. Following the expansion project, the capacity of the Prophets Mosque has jumped to more than 730,000 worshippers and, at some times, the number jumps to more than one million. A two-day conference organized by the Makkah-based Muslim World League yesterday called for a consultative commission in order to take legal action against those who abuse Islam and its Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and Islamic sanctities, at local and international courts of justice, the Saudi Press Agency said. The conference titled "In Defense of the Prophet" called upon Islamic countries and governments to stand united to defend the Islamic faith and its Prophet. It denounced the smear campaigns to tarnish the image of the Prophet and urged Muslims to make all-out efforts to project the true picture of Islam and the great divine teachings of the Prophet. Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdul Aziz Al-Asheikh, who presided over the conference, called upon Muslims to follow the Prophet's teachings. "Our enemies are exploiting Muslims' weak adherence to the Prophet's Sunnah," said Al-Asheikh. "We should not be ashamed of implementing his Sunnah. On the other hand, all Muslims must observe his teachings in all walks of their life." MWL Secretary-General Abdullah Al-Turki said the attack on the Prophet was an expression of enmity toward Islam. "The whole Muslim Ummah, including its leadership, scholars and ordinary people was outraged by such attacks and this again shows the lofty position the Prophet has in their hearts," he said in reference to the Muslim response to cartoons depicting the Prophet. MWL plans to launch an international program to introduce the Prophet and the conference called for setting up a fund to support the program. "The anti-Islam campaign also intends to trigger a cultural conflict between the Islamic world and the West and create a situation of clash and conflict in place of dialogue and peaceful coexistence," the MWL chief said. Al-Turki called upon Western countries to protect human rights of Muslim communities and take action against those who create unnecessary fear about Islam by linking it with terrorism and violence. "The creation of such fears will lead to violating human rights of Muslims and threats to their freedom and security," he said. "It will also have other long-term negative impacts." Jamal Badawi, a Canadian-Muslim expert on Islam, spoke about the Prophet's outstanding influence on human history. "There is no other personality who has made such a positive impact on history," he told the conference. |
|||||
