Ali bin Salim Al-Abdali of the Ministry of Islamic Affairs revealed this during a ceremony marking the opening of King Abdullah Mosque by Al-Jouf Gov. Prince Fahd bin Badr in Sakaka on Saturday. The mosque, which can accommodate 3,700 worshippers, was established at a cost of SR30 million.

Al-Abdali, who is the director general of the ministry’s office in Al-Jouf, said the government constructed 60 new mosques and renovated 200 others during the past five years. “In Al-Jouf province alone there are 1,300 mosques,” he said.

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah laid the foundation stone for the Sakaka mosque when he visited the province few years ago. The mosque complex includes two libraries, a dawa center, housing for the imam and khatib and other related facilities.

Al-Abdali commended the government’s support to construct and renovate mosques. King Abdullah recently allocated SR500 million for renovation of mosques.

Addressing the ceremony, Minister of Islamic Affairs Saleh Al-Asheikh commended King Abdullah for his support to mosques and other Islamic projects. He also thanked Prince Fahd for inaugurating the mosque. The event was attended by a number of senior officials including Tarish Al-Shammary, acting president of Al-Jouf University.