Souq from life of Prophet Muhammad located in Makkah

Souq from life of Prophet Muhammad located in Makkah
Souq Habasha was located on the southern bank of Wadi Qanuna in Ardiyat, a coastal city in the Makkah region. It was held every year for eight days. (Supplied)
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Updated 08 February 2023

Souq from life of Prophet Muhammad located in Makkah

Souq from life of Prophet Muhammad located in Makkah
  • Habasha was a major Arab market during pre-Islamic, early Islamic eras

JEDDAH: A Saudi scientific team has located the site of an ancient souq in the Makkah region that served as one of the most important Arab markets during the pre-Islamic and early Islamic eras.

Dubbed Souq Habasha, the site was discovered in cooperation between the King Abdulaziz Foundation for Research and Archives, the Ministry of Culture and its Heritage Commission.

Souq Habasha was an ancient seasonal Arab market and one of the largest in the Tihamah region west of the Arabian Peninsula. The souq was held every year for eight days starting on the first day of Rajab in the Islamic calendar, and was annually held until the Islamic year 197 (813 A.D.).

Fahd Al-Samari, secretary-general of the foundation and head of the scientific committee of Souq Habasha, delivered a statement in a video that was published on Darah’s official Twitter account.

He said: “Documenting historical information must be within a specific methodology. Therefore, the department has entered a number of experiences in documentation, such as documenting the Okaz market, and some sites from the Prophet Muhammad’s biography in the Kingdom. The Habasha market will be an ancient historical and cultural asset for the Kingdom.”

Abdullah Al-Zahrani, a member of the Souq Habasha scientific committee, said: “This collaboration project was made to locate the souq and it is a good example of joint cooperation between many parties as well as researchers, historians, geographers and prophet’s biography experts who will add a lot to verify this site.”

Studies and research projects have attempted to trace the location of the market for more than 40 years, with field sites proposed by the committee finally being inspected last year.

Abdullah Al-Welaie, another member of the Souq Habasha scientific committee, said: “We worked on drawing complete caravan routes, including the coastal road, the Tihama road, peaks of the Sarawat Mountains, as well as the Elephant road. Four tracks were drawn on accurate maps that really helped determine the location of the market and were then handed over to historians.”

Historians said that the market was mentioned in the biography of the Prophet Muhammad, who had taken part in the souq to trade before his mission.

The team conducted studies, verified sources and carried out an archaeological survey, following up discussions with qualified sources to determine the location of Souq Habasha.

Historical markets in the region were typically located in areas with an abundance of water, rainfall and grazing land. Accordingly, Souq Habasha was located on the southern bank of Wadi Qanuna in Ardiyat, a coastal city in the Makkah region.

It is positioned in the middle of a vast floodplain, bound by the Al-Durbat mountains to the east, Al-‘Irm mountains to the west stretching for five km, and Umm Al-Rimth mountains to the south, in a vast area where water sources and plant cover are prominent.

The market also passes through Al-Janad street, which served as one of the most important landmarks in determining the location of the souq.

Souq Habasha offers experts the chance to examine ancient economic, literary and cultural activity, with its integration into Okaz market — which has been revived — becoming a prominent cultural event in the Kingdom and providing benefits in the scientific, cultural and tourism fields.


Bus crash kills 20 in Saudi Arabia’s Asir region

Bus crash kills 20 in Saudi Arabia’s Asir region
Updated 58 min 28 sec ago

Bus crash kills 20 in Saudi Arabia’s Asir region

Bus crash kills 20 in Saudi Arabia’s Asir region
  • The bus had departed Khamis Mushayt and was heading to Abha

RIYADH: A bus crash killed 20 people on Monday and injured 29 more in Saudi Arabia’s southwestern region.

State TV Al-Ekhbariya said the accident occurred around 4 p.m. in Aqabat Shaar, in Asir province. The bus had departed Khamis Mushayt and was heading to Abha.

Reports indicated that problems with breaks on the bus led to a collision with a barrier at the end of a bridge, which caused it to overturn and catch fire.

The Aqabat Shaar is a 14 kilometers road that was opened over 40 years ago. Its construction included cutting through mountains and establishing 11 tunnels and 32 bridges, according to the Saudi Press Agency.


Saudi crown prince, Iraqi PM discuss cooperation

Saudi crown prince, Iraqi PM discuss cooperation
Updated 28 March 2023

Saudi crown prince, Iraqi PM discuss cooperation

Saudi crown prince, Iraqi PM discuss cooperation

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Iraqi Prime Minister, Mohammed Shia' Al-Sudani, have discussed ways to enhance bilateral strategic cooperation and partnership within the Saudi-Iraqi Coordination Council.

The officials also reviewed issues of mutual interest, the Saudi Press Agency reported early Tuesday.


Saudi Arabia’s wizkids of the future offered expertise on the appliance of science

Several short academic, international and research courses will teach budding scientists practical skills. (SPA)
Several short academic, international and research courses will teach budding scientists practical skills. (SPA)
Updated 28 March 2023

Saudi Arabia’s wizkids of the future offered expertise on the appliance of science

Several short academic, international and research courses will teach budding scientists practical skills. (SPA)
  • Mawhiba foundation has 12,000 places on programs designed to guide gifted students on career path

RIYADH: Thousands of students are being given the chance to find their inner boffin and get to grips with ethical and social issues of science research on programs by the Mawhiba foundation.

The foundation, also known as the King Abdulaziz and His Companions Foundation for Giftedness and Creativity, has opened registration for several short academic, international and research “enrichment” courses that teach budding scientists practical skills and help them find a future path.

Mawhiba says on its website that the programs are open to “gifted and talented students of both genders” from across the Kingdom, and are intended as a first step to helping them “identify their skills and potentials” and prepare them for more advanced foundation schemes.

Taking part also increases the opportunity to obtain scholarships offered by the Ministry of Education, it said.

The foundation said that the academic enrichment course aims to enhance a student’s “personal and social skills… improve their competence and readiness, build their scientific and practical expertise and challenge their abilities.”

HIGHLIGHT

The academic enrichment course aims to enhance a student’s personal and social skills ... improve their competence and readiness, build their scientific and practical expertise and challenge their abilities. The research program teaches scientific research ethics, deals with issues surrounding intellectual property rights and sets students on a path to their preferred field of expertise.

The research enrichment program teaches scientific research ethics, deals with issues surrounding intellectual property rights and sets students on a path to their preferred field of expertise.

It said the programs use “instructors and academics who have undergone continuous training courses and advanced programs that keep pace with the best technologies and scientific discoveries.”

In-person courses will take place in Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam, Dhahran and Al-Ahsa and will be complemented by virtual courses open to students across the Kingdom.

Registration is open until June 13. Courses begin towards the end of July and finish mid-August. Mawhiba said that there are a total of around 12,000 places on its courses.

 


Deal signed to promote cultural activities in Jeddah

Deal signed to promote cultural activities in Jeddah
Updated 27 March 2023

Deal signed to promote cultural activities in Jeddah

Deal signed to promote cultural activities in Jeddah
  • The initiative aims to run a series of cultural, intellectual, and training events in Al-Balad for young people while helping support and develop youth talent

JEDDAH: Officials from the Jeddah Literary Cultural Club and Al-Hijaz Cultural House in the city’s historic Al-Balad district recently signed a cooperation agreement to promote cultural programs.

The initiative aims to run a series of cultural, intellectual, and training events in Al-Balad for young people while helping support and develop youth talent.

Club chairman, Abdullah Al-Sulami, said one of the main provisions of the deal was to establish cultural and social activities, adding that the community partnership was a requirement for everyone “who plays a constructive role in thinking and caring for young men and women, developing their talents, and presenting them to a conscious and promising society.”

Al-Hijaz Cultural House manager, Mohammed Al-Hasani, said the link-up with the club would be managed by the Abqar Poetry Hub which offers monthly activities including poetry evenings and workshops for young talents supervised by poet and journalist Abdulaziz Al-Sharif.

 


Belarusian FM backs Saudi Expo 2030 bid

Abdulrahman Suleiman Al-Ahmad, who is also the Kingdom’s ambassador to Russia, spoke with Foreign Minister Sergey Aleinik
Abdulrahman Suleiman Al-Ahmad, who is also the Kingdom’s ambassador to Russia, spoke with Foreign Minister Sergey Aleinik
Updated 27 March 2023

Belarusian FM backs Saudi Expo 2030 bid

Abdulrahman Suleiman Al-Ahmad, who is also the Kingdom’s ambassador to Russia, spoke with Foreign Minister Sergey Aleinik
  • The host country for the Expo 2030 is expected to be announced in November

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to Belarus met with Minsk’s top diplomat on Tuesday last week.

Abdulrahman Suleiman Al-Ahmad, who is also the Kingdom’s ambassador to Russia, spoke with Foreign Minister Sergey Aleinik about a number of issues.

Aleinik relayed to Al-Ahmad his country’s support for Saudi Arabia’s bid to host Expo 2030. He added that Riyadh would stage the event to a “high standard” and that Minsk would contribute any assistance required in making it a success, a Belarusian Foreign Ministry statement said.

Also on the agenda were development of political dialogue, the prospects for expanding trade and economic cooperation and investment interaction between the Kingdom and Belarus.

The host country for the Expo 2030 is expected to be announced in November, Riyadh is competing with Rome, South Korea’s Busan and Ukraine’s Odessa.