Soothing and soulful voices in Grand Mosque anticipated worldwide every Ramadan

Special Soothing and soulful voices in Grand Mosque anticipated worldwide every Ramadan
The Grand Mosque in Makkah at the start of Hajj, Dec. 4, 2008. (Wikimedia Commons)
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Updated 27 March 2023

Soothing and soulful voices in Grand Mosque anticipated worldwide every Ramadan

Soothing and soulful voices in Grand Mosque anticipated worldwide every Ramadan
  • Prayers and calls have reverberated through the centuries in Makkah
  • Bilal bin Rabah made the first adhan from Kaaba rooftop in 630 (8 A.H.)

MAKKAH: They have been reverberating through the Grand Mosque in Makkah for centuries — the soulful and soothing voices of muezzins calling the believers, and imams leading prayers five times a day.

Dr. Mansour Al-Dajani, a researcher on the history of Makkah, told Arab News recently that the first call to prayer, at noon in the Grand Mosque, was delivered from the roof of the holy Kaaba by Prophet Muhammad’s companion Bilal bin Rabah. This was on the order of the prophet on the day of the conquest of Makkah in the year 630 (8 A.H.).

“The Grand Mosque was as large as the Mataf (area of circumambulation around Makkah’s Kaaba) at that time and had no wall surrounding it, nor a minaret. Minarets appeared for the first time in the year 754 (137 A.H.) during the reign of the Abbasid Caliph Abu Jafar Al-Mansour, who built the first minaret, known as Bab Al-Umrah, in the western corner from the northern side of the Grand Mosque.”

The minaret was a tall tower attached or adjacent to the mosque. It was an integral part of the mosque and designed so the call to prayer could be heard loud and clear throughout the city.

He explained: “This minaret and the ones that were built after it were used to recite the call to prayer in the Grand Mosque. The chief muezzin would start the call to prayer from the minaret of Bab Al-Umrah, then all the muezzins would follow him on the other minarets. After that, the Bab Al-Salam minaret became the chief muezzin’s platform for the call to prayer, and in the 16th century (10th century A.H.), the chief muezzin used the dome of Zamzam to deliver the call to prayer.”

Loudspeakers in the Grand Mosque were introduced for the first time in 1947 during the reign of King Abdulaziz.

The late Makkan historian and writer Prof. Ahmed Ali Asad Allah Al-Kazemi stated in his memoirs “The Daily Events in Makkah” that in 1947 Sheikh Abd Al-Zahir Abu Al-Samh, the imam and preacher of the Grand Mosque, asked Minister of Finance Abdullah bin Suleiman Al-Hamdan to provide loudspeakers and a microphone.

He wrote that in that year the speakers in the Grand Mosque were used for the Friday and Eid sermons, which fell on the same day. The sermon was usually delivered by Sheikh Abu Al-Samh’s son, Abdul Rahman, with only a few worshippers in the mosque able to hear. However, on Friday Oct. 31, 1947, Sheikh Abu Al-Samh delivered the Friday sermon with a microphone heard by thousands of worshippers in the Grand Mosque.

In 1957, the speaker’s location was changed when the first expansion of the Mataf in the Grand Mosque took place. In 1963, the speakers were placed in a separate, private building, called Almukbariya, from which the call to prayer is performed, and where the muezzin chants or repeats in response to the imam’s prayers.

Recently further changes were made in the Almukbariya building by the Projects and Engineering Studies Agency at the General Presidency for the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques, to ensure operational efficiency for Ramadan 2023.

Eng. Mohammed Al-Waqdani, undersecretary of the agency, said the Almukbariya in its new form took into account the architectural changes in the Grand Mosque in terms of color and style.

It allows for greater sound clarity, to amplify the voices of the muezzins. There are also sound and television control rooms and studios, special waiting offices for muezzins and alternates, and rooms for public services. The Mataf and Kaaba can be seen from the southern part of the Almukbariya.

Al-Waqdani added that the Almukbariya plays an important role, in coordination with the Radio and Television Authority, in the live broadcast of  “of all rituals and religious events that are held in the Grand Mosque throughout the year, especially during the blessed Ramadan and Hajj season.”


King Abdulaziz Foundation, Boutique Group sign deal to preserve Saudi heritage and history

King Abdulaziz Foundation, Boutique Group sign deal to preserve Saudi heritage and history
Updated 9 sec ago

King Abdulaziz Foundation, Boutique Group sign deal to preserve Saudi heritage and history

King Abdulaziz Foundation, Boutique Group sign deal to preserve Saudi heritage and history
  • Focus on research, holding summits, exhibitions, workshops
  • ‘Aim to boost Kingdom as global tourist, culture destination’

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s King Abdulaziz Foundation for Research and Archives and the Boutique Group, owned by the Public Investment Fund, have signed a memorandum of understanding to preserve the Kingdom’s “captivating history and legacy,” the group announced on Monday.

The agreement will cover research and the holding of various events, including on culture, literature and geography, at Tuwaiq Palace in the Diplomatic Quarter, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

The memorandum was signed by CEO Turki Al-Showair on behalf of the foundation, also known as Darah, and CEO Mark DeCocinis, for the Boutique Group.

It includes collaboration on “scientific studies and research on the history of palaces and the essence of royal hospitality,” the Boutique Group said in a statement.

The deal includes holding summits, exhibitions and workshops, and spreading awareness through advertising, media campaigns and artworks.

Al-Showair said: “The Kingdom is proceeding on the path of rapid and deliberate development and progress, in accordance with the goals of the Saudi Vision 2030 and its inspiring programs.”

The agreement “aims to support the Boutique Group by providing reliable and steady historical content, in a way that contributes to preserving the Kingdom’s heritage.”

He said the pact was part of the Darah foundation’s commitment to fulfill its mission of serving the Kingdom through the preservation and publication of all relevant documentation.

Al-Showair said it would serve to introduce the country’s “glorious history and heritage rooted in the national identity that everyone cherishes.”

DeCocinis said the Kingdom has a rich, largely unexplored cultural history, which the deal would now make more widely available to the world.

The Boutique Group was set up to provide an authentic Saudi experience that contributes to supporting the local economy. Its mandate is to further enhance the Kingdom’s position as a global tourist destination by developing “historic and cultural palaces, and royal residences, into ultra-luxury boutique hotels.”


KSrelief continues providing healthcare services to Syrian refugees in Lebanon

KSrelief continues providing healthcare services to Syrian refugees in Lebanon
Updated 36 min 13 sec ago

KSrelief continues providing healthcare services to Syrian refugees in Lebanon

KSrelief continues providing healthcare services to Syrian refugees in Lebanon
  • KSrelief’s Arsal Medical Center in Baalbek delivered 9,456 services to 4,186 patients in April

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s aid agency has continued providing healthcare services to Syrian refugees and the host community in Lebanon.

The Arsal Medical Center in Baalbek, operating under King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief), delivered 9,456 services to 4,186 patients in April.

“This initiative reflects Saudi Arabia’s commitment, represented by KSrelief, to provide humanitarian aid to those in need, particularly Syrian refugees, to alleviate their suffering in light of the ongoing humanitarian crisis they are facing,” state news agency SPA reported.

The aid agency continued its surgical voluntary program in Cameroon’s Maroua where 22 volunteer doctors have so far examined 605 cases and performed 303 operations.

The program, held in collaboration with Al-Balsam International Organization, will run until June 2.

In Yemen, KSrelief concluded its voluntary medical project for specialized clinics in family medicine, preventive medicine, and dermatology.

As part of the project, which took place in Mukalla from May 21 to May 28, KSrelief’s volunteer medical team served 1,794 individuals in the family medicine and preventive medicine clinics, and 1,079 individuals in the dermatology clinics.


Saudi project dismantles 875 Houthi mines in Yemen within one week

Saudi project dismantles 875 Houthi mines in Yemen within one week
Updated 41 min 22 sec ago

Saudi project dismantles 875 Houthi mines in Yemen within one week

Saudi project dismantles 875 Houthi mines in Yemen within one week

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Masam project dismantled 875 mines, planted by the Houthi militia across Yemen, in the last week of May.

Overseen by the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief), a specialist team removed 11 anti-personnel mines, 165 anti-tank mines, 686 unexploded ammunition, and 13 explosive devices, reported Saudi Press Agency (SPA).

In Aden, the team dismantled three anti-personnel mines, 11 anti-tank mines, 519 unexploded ammunition, and seven explosive devices.

The ongoing project aims to clear Yemeni lands of mines and save people’s lives, said the SPA statement.


Saudi Armed Forces launch ‘Eagle Resolve 23’ with GCC, US troops

Saudi Armed Forces launch ‘Eagle Resolve 23’ with GCC, US troops
Updated 30 May 2023

Saudi Armed Forces launch ‘Eagle Resolve 23’ with GCC, US troops

Saudi Armed Forces launch ‘Eagle Resolve 23’ with GCC, US troops

RIYADH: The Saudi Armed Forces launched a joint exercise on Sunday with the participation of forces from the Gulf Cooperation Council countries and the US, the Kingdom’s defense ministry announced on Monday.
The “Eagle Resolve 23” drill, which was launched at the Air Warfare Center in the Eastern Province, aims to enhance military cooperation, exchange expertise in the field of missile air defense and unify planning and implementation of procedures.
It will also consolidate the principles and foundations of coordination for joint action to reach a required operational compatibility and integration, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Brig. Gen. Uqab bin Awad Al-Mutairi, the commander of the duty force in the joint exercise, said the forces participating in the exercise will implement a number of theoretical and practical exercises, including air and missile operations with live ammunition, defensive counter-air operations, air-to-air refueling operations, and surface-to-naval warfare operations, electronic warfare, naval incursions, defense against weapons of mass destruction and mass casualties.
He added that the exercise is being implemented for the first time in the Kingdom, where preparatory meetings and academic lectures for the exercise began last week.
Prior to that, eight conferences were also held, seven of which were in Riyadh and another in Tampa, Florida in the US.


Japanese celebrity chef captures hearts in Riyadh

Japanese celebrity chef captures hearts in Riyadh
Updated 30 May 2023

Japanese celebrity chef captures hearts in Riyadh

Japanese celebrity chef captures hearts in Riyadh
  • Teruzushi — with 50 years of history across three generations of sushi chefs — is located in the small-town ward of Tobata in Northern Kyushu’s countryside

RIYADH: Famous Japanese sushi restaurant Teruzushi, based in the Northern Kyushu prefecture, has opened its first overseas branch in Riyadh.

Located in the luxury VIA Riyadh precinct, the restaurant held a pre-launch event on May 11.

The restaurant was already the subject of attention after VIA Riyadh released a commercial starring famous Colombian-US model and “Modern Family” star Sofia Vergara, who at one point during the clip had a huge knife pointed at her by famous Japanese chef Takayoshi Watanabe, who later serves the actress sushi.

Three Japanese chefs presenting authentic Japanese taste in the Via Riyadh Mercato area with the sushi and wagyu beef. (Supplied)

Arab News Japan spoke to Junpei Moriya, a chef at Teruzushi. He began his career aged 18 close to Tokyo in Gunma prefecture, an area famous for its countryside hot spring resort (Kusatsu Onsen) and which boasts the largest flowing hot water volume in Japan.

Moriya, who will turn 30 this year, later moved to Tokyo to learn how to prepare kaiseki-ryori, a traditional multi-course Japanese dinner that requires fine technique and preparation.

He continued on that path for 10 years but one day sent an Instagram message to Watanabe to ask for an opportunity to work at Teruzushi. He worked for two years under the celebrity chef in Japan before being offered a position at the restaurant’s new outlet in the Kingdom.

“It all started when I helped my mother cook by making a little omelet. I was incredibly happy when I saw my mom’s happy face when I made her that omelet,” Moriya told Arab News Japan.

Teruzushi — with 50 years of history across three generations of sushi chefs — is located in the small-town ward of Tobata in Northern Kyushu’s countryside.

Watanabe chose Saudi Arabia as the ideal location for the restaurant’s first overseas venture because it offered a rare and once in a lifetime opportunity to do business in the Middle East.

The Riyadh outlet is located inside VIA Riyadh’s Via Mercato, a luxury food market concept that offers a variety of artisanal and specialty food products to enjoy at home or in the market itself.

There are three Japanese chefs in the Riyadh branch — Watanabe, nicknamed “Sushi Bae,” Moriya, also known as JP, and Haruhisa Kitagawa, nicknamed BB, who hails from Tokyo prefecture.

Moriya said that the lack of sushi culture in Saudi Arabia offers an opportunity for the Japanese chefs to showcase their work, adding that he looks forward to the day when the raw fish dishes are accepted in the Kingdom.

“The most liked sushi is salmon, and tuna is extremely popular as well. As most Saudis like spicy food, yuzu pepper is popular, too,’’ he said.

“At Teruzushi, the food is divided into four seasons resembling the beautiful four seasons in Japan, and I feel that the seasons are one of the best things about Japan,” he added.

The restaurant changes its menu and ingredients with each passing season. (Supplied)

The restaurant changes its menu and ingredients with each passing season, with the exception of Watanabe’s favorite dish, kuru (grouper fish), which is a mainstay of the celebrity chef’s videos on TikTok and Instagram.

“By having more Japanese food spreading, people understand how simple and delicious it tastes. That way Saudi people would want to come sightseeing in Japan,” Moriya said.