Many Muslims find that the self-discipline learned during this time leads to lasting changes
Updated 20 March 2025
Haifa Alshammari
RIYADH: Ramadan, for many people, is an exceptional opportunity to practice self-discipline. Some people focus on personal growth while others learn new habits or adopt healthy lifestyles.
Fasting, as one example, involves abstaining from food, drink, smoking and sexual relations from sunrise until sunset, teaching people to control their desires.
The shift in eating patterns allows Muslims to consume mindfully, gaining an appreciation for food and a greater understanding of the situation of millions of people around the world who lack access to safe food and drinking water.
“It is an excellent time for self-discipline,” Hind Saud told Arab News. “The essence of Ramadan and the practice of fasting is a transforming experience, making you a better person, especially if you’re aiming to develop new habits that require self-control.”
She said that she took advantage of the month of fasting to build positive habits, control her food consumption and her appetite for sweets.
“Last Ramadan, I focused on enhancing my health by cutting caffeine. The long fasting hours encouraged me to incorporate healthier beverages like fresh juices, herbal teas and plenty of water.
“I also wanted to reduce my intake of sugar and artificial sweets, which I typically enjoy in desserts and snacks outside of Ramadan. So, I replaced it with fruits and yogurt as part of my suhoor meal.”
Ramadan is also a time for spiritual reflection. People use this month to deepen their relationship with God through prayers, reading the Qur’an, and giving to charity. It can also be a time to meditate and practice active meditation.
“Self-control in Ramadan is spiritually achieved by freeing oneself for worship and renewing one’s soul and body from the preoccupations in the past months,” said Amira Abdulmohsen, a local from Riyadh.
She added: “It is also achieved by abstaining from distractions such as wasting time on social media and instead using the time to read the Qur’an or memorize some chapters of it. Ramadan is in general a time to cleanse the body of toxins such as smoking.”
Both spiritual reflection and meditation require separating time from hectic schedules and engaging in activities that lift the spirit and help people to manage their time effectively.
For example, many Saudis during this holy month find joy in praying Taraweeh at the masjid. This daily activity creates a sense of responsibility because it must be performed every day at a specific time.
This habit not only encourages individuals to prioritize their spiritual well-being but also raises their sense of accountability toward themselves and their community. It is a great time to bring the neighborhood closer and strengthen their bonds as well.
“Taraweeh prayer strengthens the community’s relationship with each other, while a person strengthens his relationship with neighbors through Ramadan gatherings for iftar meal or through iftar gifts,” Abdulmohsen said.
“Iftar gifts are when I prepare an iftar dish and give some of it to the neighbors minutes before sunset.
“Or, when people have an iftar meal together every day at the local masjid. Some families have a habit of delivering meals to masjids during Ramadan.”
The lessons learned during Ramadan often extend beyond the month itself. Many Muslims find that the self-discipline learned during this time leads to lasting changes.
How Saudi Arabia can balance its AI infrastructure and sustainable water usage
While AI’s energy demands are widely known, its vast and growing water footprint remains largely out of sight
Experts urge early-stage planning and water-smart designs to reduce risk and future-proof AI growth in arid climates
Updated 25 April 2025
Ghadi Joudah
RIYADH: Artificial intelligence has opened up remarkable new possibilities — but beneath its sleek, digital surface lies an overlooked environmental cost: Water.
While debates over AI’s energy demands have captured headlines, its vast and growing water footprint remains largely out of sight. That blind spot, experts warn, could carry serious consequences.
Salah Al-Kafrawi, senior consultant at EY for data and AI, told Arab News: “We have no universal approach to assess how much water is consumed while using or training AI,” leaving the true scale of the problem poorly understood.
Although a few tech firms publish rough water usage estimates, most businesses — from e-commerce to aviation — remain unaware of their consumption. “Many aren’t even aware of their water footprint,” Al-Kafrawi said
Even available data likely underestimates reality by a factor of 10 or more. In a world facing increasing water scarcity, AI’s mounting thirst is a silent crisis — one that demands innovation, transparency and smarter systems.
AI’s water usage is complex. It includes both direct consumption, such as cooling servers, and indirect usage tied to the electricity that powers them.
“AI requires significant data for training and evaluation, along with electricity to operate and cooling systems to prevent overheating,” Al-Kafrawi said.
That electricity often comes from water-intensive power sources. Coal-fired and nuclear plants, for instance, consume “millions of gallons of water daily” for steam production and cooling — a hidden environmental cost rarely accounted for in sustainability reports.
Meanwhile, data centers use vast amounts of water to stop their servers from overheating.
An artist's rendition of the data center of KAUST. (KAUST photo)
“Data centers often use water cooling towers to dissipate heat generated by their servers,” said Al-Kafrawi, noting this creates “another significant source of water usage.”
This leads to a vicious cycle: AI requires power, power generates heat, and cooling that heat requires more water.
“The combination of water needed for electricity generation and cooling systems means that AI’s water footprint extends far beyond what might be immediately apparent,” Al-Kafrawi said.
In Saudi Arabia, where water is scarce and AI infrastructure is booming, managing this balance is becoming increasingly urgent.
Abdulelah Al-Shehri, assistant professor of chemical engineering at King Saud University, said that most global data centers rely on potable water — despite its scarcity.
“Water purity directly affects a system’s lifespan,” he said. Indeed, reclaimed water can risk corrosion and microbial contamination, though efforts to safely reuse non-potable sources are gaining traction.
Most global data centers rely on potable water, putting pressure on scarce supply. (AFP photo)
Currently, most data centers in the Kingdom use hybrid cooling systems.
“Saudi data centers rely on high-efficiency mechanical cooling systems combining air-cooled and water-cooled chillers,” said Al-Shehri, referencing Microsoft’s climate-adaptive guidelines and the Saudi Telecom Company’s 2023 Sustainability Report.
Even these efficient systems come with a significant toll. Al-Shehri said that cooling infrastructure for the country’s 300 MW of operational data centers consumes between 2.3 and 2.8 liters of water per kilowatt-hour.
“If we look at current capacity operating at full load year-round, annual water use would approach 6.7 million cubic meters,” he warned — roughly the same amount used by 160,000 Saudi households each year.
And this is just the beginning. Al-Shehri projected that capacity could more than quadruple to 1,300 MW within five years — putting total water use on par with the needs of 700,000 households.
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“These figures only capture direct water use for cooling,” he added. The indirect cost, tied to fossil fuel-based energy production, remains even greater.
Despite the growing demand, Al-Shehri said that there are promising solutions — but they require investment and vision.
“Multiple solutions are emerging to reduce water usage in data center cooling, though investors often hesitate because of the intensive capital investment and costly retrofits.”
Among the most promising ideas is rethinking traditional cooling standards. “Microsoft and Google have piloted these so-called ‘high-temperature data centers,’ which would effectively drive the direct water footprint to zero,” he said.
Raising operating temperatures from 21 degrees Celsius to as high as 35 Celsius allows systems to rely more on air than water.
Other technologies focus on recycling heat. “Absorption chillers can reclaim up to 40 percent of waste heat here and repurpose it for cooling,” said Al-Shehri, pointing to global examples such as Swiss company Infomaniak, which now uses server heat to warm 6,000 homes.
The Swiss company Infomaniak uses absorption chillers to reclaim waste heat, which it then sells to warm 6,000 homes. (X: @infomaniak_de)
There is also the energy mix to consider. “Diversifying energy sources for AI power isn’t a simple swap,” he said. “It hinges on resource availability, proximity to data centers, and the water footprint.”
Research shows that solar and wind are the most water-efficient sources. By contrast, biomass — a widely promoted renewable option — can consume “up to 100 times more water than natural gas,” Al-Shehri said.
Another overlooked cost comes from the treatment and transportation of water itself — a point highlighted by Abdullah Al-Otaibi, Saudi Arabia managing director at global water solutions firm Ecolab.
“Water must be moved, heated, cooled and treated to be fit for business use, which requires energy,” Al-Otaibi told Arab News. He framed water and energy as interconnected levers — what scientists call the “water-energy nexus.”
“Water serves a dual purpose in data centers. It cools infrastructure directly and gets consumed indirectly when generating the electricity that powers high-performance computing,” he said.
Failing to manage this interdependency is risky. “Overlooking water creates risk — particularly in regions like Saudi Arabia, where water is scarce, and digital infrastructure is expanding rapidly.”
DID YOU KNOW?
• AI systems consume large volumes of water through energy generation and data center cooling.
• High-temperature data centers and heat-recycling systems offer promising ways to reduce direct water use.
• Experts urge early-stage planning and water-smart designs to reduce risk and future-proof AI growth.
Al-Otaibi said that better data and AI tools can help companies to understand and reduce their water and energy footprints. “With the right data and technologies, businesses can make water use more visible — and more manageable,” he said.
Ecolab’s audits show significant gains are possible. Their tools have helped clients to cut water usage by 44 percent, energy by 22 percent and emissions by 12 percent, all while improving reliability.
“Water efficiency can become a business enabler — supporting uptime and sustainability targets at the same time,” Al-Otaibi said.
With AI infrastructure expanding rapidly across the Gulf, Al-Otaibi urged stakeholders to act now — especially in design stages. “The key is starting early — smart water strategies begin before construction,” he said.
He cited Ecolab’s partnership with global data center operator Digital Realty, where their AI-driven system is expected to reduce water use by up to 15 percent and prevent the withdrawal of 126 million gallons of potable water annually.
For Saudi Arabia, where water is precious and technology ambitions are vast, that kind of efficiency is not just smart — it is essential.
Environment minister leads meeting on Saudi Irrigation Organization’s progress
The board looked at a report on the institution which included performance indicators, achievement rates, and the progress of ongoing projects in various regions of the Kingdom
Updated 24 April 2025
SPA
RIYADH: The Saudi Irrigation Organization’s board of directors held its 24th meeting on Thursday in Riyadh.
The meeting was chaired by the Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture Abdulrahman Al-Fadli.
The board looked at a report on the institution which included performance indicators, achievement rates, and the progress of ongoing projects in various regions of the Kingdom.
It also looked into updates on activities and initiatives aimed at improving the efficiency of water resource use and boosting agricultural sustainability.
Board members spoke of their appreciation of the wise leadership’s ongoing support, affirming that the significant attention given to the water sector consolidated sustainability factors, and enhanced the institution’s ability to effectively contribute to achieving Saudi Vision 2030.
The meeting concluded with a series of decisions and directives which aim to enhance institutional performance efficiency, and expand partnership possibilities with the relevant entities.
The cultivation project is a part of Jazan Mountainous Areas Development and Reconstruction Authority’s strategic initiatives to promote sustainable agriculture in the mountainous area of Jazan
Project plays a key role in supporting the local economy and expanding income sources within the agricultural sector
Updated 24 April 2025
SPA
RIYADH: The Jazan Mountainous Areas Development and Reconstruction Authority is currently showcasing its expertise in cultivating blue tea.
The showcase is a part of the authority’s participation in Environment Week 2025, organized by the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture, with government, private, and nonprofit organizations.
The authority’s pavilion has been visited by a number of people intrigued by blue tea’s nutritional benefits, unique flavor and vibrant color.
The cultivation project is a part of the authority’s strategic initiatives to promote sustainable agriculture in the mountainous area of Jazan.
The project plays a key role in supporting the local economy and expanding income sources within the agricultural sector.
Saudi Islamic affairs ministry participates in Muscat book fair
The ministry’s booth showcases a variety of editions of the Qur’an printed by the King Fahd Complex for the Printing of the Holy Qur’an in Madinah
Updated 24 April 2025
SPA
RIYADH: The Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Dawah and Guidance, represented by the General Secretariat for Exhibitions and Conferences, is at the Kingdom’s pavilion for the 29th edition of the Muscat International Book Fair.
The fair began on Wednesday and runs until May 3.
The event is hosting 674 publishing houses from 35 countries this year, with 640 participating directly and 34 through agencies.
The ministry’s booth showcases a variety of editions of the Qur’an printed by the King Fahd Complex for the Printing of the Holy Qur’an in Madinah, along with translations of its meanings in more than 77 languages.
It is also presenting a detailed explanation of the mechanism of printing the Qur’an, the stages it undergoes within the complex, and the modern technologies used, with the aim of informing visitors about the message the Kingdom delivers in caring for the Qur’an through its printing and distribution to Muslims around the world.
In addition, the ministry is displaying numerous applications and digital programs to serve the exhibition’s visitors.
Taif rose forum attracts 350,000 visitors in 10 days
Highlights include ‘flower carpet’ made from 850,000 blooms
Event at Arruddaf Park runs until Saturday
Updated 24 April 2025
SPA
TAIF: The inaugural Rose and Aromatic Plants Global Forum attracted more than 350,000 visitors in its first 10 days.
The event at Arruddaf Park in Taif opened on April 13 and runs until Saturday. It marks a significant milestone for the region, blending tradition with cutting-edge technology.
The organizers have incorporated artificial intelligence, automated monitoring systems and comprehensive historical documentation of Taif’s famous roses.
The innovative displays and exhibitions have attracted tourists from around the world, underscoring Taif’s growing reputation as a premier destination for natural beauty and botanical diversity.
In a stunning centerpiece that has become the festival’s most photographed attraction, Taif Municipality unveiled an elaborate flower carpet featuring more than 850,000 individual blooms.
The display combines elements of traditional Saudi architecture and Taif’s distinctive building style. It also tells a story of the region’s evolution, featuring a model of the Al-Hada mountains and representations of transport systems through the ages.
Visitors can trace the journey from the historic Camel Path that once connected Taif and Makkah to the modern Al-Masafala Road, culminating with a representation of today’s cable car system that whisks travelers through the mountainous terrain in minutes — a powerful symbol of the city’s technological and cultural advancement.
This festival reinforces Taif’s identity as the City of Roses and a unique tourist destination, and aligns perfectly with Saudi Vision 2030’s ambitious objectives for developing both the tourism and technology sectors.
