Harrah Rahat to Become Eco-Tourism Center
Yousuf Mohammad, Arab News

MADINAH — The Supreme Commission for Tourism plans to make the Harrah Rahat (Rahat Volcano) an eco-tourism center.

Harrah Rahat on the 916-meter high Jabal Lamsa plateau near Madinah is a volcano crate with an enormous surrounding licorice-black lava field.

“Harrah Rahat is one of the most spectacular natural sites in the Kingdom,” said Yusuf Al-Mozaini, head of the tourism department in Madinah. “In terms of volcanic studies the site is immensely significant.”

The tourism department, local municipality and the Saudi Geological Survey are currently working to preserve the natural features of the Harrah, Al-Mozaini told Arab News.

The volcano first erupted in this part of Arabia two million years ago and remained active until 1256 AD when it last erupted. Then, the fiery eruptions lasted nearly two months and spewed lava and ash from a massive fissure southeast of Madinah, throwing up six cones of cinders. The lava flowed a distance of 23 km from the crater.

According to ancient historians, the depth of the lava flow was a long spear’s length, around three meters and it flowed like a red-blue boiling river, carrying in its way gravels, stones and trees, with a noise-like thunder.

The volcanic cinders have consumer uses as well. Glowing a pleasant red at 1000 degrees Centigrade, volcanic cinders are ideal for lining gas barbecues. As firewood becomes scarcer in the region, kebab restaurants and grills increasingly turn to volcanic stone placed over gas fires.

A visitor to the top of the mountain can view the city of Madinah in its full glory sprawling around the Prophet’s Mosque.

As salaamu ‘alaikum wa rahmatullaahi wa barakaatuh. I came across a fairly intriguing web site about Saudi Arabia. There’s a host of photos taken by an American non-Muslim woman named Jane (some photos were donated to her site).  

Saudi Arabia is a nation blessed with abundant resources. It has vast reserves of oil, natural gas and minerals. Yet to the Kingdom, the nation’s most valuable resource is its people, and one of its principal tasks has been to build a quality educational system to enable citizens to develop their capabilities to their fullest and to contribute to the country’s continued development. Since its founding in 1932, Saudi Arabia has established eight universities that offer undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees in Islamic studies, sciences and the arts.

The universities are Imam Muhammad bin Saud University, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, King Abdul Aziz University, King Saud University, the Islamic University of Madinah, Umm Al-Qura University, King Faisal University and the newest, King Khalid University. Starting with this issue, these universities will be profiled in a series of articles with a view to outlining their specialties, activities and contributions to Saudi society and its higher education system.

The Riyadh-based Imam Muhammad Ibn Saud University is one of the oldest institutes of higher education in Saudi Arabia. Its roots go back more than half-a-century, to when the General Presidency of Colleges and Educational Institutes was established by the founder of the modern Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, King Abdul Aziz Ibn Abdul Rahman Alu-Saud. In 1947, the statutes of the university were formulated and the first steps were taken to set up a modern university. Established in 1950, the Scientific Institute of Riyadh formed the core of what in 1974 became the Imam Muhammad bin Saud University. The new university brought together under one umbrella the activities of a number of colleges and institutes of higher education in Riyadh.

Over the years, the university introduced a modern educational system in its Riyadh campus and established five faculties: the Higher Judiciary Institute, the College of Islamic Law, the College of Arabic, the College of Da’wah (Call) and Information, and the College of Theology. By 1975, some 4,000 students were enrolled at the university, studying Islamic, Arabic and social sciences.

As enrollment grew, reaching 12,000 in the mid-1980s and more than 15,000 a decade later, the existing faculties were expanded and additional fields of study introduced. Initially, the student body was largely made up of young people from the Riyadh area. As the number of applicants from other parts of the country increased, the university moved to establish colleges outside Riyadh. Presently, there are two colleges in Abha, two in Buraidah, one in Al-Hasa and one in Madinah. The various colleges in Riyadh and other cities offer undergraduate and graduate degrees in 23 disciplines.

In addition to providing quality education to young Saudis, the university’s other principal objectives as outlined in its charter include the promotion of a better understanding of Islamic sciences and Arabic language and culture outside the Kingdom. The university has sought to realize these objectives through establishing close working relationships with other institutes of higher learning throughout the world, conducting research and exchanging information.

The number of non-Saudi students enrolled at Saudi institutes of higher education has been increasing over the years due to the high quality of education and the affiliations Saudi universities have established with counterparts in other regions of the world. The Imam Muhammad Bin Saud University has welcomed this trend as a means of promoting advanced study of Islamic and Arabic sciences in other countries.

In addition to accepting foreign students at its faculties in Saudi Arabia, the Imam Muhammad Bin Saud University has established six institutes of higher education outside the Kingdom to enable a larger number of non-Saudis to study Islamic and Arabic sciences. Upon completion of these courses, students receive degrees issued by the internationally accredited Imam Muhammad bin Saud University.

The institute’s Arabic Language Department offers courses ranging from intermediate to advanced for non-Arabic speakers. Relying on an educational staff of native Arabic teachers and using modern audio-visual equipment and computers, the department offers a high-quality language program that enrolls some 600 students annually. The department is currently working with counterparts at American universities to establish a graduate program in teaching Arabic as a second language.

Enrollment in the courses offered by both the Department of Islamic Sciences and the Arabic Language Department is free of charge to students who meet the institute’s qualification requirements.

The institute has an extensive research department, where researchers conduct studies and collect information related to Islam and Islamic studies. They compile and translate information which is used to publish books in Arabic and English, thousands of copies of which are sent free-of-charge to libraries, educational institutions and Islamic centers throughout North America and the Islamic world.

The Department of Information Services provides computers used in the teaching programs as well as for the institute’s other activities. It also designs and develops educational and scientific software for use in learning and teaching Islam and Arabic.

The institute also has a large reference library that is open to students, visitors and researchers. It holds more than 20,000 books and thousands of publications on Islam and the Arabic language, social sciences, geography, history and biography. The Department of Seminars and Activities organizes specialized courses and functions, such as seminars and conferences, in the fields of Islamic and Arabic sciences.

As salaamu ‘alaikum……shopping here is an adventure of its own. Jeddah already has crazy traffic, however it is total madness during the Hajj & ‘Umrah rush.

 Pilgrims Throng Downtown Jeddah for Shopping

JEDDAH, 28 December 2007 — Markets in the Kingdom, especially in the Western Province cities of Jeddah, Makkah and Madinah, tend to see a surge in shoppers after the Haj, with Jeddah’s downtown Balad district especially crowded with pilgrims.

Shops in the Balad area, catering to the throngs of pilgrims with their heads freshly shaved, do not close until well after midnight. Businessmen and shopowners can be seen busy making the most of the situation before the last group of pilgrims leaves the Kingdom on Jan. 18.

The scene in the downtown area is like that of an international conference sans translators. Everyone is trying to buy and sell using simple English or Arabic.

For Jeddah residents this is also the time to buy from pilgrims, who are selling products brought from their home countries.

Aisha, an African overstayer who lives in Jeddah, sells African clothing. “This is a perfect time for me to make money. My whole family is working with me and we do not take time off. Pilgrims are here on a temporary basis and we must make sure that we get the best out of it,” she said.

Pilgrims tend to buy many goods to take back home as souvenirs and gifts, though most of the goods are actually available in their home countries.

Muhammad Al-Asali, owner of the Mahmoud Saeed shop in the Balad area, said that lots of customers come to buy huge quantities of perfumes to resell when they return home. “Pilgrims from Chad and Nigeria tend to buy international branded perfumes, while Egyptians and Tunisians tend to buy perfumes with a local fragrance. Saudis, however, tend to buy different hairstyle materials. The sales increase at this time of the year by 45 percent,” he added.

Across the street, Ahmad Atif sells local products, including Arabic gum, henna cards and incense. “Most buyers right now are pilgrims from all over the world. They buy a lot for themselves and their relatives,” he said.

Denying that sellers increase prices, Atif said: “Some pilgrims are good at bargaining and most of the time buy at the price they want to pay.”

Saif Al-Amri, a pilgrim from Oman, said he performed Haj this year for the eighth time. “I am here to buy gifts for friends and family. What makes shopping here so unique is that I get to see products from all over the world that other pilgrims bring to sell. I can buy African products and Russian products here,” he said.

Ahmad Al-Abbas, owner of a shop selling beads and prayer rugs, said his business is thriving. “People come from different countries including Egypt, Syria, Sudan, Indonesia, and even from Europe,” he said, adding that he imports products from across the world to meet the increase in demand.

Abdul Mugni Ibrahim, who sells prayer beads, said that SR100 million worth of beads are sold after Haj. He added that more than 10 million prayer beads each costing only SR3 are sold during the Haj season alone.

Meanwhile, ladies accessories shops looked empty. Ahmad Khamis, a salesman at a ladies accessories shop in Al-Khaskia, said: “Pilgrims prefer to buy cloth and cheap items. They go to markets in the downtown area and close to Bab Sharif. They don’t buy accessories or bags that are expensive.”

Malali and Hadia, two Canadian pilgrims of Afghan origin, said that shopping in Jeddah was great and that in spite of their short stay in the city, they would shop and visit the Corniche to see the sun setting.

For many street-sellers the post-Haj period is the best time to make money. Street-sellers in the Balad area come from different counties. Some are expatriates living in the Kingdom, while others are Haj pilgrims selling goods to make some extra cash. Expatriates tend to sell toys and gifts items.

Julia, a Russian pilgrim, has reserved a corner for herself at the central area to sell simple items at cheap prices. “I came here from Makkah after finishing my Haj. People are buying from me and this is good,” she said.

Khadija, a Somali expatriate living in the Kingdom, sells henna and prayer chadors. Sitting in a shaded area, Khadija said: “I am poor and have children. Selling helps me take care of them. I only sell after the Haj season.”

A woman from Senegal was busy selling colorful fabric to African women. She had also arrived in Jeddah having performed Haj.

According textiles shop owner Ahmad Ibrahim, fabric is a popular line that sells well. “Many pilgrims from different nationalities, including Arabs, Russians and Africans, buy from me,” he said, adding that the business is profitable depending on the location of the shop, its size and the variety of material on offer. “For us it is going great,” he said.

Sulaiman, a handbag seller, said that lots of Makkah residents buy from him to resell in Makkah. “Some pilgrims come and buy handbags to sell them in their home countries. Others come to buy gifts for their relatives,” he said.

Iman, a Sudanese pilgrim, expressed dissatisfaction at her Haj mission, which she said has not given her time to properly explore Jeddah and shop. Quddus Abdul Salam, an Indian pilgrim, said he has taken out time just to come to Jeddah to shop. “We’re briefly stopping here and will be heading for Madinah soon. I’ll buy everything from here except for the praying rugs and dates, which I’ll buy from Madinah. I’ve put aside around SR3,000 for gifts,” he said.

At a large five-riyal shops, pilgrims could be seen coming and leaving with huge bags filled with cheap products. Jamal Abdul Fatah, an Egyptian pilgrim, was busy inside the shop looking for different products, with a shopping list in his hand. “I’m buying these items as my relatives asked me to buy them for them. I’m also buying other stuff for my friends,” said Abdul Fatah.

A pilgrim from Dar Es Salam said that he and his wife were in Jeddah for two days to shop before leaving for Makkah. “We’ve also bought other stuff from Makkah and Madinah,” he said.

Ahmad Ibrahim, supervisor at a Sony shop in the downtown area, said that pilgrims come to buy different types of electric products. “They don’t buy huge amounts of goods, just a few items for personal use or for gifts,” he said.

People could also be seen clustering at money exchanges to change foreign currencies into Saudi riyals. In spite of the international increase in the price of gold, many pilgrims are still keen to buy gold. According to Abu Talal, a salesman at Al-Sailani Gold Shop, lots of pilgrims are buying gold and that their tastes differ according to their nationalities. “We make good profit at this time of the year. This helps us cover our overheads and pay workers,” he said.

“People shouldn’t think that prices rise depending on the season. Rather, gold prices are linked to the international markets. We open at 8:30 a.m. in the morning and stay open till 1 a.m. in the morning,” he said. “We don’t want to miss this season. Especially since sales increase by 80 percent,” he added.

According to Asharq Al-Awsat, pilgrims are estimated to spend SR800 million on gold and SR8 billion on gifts annually.

Children Need Libraries
By Maha Al-Hujailan

Children spend a considerable amount of their time doing nothing. Their families are usually busy with all sorts of responsibilities or obligations. Other than the time spent in school during the day, the child comes back home to find so much spare time without knowing how to spend it. Weekends and summer vacations tend to have the longest free time available for children.  Unfortunately, our society has no programs that give the child the opportunities to utilize his free time.

There are no libraries, no comfortable parks with seating to suit the children or productive programs designed for them. All that’s out there is entertainment and amusement parks that focus on physical activities.

The truth is the country is in urgent need of projects that, apart from bringing financial dividends, benefit society and the children. Establishing libraries in different districts is an interesting idea. If only we knew the amount of knowledge and information a child obtains by enrolling in such libraries in different countries around the world.

Library services for children have never been as important for children and their families as they are today. Gaining access to the knowledge and the multicultural richness of the world, as well as lifelong learning and literacy skills has become the top priority of societies all over the world. A quality children’s library gives children a passion for lifelong learning and literacy skills, enabling them to participate and contribute to the community.

It should constantly respond to the increasing changes in society and meet the information, cultural and entertainment needs of all children. Every child should be familiar and comfortable with the local library and possess the skills to find their way around libraries in general.

The International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions, which is the global voice of the library and information profession around the world, reported that by providing a wide range of materials and activities, public libraries provide an opportunity for children to experience the enjoyment of reading and the excitement of discovering knowledge and works of the imagination.

The United Nation’s Convention on the Rights of the Child stresses the right of every child to the development of his or her full potential, the right to free and open access to information, materials and programs, under equal conditions for all, irrespective of age, race, sex, religious, national and cultural background, language, social status or personal skills and abilities.

Establishing similar projects in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, private or public, would attract qualified young women with experience in different subjects and fields each library must have. Each library is viewed as a small school where students form small groups according to their age and take part in certain programs the parents choose for them in cooperation with the librarian.

The idea would also help ease the burden on parents if they have a large number of children to look after and especially if the parents have so much to deal with. Children and their parents should be taught how to make the best use of a library and how to develop skills in the use of print and electronic media. Public libraries have a special responsibility to support the process of learning to read, and to promote books and other media for children.

A library must organize special events for children, such as storytelling and activities related to the library’s services and resources. Children should be encouraged to use the library from an early age, as this will make them more likely to remain users in future years.

When I used to live abroad, I noticed how central libraries and the small and big ones distributed in different districts of the city with entertainment facilities create an environment conducive to learning, acquaintance and knowledge.

It’s really important that we ensure that our children are using their free time in ways that help them plan their future and nourish their skills. Growing up is a local community activity, not a global activity for children, but one affected by global developments.

Source: ArabNews.com

Dr. Maha Al-Hujailan is a medical researcher at King Khalid University Hospital in Riyaadh.

As salaamu ‘alaikum.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/britain_saudi_arabia

Haneefah

الحمد لله رب العالمين وصلى الله وسلم على نبينا محمد وعلى آله وأصحابه ومن اهتدى بهديه إلى يوم الدين أما بعد

 السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته

Tele: 02 652 3333

How to dial from the US: 011 + 966 + area code + telephone number.

Here’s a helpful site if you need to call from another country:

http://www.countrycodes.com/areacodes/call_saudiarabia.htm

Haneefah

Fatwa Online:

Buying goods using debit cards

Q: I hope your excellencies can advise us about using Saudi Net (debit) cards when buying items from stores in the following manner: When the total sale price is agreed upon, for example SR150 (riyals), the card is presented to the salesman who passes (”swipes”) it through a machine he has in the store. The (total) value of the transaction is then debited instantly by transferring the amount from the buyer’s account to the vendor’s account in the same instant, i.e. before the buyer leaves the store.

A: If the matter is as you describe, then there is no harm in using the mentioned card, so long as the buyer has sufficient funds in his account to cover the required amount (of the sale).

And with Allaah lies all success and may Allaah send prayers and salutations upon our Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) and his family and his companions.

The Permanent Committee for Islaamic Research and Fataawa, comprising -
Head: Shaykh ‘Abdul ‘Azeez Ibn Abdullaah Ibn Baaz;
Member: Shaykh ‘Abdul-’Azeez Aal ash-Shaykh;
Member: Shaykh Saalih Ibn Fowzaan;
Member: Shaykh Bakar Ibn ‘Abdullaah Abu Zayd
Fataawa al-Lajnah ad-Daa.imah lil-Buhooth al-’Ilmiyyah wal-Iftaa., - Volume 13, Page 527, Fatwa No.18521

As salaamu ‘alaikum,

Haneefah