Tag: Medina

  • World’s third biggest mosque opens to public ahead of Ramzan

    World’s third biggest mosque opens to public ahead of Ramzan

    Algeria has finally opened the third-biggest mosque in the world and the largest in Africa, ahead of the holy month of Ramzan, according to Al Jazeera.

    The inauguration of the mosque has taken several days due to unrest in the country. The Grand Mosque of Algiers was formally opened on Monday by Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune.

    Djamaa El-Djazair is how the locals refer to it, and it can house up to 120,000 worshippers at once. With a height of 265 meters (869 feet), it has the highest minaret in the world.

    After seven years of construction, a vast modernist building spanning approximately 70 acres was completed, with marble and wood elements along with Arabic and North African architectural elements.

    It even has a library large enough to house a million volumes and a helipad. The massive structure was built by a Chinese firm, reportedly costing around $900 million.

    It is being marketed as the third-biggest mosque worldwide, following the holy mosque in Makkah and the Prophet’s mosque in Madina, both located in Saudi Arabia.

  • ‘Amazing, fulfilling’; Tennis star Sania Mirza shares clip while performing Umrah

    Sports star and television host Sania Mirza shared a video clip of her trip to the holy city of Mecca to perform Umrah. In the caption, Mirza had written that she was thankful for the experience:

    “It has been the most amazing and fulfilling time here .. may Allah call us back again and again .. In sha Allah .. Allhamdulillah for everything .. ya Rabb tera shukar hai ”

    Mirza also shared some other pictures with her children of her visit

  • Saudi women allowed to drive trains between Makkah and Madina

    Saudi women allowed to drive trains between Makkah and Madina

    Saudi women have begun driving the Makkah-Madinah Haramain train.

    Saudi Railways also released a video of women driving trains and receiving training while sitting in the driver’s seat.

    Saudi Railways announced that 31 indigenous women have completed training to drive high-speed trains. The Mecca-Medina Haramain high-speed train is one of the fastest in the world.

    Saudi woman, Sara Al Shehri said, “I and my colleagues have been the first to have the honor of running a high-speed train in the Middle East, which I am proud of.”

    Noorah Hisham, another Saudi woman who completed the training, says that it is a job of great responsibility. The safety of those who come for Hajj, Umrah, and Ziarat is the responsibility of the Haramain Express driver.

    Saudi female train driver Shajin al-Mursi said that it is a matter of great pride to be part of the first group to receive train driving training.

    The Saudi Railway Company qualified more than 30 Saudi women as female drivers of the Haramain Express Train, according to Saudi Gazette.

    The women train captains have expressed their pride in having this opportunity to become the first female train drivers in the Middle East. They confirmed that transporting pilgrims and visitors gives them motivation to work with great care.