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The Sustainability and Empowerment Program is a developmental program focused on developing the non-profit sector, supporting endowments' contributions to economic and social development, and enabling them to achieve the goals of Saudi Vision 2030 . It was launched by the General Authority for Awqaf in partnership with the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development on October 13, 2019. Importance of the Sustainability and Empowerment Program The Sustainability and Empowerment Progr...

The Zamzam Well originated when Prophet Ibrahim, peace be upon him (PBUH), came to Makkah al-Mukarramah and left his wife Hajar and his son Ismail in a valley with no vegetation or water. When Hajar's water supply ran out, her child began to writhe from thirst. She hurried between Safa and Marwah, searching for help, until she heard a sound at the site of the well. It was Jibril (PBUH) who caused the spring to gush forth, and the mother of Ismail contained the water and scooped from it. Th...

The idea of creating courtyards for the Grand Mosque began during the first Saudi expansion in 1955. This expansion included the construction of new architecture for the mosque, the provision of support for its structures, and the addition of open courtyards that increased its area and provided more options for visitors and pilgrims coming to the Grand Mosque. The number of courtyards in the first and second Saudi expansions reached seven, with a total area of all the courtyards around the Gran...

The number of minarets at the Grand Mosque is nineteen, each with a height of eighty-nine m. There were five minarets before the Saudi era, and the number increased to seven during the first Saudi expansion. The building of  the second Saudi expansion  included two new minarets, each with a height of eighty-nine m, designed architecturally to resemble the previous seven minarets. The number of minarets reached thirteen in the third Saudi expansion , and currently, construction and architectur...

The capacity of Mataf in the Grand Mosque is 107,000 pilgrims per hour, equivalent to over double its previous capacity which was limited to fifty thousand pilgrims. The first phase of Mataf expansion project commenced in 2013. The expansion process included three phases over three years, concluding in 2015. The total constructed area comprising all the project's elements and components is estimated at 210,000 m 2 . Mataf comprises several floors featuring designated locations for wheelcha...

Al-Kaaba's Kiswa (black cloth) is lifted to preserve its cleanliness and safety and to prevent tampering or veneration due to erroneous beliefs held by some pilgrims. This necessitates lifting the Kiswa and surrounding al-Kaaba with pieces of white fabric covering a circumference of forty-seven m. The Kiswa is then returned to its previous position after the conclusion of the Hajj season. The Kiswa is typically lifted in the middle of the month of Dhu al-Qa'dah and its lower edges are...

The process of purifying and sterilizing Zamzam water is carried out by using two large pumps that draw water from the well to the King Abdullah Project for Zamzam Water Development. The water is transported through rust-resistant pipes that pass through air and washing chambers to protect the water from any potential contaminants. Zamzam water is transferred to a dedicated station for filtration, purification, and sterilization. Samples are taken and subjected to analysis to verify the water&#...

Miqat Wadi Muharram is one of the designated Mawaqit that those intending to enter Makkah al-Mukarramah for Hajj  or Umrah must pass through to assume Ihram . It is located in the al-Hada Center, northwest of Taif Governorate, about fifteen km from its center. It serves as the upper Miqat for Wadi Qarn al-Manazil. Location of Miqat Wadi Muharram The Miqat Mosque at Wadi Muharram is located in al-Hada Center in Taif Governorate, at an elevation of two thousand m above sea level. It is seventy-s...

Miqat Dhat Irq is one of the Mawaqit locations that those intending to enter Makkah al-Mukarramah  for Hajj  or Umrah must pass through to assume Ihram . It is the Miqat for the people of Iraq, north of the Kingdom, and those traveling along their route. It is located on the path of the Iraqi pilgrimage route in Taif Governorate, northeast of Makkah al-Mukarramah, at a distance of ninety km. Miqat Dhat Irq in the Prophetic Biography The name Dhat Irq is mentioned in the Prophetic biography in...

Miqat al-Juhfah is one of the Mawaqit designated by the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him (PBUH), for those heading to the Grand Mosque in  Makkah al-Mukarramah  with the intention of performing Hajj or Umrah. It is the Miqat for the people of the Levant, Egypt, Morocco, and pilgrims from Africa and those traveling along their route if they do not pass through al-Madinah al-Munawwarah . It is located northwest of Makkah al-Mukarramah, near  Rabigh Governorate . The location of Miqat al-Juh...

Miqat Dhu al-Hulayfah, also known as 'Abar Ali,' is one of the Mawaqit locations that those intending to enter Makkah al-Mukarramah for Hajj  or Umrah must pass through to assume Ihram. It is the Miqat for the people of al-Madinah al-Munawwarah and those traveling along their route. The location of Miqat Dhu al-Hulayfah It was named 'Dhu al-Hulayfah' as a diminutive form of the plant 'al-Hulaf' (Elaeagnus) which is abundant at the site. It is also called 'Aba...

Miqat Yalamlam is one of the Mawaqit that those intending to enter  Makkah al-Mukarramah for Hajj  or Umrah must pass through to assume Ihram. Passing through or alongside it is required for entering into the rituals of Hajj and Umrah for Muslims. It is located in al-Lith Governorate , about eighty-five km southwest of Makkah al-Mukarramah, along the coastal road. It is the Miqat for the people of Yemen, the southern provinces of the Kingdom, and those who pass by it. Location of Miqat Yalaml...