Flashes from the Muslim World

Bangladesh has been scrambling to save its endangered languages with new school books for indigenous communities, but the groups say too few of them are included in the program as authorities struggle to find appropriate teachers. Most people in Bengali-majority Bangladesh, which has a population of more than 167 million, speak Bangla, the official language, as their mother tongue. But there are also 39 ethnic indigenous groups in the country, with an estimated population of four million, who have distinct cultures and languages. According to a 2019 survey by the International Mother Language Institute, fourteen of these indigenous languages are about to disappear.

Thailand’s prime minister welcomed the chief of the Muslim World League, who recently arrived in Bangkok for meeting with Thai officials and religious leaders. MWL Secretary General, Dr. Mohammed al-Issa, was received by Prime Minister, Prayut Chan-o-Cha, upon his arrival. The Prime Minister stressed that Thailand is ready to support the mission of MWL. The visit can be seen as encouragement of the restoration of relationships and the connection in the people level, which is now being more official and convenient.

‘During the first nine months of 2021, Dubai ranked first in the Arab world and third, globally, in attracting Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) with projects with an accumulated worth of sixteen billion dirhams (USD 4.35 billion),’ Crown Prince, Hamdan bin Mohammed, said in a tweet. This comes as the city continues to consolidate its global position as a leading investment destination, according to the Crown Prince. The number of investment projects in the city reached 378.

The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) held a preparatory meeting for the 48th session of the Council of Foreign Ministers, which is due to take place in Islamabad in March. Held at the OIC’s headquarters in Jeddah, the inaugural session saw the handover of the Chair from Niger to Pakistan. OIC Secretary General, Hissein Brahim Taha, reviewed major developments that had taken place in some member states and also the meetings main agenda items. Taha underlined the need to overcome the challenges faced by member states to ensure peace, stability, and development and to achieve the aspirations of their people.

The organizers of Rihlat Muhajir (An Emigrant Journey) have announced that the first phase of the initiative to document the path of the Prophet’s emigration has been completed. The work with specialists and researchers in the Prophet’s biography is part of the preparations to inaugurate the Jabal Thawr Cultural Center in Makkah, which seeks to enrich and broaden tourists’ experience. The team sought all the locations that were cited on the path of the Prophet’s emigration, starting from Cave Thawr on Mount Thawr in Makkah, passing through 40 stations all the way to Quba Mosque in Madinah.

Saudi Arabia has launched investments worth USD 6.4 billion to build its own version of Silicon Valley, a government minister told a major technology forum in Riyadh. The aim is to build a smart hub for the region that will improve efficiency by up to 100%. The Kingdom also expects USD1.4 billion to be spent in entrepreneurship and allocated to funds to support digital content.

Sheikh Abdul Rahman al-Sudais, General President of the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques, has inaugurated the 12,000 acrylic carpets for the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah. The carpets are made locally according to accurate technical standards in order for worshippers to feel comfortable upon visiting the holy site. They are characterized by their thickness and durability for heavy use, in addition to having plenty of soft wool and fixed colors that do not run after being washed. Separately, Saudi authorities introduced specialized robots to distribute Zamzam water to visitors to the Two Holy Mosques. The Presidency said the move comes to keep pace with the latest developments in global service excellence.

The Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia urged Muslims to strive for unity as he addressed the 45th session of the Supreme Council of the Muslim World League. Speaking at the meeting in Makkah, Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Abdullah Al-Asheikh, stressed the need for Muslims, regardless of their color, race, tribe, language, customs, culture, or country, should strengthen the bonds that unite them. He said also that Saudi Arabia had shouldered a heavy responsibility in supporting Islam and Muslims around the world. The past years witnessed the issuance of the Makkah Declaration, that led to its acceptance around the world by Muslims and others because it is the fruit of sincere efforts, he said.

Islamic art is renowned around the world for its unique, beautiful and exquisite, floral, arabesque, geometric and calligraphic patterns. It encompasses a wide range of artistic forms, including architecture, calligraphy, painting, glass, ceramics and textiles. Its origins can be traced back centuries, and it can be found adorning buildings, mausoleums, museums, and palaces built by empires through the ages in the East and West. The recently opened House of Islamic Arts in Jeddah is a unique museum in the Kingdom containing more than a thousand precious historical exhibits from a number of countries. The items on display reflect the diversity of Islamic art from a range of eras. The collections, sourced from international auctions and private collections are the result of years of hard work and research.

Gabon’s Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Saudi Arabia, Ibrahim Membourou, has held talks with Hissein Brahim Taha, Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), as part of efforts to enhance cooperation with the OIC. During the meeting at the headquarters of the OIC General Secretariat in Jeddah, the two sides discussed ways and means to consolidate the relations of cooperation between Gabon and the OIC, and to promote joint Islamic action. The OIC is the second largest organization in the world after the United Nations, with 57 member states spread over four continents. It seeks to safeguard and protect the interests of more than 1.5 billion Muslims worldwide, promoting international peace and harmony.

Col. Khalid Shahbazz, who recently visited Saudi Arabia to perform Umrah, is the highest-ranking Muslim soldier in the US military, where he is chaplain providing support to thousands of soldiers. Currently, there are six Muslim chaplains in the army, three in the air force, and one in Navy. Shahbazz’s work also involves providing emotional support to soldiers from all faiths, and overseeing many chaplains of lesser ranks. He said of his trip to the Kingdom: “My impression of Saudi Arabia was almost hypnotic. I loved everything about it. I felt at peace and like my life has been a purpose of getting here all my life. I took the trip to fulfill my destiny of getting closer to God.”

The Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia urged Muslims to strive for unity as he addressed the 45th session of the Supreme Council of the Muslim World League. Speaking at the meeting in Makkah, Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Abdullah Al-Asheikh, stressed the need for Muslims, regardless of their color, race, tribe, language, customs, culture, or country, should strengthen the bonds that unite them. He said also that Saudi Arabia had shouldered a heavy responsibility in supporting Islam and Muslims around the world. The past years witnessed the issuance of the Makkah Declaration, that led to its acceptance around the world by Muslims and others because it is the fruit of sincere efforts, he said.

A UK Muslim leader has claimed that the findings of a survey on Islamophobia had highlighted the pervasive nature of the problem in Britain. The study, conducted by researchers at the University of Birmingham, revealed that Islamophobia had passed the so-called dinner table test in being considered suitable for polite conversation and socially acceptable. The survey found that Muslims were the UK’s second least-liked group after gypsy and Irish travelers, with 25.9% of the British public feeling negative toward Muslims, and 9.9 % very negative. The survey also reported that a further 36.3% of Brits said they thought that Islam threatens the British way of life, and 18.1% supported, and 9.5% strongly supported the idea of banning all Muslim migration to the UK.