Flashes from the Muslim World

Sri Lankan Muslims will not take part in this year’s Hajj, the country’s pilgrimage organizers announced, as the island nation faces its worst economic crisis in memory. Muslims make up almost 10% of Sri Lanka’s population of 22 million, which is predominantly Buddhist. This year, 1585 Sri Lankans were expected to perform Hajj. The decision to forego this year’s Hajj is a generous gesture by members of the Muslim community to sacrifice their pilgrimage for the sake of the country.

Major development work is underway at Madinah’s historic Quba Mosque to further expand the holy site first built upon by the Prophet Muhammad (saws) more than 1,440 years ago. In April, during Ramadan, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman announced that the mosque would be increased tenfold in size as part of a project named after King Salman. On completion of the largest development in its history, Quba Mosque will be able to receive more than 66,000 worshippers in an area covering 50,000 square meters. Quba Mosque is located five kilometers south of the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah and was constructed in 622CE. It is believed that the Prophet Muhammad (saws) frequently prayed at Quba Mosque, especially on Saturdays, and urged his Companions to do so too.

Al-Ghamama Mosque, located 500 meters southwest of the Prophet’s Mosque, is one of Madinah’s most prominent historical sites. It has been associated with the journey of Prophet Muhammad (saws) and is known as the last place where he performed Eid and rain prayers. The mosque has undergone repair and restoration work several times. The mosque’s external arches are a rare architectural style, built with dark colored stones and separated by white lines. Inside, the arches are indicative of the engineering art that went into the design and the craftsmanship that built them.

Saudi Arabia hosted a two-day session of virtual dialogue, aimed at stimulating creativity and innovation in the field of Hajj and Umrah. The discussion addressed the challenges faced by the Hajj and Umrah sector, pioneering ideas in this field, and ways of promoting innovation within the sector. The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah hopes to make the Hajj smart card a key tool in all pilgrims journey in the Kingdom.

Saudi Arabia hosted a two-day session of virtual dialogue, aimed at stimulating creativity and innovation in the field of Hajj and Umrah. The discussion addressed the challenges faced by the Hajj and Umrah sector, pioneering ideas in this field, and ways of promoting innovation within the sector. The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah hopes to make the Hajj smart card a key tool in all pilgrims journey in the Kingdom.

A price-hike for foreigners seeking citizenship through real estate investment is the latest attempt by the Turkish government to ease the country’s financial woes. The move is estimated to help Turkey overcome its current account deficit and change the profile of foreign investors. Recently a popular advertisement read as follows: “You can apply for Turkish citizenship by investing USD250,000. Obtain a Turkish passport and citizenship in the most prestigious projects in Istanbul!” The money should be deposited to a Turkish bank, and the house should not be sold for three years. For the moment, Russians, Ukrainian and the Gulf nationals are the top clients in the Turkish real estate sector, and are buying up property in southern resort towns and Istanbul.

Venice’s first mosque has been inaugurated in a ceremony attended by representatives of the Italian Islamic community and city institutions. The opening of the mosque means the city – a UNESCO World Heritage site, and artistic landmark – now has dedicated place of worship for thousands of Muslims living in the area. The building was brought by the local community with proceeds of the Zakat collected by Muslims in Venice and the nearby industrial port of Maestre.

Over 130 British Muslims attended a Hajj Seminar at the London Muslim Center, in preparation for the first pilgrimage after the COVID-19 Pandemic that will be open to foreigners. Attendees learned how to perform the fifth pillar of Islam correctly, were give practical tips to ensure a smooth journey. The event, organized by the Council of British Hajjis, was the final in a series of seminars held across England by the organization, and was watched online by dozens of people.

More than half of British Muslims feel like their lives are improving citing role models and work opportunities, according to a new poll. Savanta ComRes surveyed 1,503 British Muslims who said life was improving in Britain on 10 out of 12 measures, but workplace discrimination was getting worse. Britain’s Muslim population stands at 3.3 million, making up 5% of the total population. More than two thirds surveyed said they felt that Muslim participation in society had risen since 2017, which tied in with 58% pointing to a rise in role models for British Muslims. The survey was commissioned by Hyphen, a new magazine that focuses on Muslim issues in Europe.