On Wednesday, Rabi’ I 17, 1439H, Dr. Bakry bin Matouq Assas, the President of Umm Al-Qura University (UQU), opened a seminar organized by the College of Sharia and Islamic Studies, with the cooperation of the General Presidency for the Affairs of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet's Mosque. The session was under the theme “the Work in the Grand Mosque: its Regulations, Calamities, and Ethics”. The seminar was attended by Dr. Abdul Rahman bin Abdul Aziz Al-Sudais, the Chairman of the General Presidency for the Affairs of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet's Mosque, and the members of the Supreme Judiciary Committee.

The event was held at King Abdulaziz Historical Hall at the UQU Campus in Al-Abediya and was opened with Quranic recitation. Dr. Ghazi bin Murshid Al-Otaibi, the Dean of the College of Sharia and Islamic Studies and the Head of the Organizing Committee of the Seminar, gave a speech highlighting that holding the seminar is a recognition of the university, represented by the College of Sharia and Islamic studies, and the General Presidency for the Affairs of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet's Mosque of the need of the workers in the Great Mosque to be familiar with the standards that they should be qualified with. They also need to know the provisions of the incidents they face, especially when it comes to something new, in addition to developing the skills of dealing with the pilgrims and visitors, as they are the front people who receive the Great Mosque’s pilgrims and visitors.

He added that the seminar’s scientific committee worked on assorting the papers that were submitted to participate in the seminar, which reached 22 papers, to be presented in the seminar’s sessions. The papers included an explanation for the legitimate standards that should be followed when recruiting labor in the Great Mosque; inclusion of some issues that should be cared of by the Mosque’s workers; knowing the denials and excuses; putting the state of the advice taker into consideration, so as not to follow sayings and advice that would cause a sedition and differentiation between Muslims; and avoiding the political and sectarian issues.

Dr. Al-Otaibi added that this seminar is a part of the scientific activities that include seminars, conferences and scientific meetings, which are being held by the college through its academic departments and the Saudi Scientific Society for the Principles of Jurisprudence and Shari'a Purposes (Osol). He noted that the impact of these meetings and activities will be positive on the quality and academic accreditation, especially with relation to the community service.

Moreover, Dr. Al-Otaibi praised King Salman bin Abdul Aziz Al-Saud, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, for his support to the rightful legitimate science that serves Islam and the people of Saudi Arabia, and achieves their goals and purposes in the present life and the other life. He thanked Dr. Ahmed bin Mohamed Al-Eissa, the Minister of Education, for his approval on holding this seminar, and also thanked Dr. Bakry bin Matouq Assas, the UQU President, for his continuous support for the college’s different activities and programs. Thanks were also directed to Dr. Abdul Rahman bin Abdul Aziz Al-Sudais for his confidence in the college to organize such an event that would result in a lot of scientific recommendations that are conforming with the blessed efforts exerted by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques’ government for serving the two Holy Mosques and their visitors.

Dr. Hassan Bukhari, the Dean of the Institute of Arabic Language for Non-Native Speakers and the Supervisor on the General Administration of Direction and Guidance at the Great Mosque, gave a speech and highlighted that holding this seminar is out of the effective role which the General Administration of the Great Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque, represented by the General Administration of Direction and Guidance, aspire to, with the cooperation of the College of Sharia and Islamic Studies.

Thereafter, Dr. Abdul Rahman bin Abdul Aziz Al-Sudais, the Chairman of the General Presidency for the Affairs of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet's Mosque, referred to the importance of the cooperation between the UQU and the General Presidency for the Affairs of the Grand Mosque, for what the university owns prominent research and scientific centers, which led the way in the Sharia sciences. He added that the work in the Great Mosque is not an individual or a single one but a an institutional work that is based on sciences, knowledge, provisions, ethics, regulations, laws, proper visions, a meaningful message and noble goals, considered implementation mechanisms, and work programs that are getting approved by that body to which the administrative, guidance, engineering, follow-up and maintenance affairs of the Great Mosque and Prophet’s Mosque were assigned. That body has the workforce of around 10,000 employees.

Dr. Abdul Rahman Al-Sudais noted that working in the Great Mosque is worship for the sake of worships, especially if it was crowned by the honor of place, time, goal, and purpose which is serving the Great Mosque of Makkah and its seekers of pilgrims and visitors. He added that as for the workers in the mosque, there are purposes, regulations, ethics, and calamities that accede them, noting that they need to know the people’s purposes through what they do, especially with developments and changes, they need scientists and blessed professors like those in this great university.

The Chairman of the Presidency then thanked the good leadership for what it gives to the Holy Mosques from care, attention, and unlimited support for the two mosques and their seekers, hoping that this seminar would be fruitful and gives a useful recommendation statement that is in the interest of the Holy Mosques and their seekers. He also praised the follow-up of Dr. Bakry bin Matouq Assas, the UQU President, to this seminar and all its organizers.

After that, Dr. Bakry made a statement, in which he welcomed the presence. He noted that this event promotes the university and community values’ links; strengthens the affiliation to our dear country; and stresses on the loyalty to our wise leadership, under the banner of unity, safety, and peace. The UQU President added that this seminar reflects the serious roles and the deep-rooted covenants inside us to our institutions and sanctities, to achieve a sustainable development on the university and community levels. The seminar also establishes the righteous work and decent treatment approaches inside the Great Mosque, in addition to confirming its regulations, calamities, and ethics.

He added that Umm Al-Qura University, during its long journey and ancient reputation, aspires to establish the meaningful knowledge building and the sound educational and scientific architecture, for serving the society and for its development and prosperity. The university also seeks the promoting mobility in the education and learning lead, and in the scientific research leaps with its interfaces and credible bets in transferring ideas to investment, which made it a strategic request in building the civilized theme of our society towards the manufacture of the present and building the future, the source of distinction, innovation and thinking.

The President assured that the university is bearing the responsibility of forming potentials that are capable of creation, invention, knowledge production and innovation that contribute to the continuity of the development and building connections with the scientific research. He noted that this seminar holds a university call and community requests in the relation with the society, which is what Kingdom Vision 2030 aims at.

Dr. Bakry praised the support of King Salman bin Abdul Aziz Al-Saud, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, and the Crown Prince Mohamed bin Mohamed bin Salman, to science and knowledge, building and development,  and pushing the march of progress and prosperity. He also praised Dr. Ahmed bin Mohamed Al-Eissa, the Minister of Education, for his follow-up on the university’s activities and programs and Dr. Abdul Rahman bin Abdul Aziz Al-Sudais, the Chairman of the General Presidency for the Affairs of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet's Mosque, for the wise awareness in working and dealing in the Great Mosque.

Thereafter, The UQU President and the Chairperson of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet's Mosque rewarded the event’s organizers.