Massive Women's University Opens

You may remember in an earlier post a distant photo of a women's college in progress. Two years later and they have begun classes in some of the buildings.

Abdullah founds women’s university in Riyadh today

ref: http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index.cfm?method=home.regcon&contentID=2008102920500

King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, is scheduled to lay the foundation stone for the University City of the Riyadh University for Girls on Wednesday.

Ibrahim Al-Assaf, Minister of Finance, said the step follows royal directives to improve the contribution of female human resources to the growth of the Kingdom and addressing the needs of the job market.

The university will house three health colleges, namely the College of Nursing, the College of Pharmacology and the College of Physiotherapy, as well as the College of Administrative Sciences, the Computer and Technology College, the Kindergarten College, the College of Science and the College of Languages and Translation. “The Ministry studied similar projects across the world and consulted the world’s best engineering companies to set up a university with a capacity for 40,000 students by 2010, the largest of its kind,” Al-Assaf said.

The University City, according to Princess Al-Jawhara Bint Fahd Al-Saud, President of the Riyadh University for Girls, will help qualify Saudi females for a global role.

“The University City project in Riyadh,” she said, “will contribute towards fulfilling the university’s ambitious plans for international competition and the development of Saudi girls’ colleges and higher education.”

“The City will have management buildings, a central library, a teaching staff complex, a hospital, health faculties, research centers and clubs,” the Princess said. She added that the project is expected to be completed in three years.

Riyadh University for Girls has also seen the recent opening of several new colleges and faculties which will later be linked to King Saud University in accordance with a decision from the Ministry of Higher Education. “The Riyadh University for Girls admitted 2,500 students this year to the new colleges,” she said.

“With admissions to the already-existing faculties, this means that the university has admitted 61 percent of this year’s high school graduates,” she said.

The Princess highlighted the Saudization rate at the university which stands at 100 percent in management staff and 76 percent in teaching staff.

Article: Shariah calls for protection of life and property: Minister

Shariah calls for protection of life and property: Minister

ref: http://www.arabnews.com/?page=1&section=0&article=115723&d=23&m=10&y=2008

Islamic Affairs Minister Saleh Al-Asheikh yesterday emphasized the importance of the ongoing trial of terror suspects at a Riyadh court, saying the move would help give a verdict deserved by them on the basis of Shariah.

“After the completion of investigations it was essential to try the Al-Qaeda suspects considering the requests of their relatives as well as the relatives of the victims of terrorist activities,” the minister said.

“The trial will strengthen the Kingdom’s policies that are based on justice, truth and fairness,” Al-Asheikh said emphasizing the impartiality of Saudi judiciary.

Interior Minister Prince Naif announced on Tuesday that 991 suspected Al-Qaeda militants, arrested in connection with over 30 terrorist attacks across the country since 2003, are to stand trial.

Al-Asheikh said those who kill innocent people, terrorize them and destroy public and private properties deserve capital punishment under Shariah.

“The Shariah, which is based on the Qur’an and Sunnah, demands protection of life, wealth and honor of people,” he said, adding that those who carried out terrorist attacks in the Kingdom had committed several crimes, including killing of innocent people.

Killing of non-Muslims who are under the protection of an Islamic government is not allowed in Islam. The Prophet (peace be upon him) has said that those who kill an ally would not even taste the smell of Paradise, Al-Asheikh explained.

The minister said the number of Muslims died in terrorist attacks was more than that of non-Muslims. “If anybody kills a Muslim deliberately his punishment is hell where he will stay forever,” he said quoting a verse from the Qur’an.

He said society, especially its legal institutions such as mosques, should play an important role in confronting deviant thoughts and ideas.

The minister described the takfiri (labeling opponents as infidels) and tafjeeri (causing explosions) ideologies as a major calamity that has fallen upon the Ummah.

Islamic scholars and prayer leaders should understand the situation of Muslim youth and guide them to goodness.

“We should confront the ideology of takfir and tafjeer of these kharijites (deviants) by protecting our youth from being enticed by them,” he explained.

“Mosques should stand up to the challenge posed by the proponents of deviant thoughts,” he said. “It’s not a platform for courtesy nor for keeping mum on the deviants,” he added.

Al-Asheikh said Islam opposes extremism. “The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) had advised Muslims that they should keep away from extremism,” he said quoting a Hadith.

Sheikh Jabber Rd.

UPDATES:
This is a link to Riyadh traffic police website:
http://www.rt.gov.sa/english/index.php

Video added below on Oct. 23rd, 2008

I have been told that nearly 12 deaths occur on roads throughout the Kingdom daily. Sounds high.
The police have been very visible as of late; pulling over violators in their unmarked cars.

This sign was previously Crown Prince Abdullah Road. Interesting seeing history develop right before your own eyes.
Do you know what a round about is? If you know the origins of these can you please share with us. Click comments and leave a note explaining the origins of this traffic design.



The soccer (futbol) fields (pitches) are difficult to make out in this video. But trust me they are there. (my British translation) :)
There are actually more soccer fields than I stated, more like 15 to 18 in this one lot and more down the street. The youth come out and play after asr prayer (early evening) until maghrib (sunset).