Muscat: Oman’s Sultan Qaboos Bin Saeed has issued orders to build more mosques across the country.
According to the royal directives, three new mosques will be built in Ghala industrial area in Muscat and 17 will come up in the eastern region. These include two in Masirah and one each in Al Tahayem, Juwyrah, Jahid, Qashir, Al Muraibi, Al Seih A’Sharqi and the Falaj Al Mashaikh triangle. Duqm in Al Wusta too will have a new mosque. New mosques will also come up in Haima, Mudhabi and Al Kihel.
The mosques in Soqarah, Al Lakbi and Nfoon are to be rebuilt. Sultan Qaboos also ordered that restoration and maintenance work be taken up in 60 mosques in the mountains of Samhan, Al Qira and Al Qamar in Dhofar governorate.
Shaikh Abdullah Bin Mohammad Al Salmi, the Minister of Awqaf and Religious Affairs said that the royal orders affirm the leadership’s belief in the role of mosques as channels of Islamic discourse and religious awareness.
Meanwhile, the Art of Living, one of the world’s largest non-profit organisations, distributed 3,000 kg of rice among Omani families during Ramdan, according to a press release.
The group solicits contributions from the general public, volunteers and corporate groups for distribution among needy people in various interior regions of Oman.
Art of Living works closely with charity group Dar Al Atta on the project to ensure that the handouts reach as many needy families as possible. The organisation has also been actively involved in projects for the empowerment of Omani women, youth leadership programmes, free medical camps and recycling projects.
