First multilingual centre opens at Grand Mosque’s Saudi corridor

Dubai: Saudi Arabia has inaugurated a first-of-its-kind multilingual awareness center at the Grand Mosque’s Saudi Corridor, a landmark section of the mosque named in 2022 to honour the Kingdom’s contributions to its expansion.

The initiative, launched by the Presidency of Religious Affairs at the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque, aims to serve worshippers and visitors through a wide range of educational and spiritual resources offered in multiple languages.

The centre provides translated copies of the Holy Quran, as well as brochures on Islamic faith, Hajj and Umrah rituals, the principles of moderation in Islam, and topics related to intellectual and spiritual security.

Sheikh Dr. Abdulrahman Al Sudais, Head of Religious Affairs at the Grand Mosque and the Prophet's Mosque, said the Saudi Corridor is more than a structural marvel. It is a space that reflects the values of tolerance, balance, and moderation central to Islam, a message we aim to share with the world.

The awareness center is the first among more than 100 multilingual enrichment hubs scheduled to open across the courtyards of the Grand Mosque during the 1446 AH Hajj season.

These efforts are part of the Presidency’s operational plan to enhance the cultural, spiritual, and educational dimensions of the pilgrimage.

The Saudi Corridor, a prominent feature in the most recent Mataf expansion, has become both a historical and modern icon of the Kingdom’s enduring efforts to improve the infrastructure and experience of the Grand Mosque.

 -- Huda Ata is an independent writer based in the UAE