Saudi varsity to hold ‘Makkah at the Heart of Sciences’ international conference

Makkah: Saudi Arabia’s Umm Al-Qura University (UQU) will host an international conference under the theme “Makkah at the Heart of Sciences” on Tuesday 8, February, 2022.

The conference, to be held under the patronage of Saudi Minister of Education Dr Hamad bin Mohammed Al Al-Sheikh, will discuss more than 100 research papers by scholars and researchers from universities of Saudi Arabia and various countries around the world about Makkah Al-Mukarramah, its history, geography, architecture and sacredness.

Umm Al-Qura University President and College of Social Sciences organised conference’s Supervisory Committee Chairman Moaddi bin Muhammad Aal Madh-hab highlighted that the conference constitutes an important scientific movement, in line with the university’s mission.

Makkah Al-Mukarramah is considered a scientific beacon that attracts researchers in various fields on everything related to the sacredness of the place, its Islamic history, geography and urban monuments.

This is in order to enrich the specialised scientific output about Makkah, and to document the efforts of the government of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud to develop Makkah and improve the services provided to its guests, including Hajj and Umrah pilgrims as well as tourists and entrepreneurs, he added.

College of Social Sciences Dean and Head of the Executive Committee of the Conference Dr Abdul-Fattah bin Jamil Bustanji said that the event aims to provide a platform that brings together researchers and specialists interested in various academic fields, in order to form a point of intersection for scientific research and specialised studies in the world about Makkah.

It also aims to consolidate the religious, civilisational, scientific, cultural, and social roles of Makkah as a meeting place for many customs, traditions and cultures during the Hajj and Umrah seasons, he added.

Further, the conference aims to serve the scientific movement and Islamic culture, strengthen the love of Makkah among Muslims, demonstrate its timeless value to others, support researchers, and open the door for scientific contributions based on a tight approach to enrich the history of Makkah by publishing the participating scholarly papers in many languages.

The Conference Scientific Committee has received 220 participations, of which 102 were accepted in five main themes including ‘Makkah in the legal science, represented in the Qur’an and its sciences, Hadith and its sciences, Sharia, judiciary and regulations’ and ‘Makkah in language and literature, represented in linguistics, literature and translation’.

They also include ‘Makkah in the social sciences, including history, geography, sociology, social work and media’, ‘Makkah’s architectural and designing identity, including architecture, urban planning, designs and arts’ and ‘Makkah in other sciences, including computer and technical sciences, health and applied sciences, hospitality, tourism, administrative and economic sciences, in addition to psychological and educational sciences’.