Saudi: Translation of Friday sermons urged

March 30, 2014

Riyadh, Mar 30: Public pressure has been mounting to provide translation of Friday sermons in different languages spoken by non-Arab expatriates in the Kingdom, especially in English, Urdu, Malayalam and Tagalog, to help them understand the sermon 's message and learn more about Islam.

“This is a very important topic. We know there are millions of non-Arab expats who come to attend the Friday sermons but only a few of them get the message. The Ministry of Islamic Affairs must take up this matter seriously,” said Fuad Kawther, a Saudi engineer and former director general of the Industrial City Dawa Office.

He hoped the ministry would allow translation of sermons in major languages for the benefit of expats. He stressed the importance of understanding the message of Friday sermons that contain Islamic rules and teachings to be learned by Muslims.

Kawther also urged Muslim expats to make use of their stay in the Kingdom to learn Arabic, the language of the Holy Qur 'an. He hoped that dawa centers and other charitable and cultural organizations would open more Arabic language centers for the benefit of expats.

The language center at Al-Hamra Dawa Center offers Arabic courses at three levels. It follows a curriculum developed by Al-Azhar University in Cairo. “There is big demand for Arabic language courses,” he pointed out. Arabic is the sixth most popular language in the world.

Kawther also pointed out that a mosque in Jeddah 's industrial city offers translation of the sermon in three languages. Kawther stressed the need to promote Arabic language to spread Islamic culture and civilization.

Abdullatheef Nadukandy, planning manager at a leading Saudi company in Jeddah, agreed with Kawther and urged expats to make use of the opportunity to learn Arabic. “It will not only help them understand Friday sermons but also excel in their professions,” he told Arab News.

Ahmed Mofarrah Al-Ghamdi, khateeb at Omar bin Al-Khattab Mosque in Faisaliya, stressed the significance of Friday sermons. “Many non-Arab expats including Indians, Pakistanis, Bangladeshis, Filipinos, Indonesians and Africans attend our sermons. Many of them do not know even a single word of Arabic,” he said, stressing the need for translation.

He proposed that volunteers of dawa centers provide translation of the sermon in different mosques, giving expats the gist of the sermon. “This will help them a lot in understanding their religion and change their ways.”

He hoped the Ministry of Islamic Affairs would instruct dawa centers across the country to deploy their volunteers in mosques to provide the service, especially at mosques where a large number of expats attend prayers.

The sermon delivered by Al-Ghamdi on Friday urged worshippers to take care of their parents, especially the elderly among them.

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Mangaluru’s ₹1,200 crore fix: Massive sewage overhaul to end city’s drainage woes

News Network

December 19,2025

Mangaluru: In a decisive move to tackle the city’s deteriorating sanitation infrastructure, the Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) has announced a massive ₹1,200 crore action plan to overhaul its underground drainage (UGD) network.

The initiative, spearheaded by Deputy Commissioner and MCC Administrator Darshan HV, aims to bridge "missing links" in the current system that have left residents grappling with overflowing sewage and environmental hazards.

The Breaking Point

The announcement follows a high-intensity phone-in session on Thursday, where the DC was flooded with grievances from frustrated citizens. Residents, including Savithri from Yekkur, described a harrowing reality: raw sewage from apartments leaking into stormwater drains, creating a "permanent stink" and turning residential zones into mosquito breeding grounds.

"We are facing immense difficulties due to the stench and the health risks. Local officials have remained silent until now," one resident reported during the session.

The Strategy: A Six-Year Vision

DC Darshan HV confirmed that the proposed plan is not a temporary patch but a comprehensive six-year roadmap designed to accommodate Mangaluru’s projected population growth. Key highlights of the plan include:

• Infrastructure Expansion: Laying additional pipelines to connect older neighborhoods to the main grid.

• STP Crackdown: Stricter enforcement of Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) regulations. While new apartments are required to have functional STPs, many older buildings lack them entirely, and several newer units are reportedly non-functional.

• Budgetary Push: The plan has already been discussed with the district in-charge minister and the Secretary of the Urban Development Department. It is slated for formal presentation in the upcoming state budget.

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