Dr Mark C. Thompson

It is always a special moment when you receive the hardback copies of a book for the first time! In this case, my new edited book ‘Realizing Saudi Vision 2030: Governance, Institutions and Human Capital Development’. Many thanks to @EditorSophie and @BloomsburyBooks IB Tauris, and especially @KFCRIS @KFCRIS for all their support throughout this project. Special thanks to my wonderful chapter contributors without whom this book would not have happened: Khulood Basha, Abdullah Almuqrin, David Jones, Radhika Punshi, Gauri Gupta, Abdullah Alabdulkarim, PhD, Adam Daoud, May Al-Baz, Saleh Al Nashwan, Hanaa Almoaibed, PhD, Neil Quilliam and David Des Roches. ebook editions of this book are available to download free (Open Access) under a CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 licence on bloomsburycollections.com. and a hardcover version is also available to purchase. Open Access was funded by the King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies: lnkd.in/d2UXuYY3

Preparations for next year’s #Hajj pilgrimage have already begun, #Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Hajj and Umrah Tawfiq Al-Rabiah said, with authorities getting ready for next year before this year’s Hajj even begins on May 25 #Hajj2026 arab.news/63m45

The moon of the Prophet's Mosque

شهدت منظومة الحج والعمرة في السعودية تحولاً غير مسبوق، تمثل في إعادة صياغة كاملة للأنظمة التشغيلية والخدمية، بهدف الارتقاء بتجربة ضيوف الرحمن التفاصيل 👇

جبال قطن - منطقة القصيم 🤍🇸🇦

The 50th Grand #Hajj Symposium, held under the patronage of Minister of Hajj and Umrah Tawfiq Al-Rabiah, commenced in Jeddah on Wednesday arab.news/yzaux

🇸🇦 #Hajj 1447-2026 | Derniers préparatifs dans le Lieu Sacré de #Mina pour accueillir les invités du Tout-Miséricordieux (pèlerins), venus par millions du monde entier pour effectuer le pèlerinage.

SAR Announces Full Operational Readiness of Al Mashaaer Al Mugaddassah Metro Project for Hajj 1447 AH.

Masjid an-Nabawi is almost empty as the pilgrims leave Madinah for Makkah to perform Hajj 2026. Scenes just before Isha prayers.

Mataaf today!

📍 Makkah | Ayn Zubaydah — The Howdh of Arafat This photograph shows Hajj pilgrims wading in one of the three great water tanks — the حوض (howdh) — at Arafat, near Jabal Rahmah. Before each Hajj season, these tanks were filled from the Ayn Zubaydah aqueduct. Pilgrims used them for bathing and washing. Ayn Zubaydah was commissioned in the early 9th century CE by Zubaydah bint Ja'far (رحمها الله), wife of Khalifah Harun al-Rashid. She visited Makkah for Hajj and witnessed firsthand the severe water shortage faced by pilgrims. She said: "Build it even if it costs a strike of an axe for a dinar." The aqueduct ran approximately 36 km from Wadi Nu'man near Taif, through Arafat and Muzdalifah, all the way to Makkah — flowing entirely by gravity through underground and above-ground channels. The entire project reportedly cost the equivalent of over 7,000 kg of gold, paid from her personal wealth. It served Hajj pilgrims for over 1,200 years. The system was finally rendered defunct in 1974 as urban expansion and modern water infrastructure replaced it. Remnants of the channel can still be seen today near Jabal Rahmah.

Hajj in the year 1444 AH The number of pilgrims reached 2 million 🕋

The Grand Hajj Symposium opened in Jeddah, highlighting the Kingdom’s world-class model in serving the Guests of Allah.

الكعبة المشرفة قبل أكثر من 130 عاماً 🕋❤️

بين بابٍ بسيط صنعته الحاجة، وبابٍ مزخرف صنعه الفن… تتجلى حكاية تطور #العمارة_النجدية 🪵✨ الأول يحكي عن البساطة والقوة والوظيفة، والثاني يروي جمال #الزخرفة والهوية والمكانة الاجتماعية. هكذا كانت #الأبواب_النجدية ليست مجرد مداخل…بل لغة فنية تعبّر عن أهل الدار وذوقهم وتاريخهم

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@nazyyyn79413 السلام عليكم، نعم

@ThompsonMarkC ممكن خاص لاهنت استفسار

للعام الثالث على التوالي.. السعودية تحقق المركز الثاني عالمياً في "الهندسة والعلوم" ara.tv/oa59g

وقّع #مركز_الملك_فيصل، في 2 ذي الحجة 1447هـ (19 مايو 2026م)، مذكرة تفاهم مع الهيئة السعودية للبيانات والذكاء الاصطناعي (سدايا)؛ لتعزيز التعاون في الدراسات والبحث والتطوير، والاستفادة من تقنيات البيانات والذكاء الاصطناعي في دعم الإنتاج المعرفي والبحثي.

The National Center for Meteorology (NCM) has forecast dusty winds and temperatures reaching up to 47 degrees Celsius in Makkah and the holy sites during the 2026 Hajj days. saudigazette.com.sa/article/661438…

تفاصيل من المسجد النبوي 🕌💚

Holy sites see wide-ranging upgrades ahead of Hajj  | Arab News arabnews.com/node/2644050/s…