UAE citizen passes away in Makkah after Umrah, days after son's fatal accident
The funeral announcement was shared by the Instagram account @Janaza_UAE, stating that prayers will be held at the Grand Mosque (Masjid Al Haram) and burial will take place at Al Ma'la cemetery in Makkah.
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Khaleej Times
5 hours ago
- Khaleej Times
UAE: Ancient cross discovered in monastery site on Sir Bani Yas island
A team of archeologists has made an exciting new discovery at the site of an ancient monastery on Sir Bani Yas Island in Abu Dhabi. The Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) on Tuesday announced the discovery of a cross moulded on a stucco plaque from the monastery. This find comes during the first major excavation on the island in more than 30 years. In January 2025, DCT Abu Dhabi launched a new fieldwork campaign on Sir Bani Yas Island, leading to the discovery of the cross. The object is believed to have been used by monks for spiritual contemplation. The style of the cross shows similarities with finds from Iraq and Kuwait, and is linked to the Church of the East, which has origins in ancient Iraq. Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman, DCT Abu Dhabi, said, 'The discovery of this ancient Christian cross on Sir Bani Yas Island is a powerful testament to the UAE's profound and enduring values of coexistence and cultural openness." "It stirs within us a deep sense of pride and honour and reminds us that peaceful coexistence is not a modern construct, but a principle woven into the very fabric of our region's history," he added. Monastic complex The seventh-to eighth-century CE Christian monastery was first discovered on Sir Bani Yas Island in 1992 by the Abu Dhabi Islands Archaeological Survey (Adias), under the direction of the UAE's leadership. Excavations since then have uncovered a church and a monastic complex occupied at the same time as the monastery. They are currently interpreted as separate spaces, where senior monks retreated for periods of contemplation and ascetic seclusion. Archaeologists are currently researching and exploring a group of courtyard houses near the monastery, where early Christian monks lived in retreat. Christianity in the region Sir Bani Yas is part of a wider group of churches and monasteries that emerged across the region around the same period, with similar sites found in Umm Al Quwain, Kuwait, Iran, and Saudi Arabia. Christianity spread and declined across the Arabian Peninsula between the fourth and sixth centuries CE. Christians and Muslims later co-existed until the eighth century CE, when the Sir Bani Yas monastery was peacefully abandoned. Today, the church and the monastery, set within nature reserves home to gazelles and hyrax, serve as a reminder of Abu Dhabi's ancient past. As part of restoration efforts carried out by DCT Abu Dhabi in 2019, the church and monastery are now protected by shelters. The Sir Bani Yas church and monastery site has reopened to the public with improved facilities, including directional signage and a small exhibition of artefacts from previous excavations, such as glass chalices, a cross-shaped stucco, and a stamp seal with a scorpion motif. A multi-faith church, inspired by the ancient site, has also been built adjacent to the visitor centre. DCT Abu Dhabi will continue excavating the courtyard houses in the coming years, which may be integrated into a wider visitor trail connecting the island's cultural landmarks.
Khaleej Times
5 hours ago
- Khaleej Times
UAE citizen passes away in Makkah after Umrah, days after son's fatal accident
A UAE citizen, Abdul Majeed Abdulrahman Saeed Al Mulla, passed away in Makkah shortly after performing Umrah for his son, who had died in a car accident days earlier. The funeral announcement was shared by the Instagram account @Janaza_UAE, stating that prayers will be held at the Grand Mosque (Masjid Al Haram) and burial will take place at Al Ma'la cemetery in Makkah.
The National
8 hours ago
- The National
Ten Middle East countries with mandatory military service
In recent years, several Middle Eastern states have introduced or reintroduced military conscription, particularly in the Gulf, motivated by goals of national cohesion, identity, and addressing unemployment. This week, Jordan became the most recent nation to announce its intention to reintroduce mandatory military service 34 years after it was abolished in 1991. So, which countries have military conscription in the region, and what are the conditions for each? UAE: 9 – 24 months Introduced in 2014 under a 44-article law, Emirati men aged 18–30 must serve nine months if they hold a secondary education and 24 months if they do not. Women may volunteer. Kuwait: 12 months Kuwait reinstated conscription in 2017 after having it from 1961 to 2001. The government reintroduced mandatory military service to strengthen national identity and enhance military readiness. Qatar: 4 – 12 months In 2013, Qatar passed a law introducing mandatory military service, primarily to foster national identity and civic engagement among its citizens. The programme, implemented in 2015, aims to instil a sense of patriotism and belonging. In 2018, the programme was expanded to include women. Egypt: 12-36 months One of the most established conscription systems in the Mena region, in place since 1955. It also has one of the largest in the Arab world. All men between the ages of 18 and 30 are required to serve, with the duration depending on education level: 36 months for those without a high school diploma, 24 months for high school graduates, and 12 months for university graduates. Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia: Minimum 12 months Mandatory conscription was reintroduced in Morocco in 2019 for men and women aged 19-25. In Tunisia, conscription is compulsory for men and women between 20-25 and in Algeria all citizens over the age of 19 must also serve a mandatory period of 12 months. The primary motivation for reinstatement across these three North African nations has officially been to encourage social cohesion and ameliorate unemployment. Turkey: 6-12 months Military conscription in Turkey has existed continuously since 1927, making it one of the longest-standing in the region. Today, the service is typically 6-12 months, but may be shortened with a substantial financial contribution, and deferments are permitted for some students and professionals. Although women in Turkey have never been required to serve, they can do so voluntarily. Iran: 18-24 months Military conscription in Iran has existed since 1924 and is mandatory for men. Service usually lasts 24 months, with exemptions for students, medical conditions, only sons, and families of "martyrs". Women are not drafted, but may volunteer. Proof of service is critical for many aspects of daily life, making it one of the most binding conscription systems in the region. Israel: 24-32 months Israel has the most comprehensive and long-standing conscription system, covering both men and women. Introduced with the establishment of the state in 1948, the system requires Jewish men and women, as well as Druze men, to serve in the Israeli army. Men typically serve 32 months (reduced from the previous 36), while women serve 24 months (though some combat roles require 32). After active duty, all conscripts enter the reserves and may be called up for years. Certain groups are exempt: Israeli Arabs (with the exception of Druze and some Bedouin volunteers) and most ultra-Orthodox Jews, although this exemption has been fiercely contested in Israeli politics recently. Iraq: Abolished 2003 Iraq had compulsory military service for about 70 years from the 1930s until 2003. Since the US-led invasion and the fall of Saddam Hussein, Iraq has had no conscription system. Its armed forces are volunteer-only, though the idea of reinstating a draft has occasionally resurfaced in Iraqi politics. Syria: Abolished 2024 Mandatory conscription was abolished as of December 2024, and service is now voluntary under the new transitional authorities. Previously, Syria had a long and often brutal history of compulsory conscription rules and service was often extended beyond the standard 12-21 months. During the country's civil war, many were forced to serve well beyond official terms, with some exceeding a decade. Jordan: Abolished in 1991 with plans to reinstate in 2026 Jordan had a long history of military conscription, with compulsory service from 1966 to 1991, during which time men aged 18-40 had to serve a minimum of two years. In light of recent events in the region, Jordan's Crown Prince Hussein bin Abdullah II announced on Sunday that the programme would strengthen national identity and young people's connection to their homeland. Lebanon: Abolished 2007 Conscription was abolished in 2007 after the end of the country's civil wars. Before that, men aged 18 and over served 12 months (reduced to six months in 2005 before abolition). The Lebanese army is now volunteer-only. Libya: Rules unclear Although military conscription in the country has a long history dating back to the 1950s, and was firmly in place during Muammar Qaddafi's 42-year rule, since Qaddafi's fall, Libya has had no unified or consistently enforced conscription system. Different authorities (the Tripoli-based Government of National Unity, the eastern Libyan National Army, militias) have announced plans for national service at different times, but implementation has been weak or purely local. Saudi Arabia, Palestine, Bahrain, Oman, Yemen These countries never implemented compulsory conscription; military services for Saudi Arabia, Palestine, Bahrain, Oman and Yemen are voluntary. In the case of Saudi Arabia this is due to the large number of volunteer recruits, with the government reporting volunteer numbers that far exceed the capacity of its military training facilities.
