Al-Sudais: The Arafat Day sermon translated into 35 international languages
The President of Religious Affairs at the Grand Mosque and the Prophet's Mosque, Sheikh Professor Dr. Abdulrahman bin Abdulaziz Al-Sudais, announced the launch of the largest project to date for translating the Arafat Day sermon for the year 1447 AH. The sermon will be translated into 35 international languages and broadcast live via digital platforms and channels affiliated with the Presidency. This pioneering project aims to convey the message of moderate Islam and disseminate the sermon's content to Muslims worldwide, reflecting the Kingdom's commitment to utilizing technology to serve the true faith. This significant announcement came at the conclusion of a scholarly meeting held under the title "The Efforts of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in Caring for the Religious System at the Two Holy Mosques."
The status of Mount Arafat in the Islamic consciousness throughout history
Standing at Arafat is the most important pillar of Hajj, with millions of Muslims turning their attention annually to the sacred plains of Arafat on the ninth day of Dhul-Hijjah. Historically, it was at this location that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) delivered his Farewell Sermon, which laid the foundations for human rights, equality, and justice in Islam. Since then, the Arafat sermon has become a global platform from which Muslims draw inspiration and guidance. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's efforts are an extension of this prophetic legacy, as it continuously works to develop mechanisms for conveying this ritual to ensure its reach to every Muslim home, transcending geographical and linguistic barriers.
Global dimensions and anticipated impact of the Arafat Day sermon translation project
The project to translate the Arafat Day sermon has an impact that extends far beyond the local and regional levels, achieving significant international resonance. Globally, this project contributes to correcting misconceptions about Islam and showcasing its true image, which promotes peace, tolerance, and peaceful coexistence. It also plays a pivotal role in strengthening spiritual ties between Muslim minorities in non-Arabic-speaking countries and their Qibla (direction of prayer). Sheikh Al-Sudais emphasized that this initiative is an extension of the Kingdom's efforts to serve Islam and Muslims, and a testament to the great care the wise leadership bestows upon the pilgrims, while maximizing the global impact of the Hajj season through the use of the latest digital technologies.
Harnessing technology to deliver comprehensive faith-based and humanitarian messages
The head of religious affairs explained that this project is a high-quality initiative, the culmination of the Presidency's extensive experience over many years. It directly contributes to enriching religious content in various international languages, enabling non-Arabic-speaking Muslims to fully benefit from the sermon's message and its universal faith-based and humanitarian values. He noted that the Presidency has dedicated its full technical and media resources, along with its specialized personnel, to ensure the sermon reaches the widest possible audience worldwide with high professionalism and quality.
A wide linguistic diversity to convey the greatest guiding messages
Sheikh Al-Sudais explained that the languages adopted for translation include a wide list covering the continents of the world, including: English, French, Indonesian, Urdu, Turkish, Persian, Spanish, Chinese, Russian, Bengali, Hindi, Malay, Amharic, Hausa, Swahili, Somali, Pashto, Punjabi, Tamil, Filipino, Bosnian, German, Italian, Portuguese, Swedish, Uzbek, Tajik, Nepali, Sinhala, Malayalam, Oromo, Tigrinya, Yoruba, Ugandan, and Lithuanian.
He noted that this year's sermon, to be delivered by His Eminence Sheikh Dr. Ali bin Abdul Rahman Al-Hudhaifi, Imam and Khateeb of the Prophet's Mosque, is considered one of the most significant messages of faith followed by Muslims across the globe. This sermon receives widespread international attention due to its guidance emphasizing the tolerance and mercy of Islam, and its constant call for goodness, peace, and harmony among all peoples.
