Simultaneous translations will be available this Ramadan during the live transmission of Taraweeh and Tahajjud prayers from the Grand Mosque in Makkah and the Prophet's Mosque in Madina. The Ministry of Islamic Affairs is offering the service in cooperation with the Ministry of Culture and Information. The prayers will be broadcast on Saudi TV in cooperation with the General Presidency for the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques. Sheikh Talal Bin Ahmad Al-Aqeel, adviser to the Minister of Islamic Affairs and supervisor of the Simultaneous Translation Program, said 40 other TV channels will transmit Taraweeh and Al-Qiyam prayers from the Grand Mosque in Makkah and the Prophet's Mosque in Madina, along with the spontaneous translations, to English from Makkah, and to French from Madina. Compared to previous years, the translations will be followed by more people worldwide, particularly Muslims in Western countries, he said. Al-Aqeel said the simultaneous translation is characterized by its ease, accuracy and sound method, which uses both computerized and manual effort. The project is ready for transmission and the working team has completed preparations that include using a computer program that guarantees clear transmissions and closely follows what the Imam recites. Through this project, the Ministry of Islamic Affairs is striving to convey the meanings of the verses of the Holy Qur'an to non-Arabic speakers worldwide as well as the sublime directives in Allah's Book so they reach a large number of people via satellite TV channels and direct, simultaneous transmission of the Taraweeh and Al-Qiyam prayers from the two holy mosques, Al-Aqeel said. The aim is to acquaint Muslims worldwide with the meanings of the verses of the Holy Qur'an and to disseminate them among Muslims during the Holy Month, he added. Al-Aqeel said they have worked to achieve the simultaneous translations due to the Muslims' need to know the fundamentals of their religion, which teaches moderation and to convey and disseminate the meanings of the verses of the Qur'an to non-Arabic speakers worldwide. The translation effort is one of Kingdom's many projects to serve Muslims worldwide, he added. He reiterated that the Kingdom, under the leadership of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, the Crown Prince and the Second Deputy Premier, is pleased to serve the Ummah in its Islamic causes. __
