Translated Taraweeh prayers to be aired live

Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Islamic Affairs has completed preparations for the live transmission of translated Taraweeh prayers from the Haram Mosque in Makkah and the Prophet's Mosque in Madinah during Ramadan.For eight consecutive years Saudi Television broadcast Taraweeh prayers live from Makkah and Madinah. The Ministry worked out an extensive and simplified version of the meaning of the prayers, especially that of the Quranic verses which are translated in both English and French.The Advisor to the Minister of Islamic Affairs Shaikh Talal Al Akil, who is also executive director of the programme, told Gulf News that as many as 40 television channels, in addition to the Saudi television channels, will take part in this year's live broadcast of Taraweeh prayers from the holy mosques."All arrangements are in place to broadcast Taraweeh prayers with simultaneous subtitling in English from Makkah and in French from Madinah. Substantial improvements have been made in the translation and presentation of the programme comparing with the previous years."Meanings of the Quranic verses with scientific and technical implications have been further simplified so that the listeners from across the world, especially the Muslims from the West, can digest them easily," he said adding that Muslim minorities from the Western countries were the major beneficiaries of the programme in the past years.Al Akil noted that the programme was updated by a team of specialists who took advantage of the advanced changes in communication and information technology."This shows the ministry's keenness in spreading the meanings of the Quran among as many non-Arabic speaking Muslims as possible across the world," he added. From / Gulf News