Latest news with #Athkar
Arab News
31-03-2025
- Arab News
Worry-free worship: Children's clubs lighten pilgrims' load
MAKKAH: With more pilgrims making the journey to Makkah, a Children's Club initiative is offering a secure, fun space for youngsters, freeing parents to focus on their rituals. Childcare centers offering top-notch childcare services are available at the Two Holy Mosques, as well as hotels near the Grand Mosque. Razan Dahlawi, an adviser to the chairman of the General Authority for the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques and a key figure overseeing the childcare centers, told Arab News: 'The authority established several childcare centers during the holy month of Ramadan this year. 'They operate 24/7 and seek to provide safe childcare services in an enriching environment by utilizing educational and recreational programs that develop children's capabilities and promote good values.' According to the authority, children can enjoy a packed schedule, with Qur'an and Athkar lessons, storytelling that informs and sparks imagination, sensory and creative activities, and healthy meals. These seasonal childcare centers are found in the third Saudi expansion (areas 12-15), facing gates 100 to 104. They welcome boys aged from 18 months to 6 years and girls from 18 months of age to 9 years. A specialized team of counselors oversees the centers, which include a dining area, a space for visual displays, educational models depicting the landmarks of the Two Holy Mosques and the process of performing the religious duties, as well as private sleeping rooms. Hotels near the Grand Mosque are stepping up, too, enhancing their own childcare offerings to ensure a level of service that matches their prime location. Abdullah Hazzazi, assistant front office manager at Dar Al-Tawhid Hotel, said that the Children's Club 'creates a secure and comfortable environment for children, allowing parents to perform Umrah without worrying about their little ones.' Entertainment and learning are combined under the supervision of childcare professionals, he added. 'The club features entertainment, educational activities, and games that contribute to their development and art workshops suitable for all ages, while also providing healthy meals and comprehensive medical care. 'We make sure to update parents regularly on their children's well-being, so they can perform the rites with peace of mind,' Hazzazi said. Hadeel Al-Harbi, Shaza Makkah Hotel's children's club manager, said that children are welcomed for up to two hours at a time, with the service free for hotel guests. 'We are keen to offer a variety of activities suitable for different age groups, including educational games, art workshops and entertaining activities that help develop children's skills and make use of their time there,' she said. Al-Harbi said that she would encourage all pilgrims to take advantage of the service. 'The club is an ideal solution for families seeking to comfortably and safely perform their rites,' she said.
Arabian Business
26-03-2025
- Business
- Arabian Business
Amazon Alexa use growing in UAE and Saudi with 140m requests in 2024, most common questions revealed
Amazon Alexa received more than 140m requests in 2024 from customers based in KSA and UAE. Since the launch, three years ago, Amazon Alexa has brought homes around KSA and UAE seamless, hyper-localized experiences in Khaleeji Arabic, catering to their lifestyles, preferences and needs. Smart home device adoption in Saudi Arabia and the UAE increased by 35 per cent, as more devices are connected through the hub. Amazon Alexa in Saudi and UAE This surge in adoption is also reflected in the number of average interactions per customer, reaching over 180 interactions per customer in the UAE and KSA in December 2024 alone. Beyond smart home control, Saudi and UAE customers turn to the Amazon smart speaker for a variety of entertainment and spiritual needs. Spirituality remains to be among the most popular topics for customers in KSA and UAE, with more than 5.1m prayer reminders and 1.69m 'Athkar' actions. As football continues to rise in popularity in Saudi Arabia, Amazon has recorded more than 5m football-related questions that were made to Alexa by fans across the UAE and KSA. Of all the local clubs, KSA's Al Hilal is considered the most popular footballing team, with its fans interacting with Alexa four times more often than the fans of Al Nasr. Football fans also show a keen interest in international clubs. Barcelona emerged as the top international team requested through Alexa in KSA and UAE, followed by Real Madrid and Manchester City. These clubs continue to captivate fans in the region, with frequent inquiries about matches and key players. Increasing engagement in the Middle East is attributed to its deep localisation efforts, ensuring that the voice service seamlessly integrates into the lives of regional customers. The smart speaker supports Khaleeji Arabic, a dialect spoken in the Arabian Peninsula, and provides access to a vast array of localised content, including news, music, and skills. Dr. Raf Fatani, Regional General Manager, Alexa, MENA: 'We're excited to see how our customers in KSA and the UAE are leveraging Alexa's capabilities to simplify and enrich their daily lives. 'The adoption of Alexa and smart home devices has been truly inspiring. We saw a remarkable 28 per cent growth in Alexa's monthly active customers in KSA and the UAE in 2024. 'This growth underscores our commitment to customer obsession and long-term thinking. Across the region, customers are embracing ambient intelligence, which seamlessly integrates AI, devices, and services to create experiences that are far greater than the sum of their parts. 'At Amazon, we believe it's still Day One and we remain committed to inventing on behalf of our customers.'
Zawya
25-03-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Amazon Alexa received over 140 million requests in 2024 from customers based in KSA and UAE
Spirituality remains to be among the most popular topics for customers in KSA and UAE, with over 5.1m prayer reminders and 1.69m 'Athkar' actions Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: Since the launch, three years ago, Amazon Alexa has brought homes around KSA and UAE seamless, hyper-localized experiences in Khaleeji Arabic, catering to their lifestyles, preferences and needs. Smart Homes take centre stage Smart home device adoption in KSA and UAE increased by 35%, as more devices get connected through Alexa YoY. This surge in adoption is also reflected in the number of average interactions per customer, reaching over 180 interactions per customer in the UAE and KSA in December 2024 alone. Entertainment and spirituality, delivered daily Beyond smart home control, KSA and UAE customers turn to Alexa for a variety of entertainment and spiritual needs. Spirituality remains to be among the most popular topics for customers in KSA and UAE, with over 5.1m prayer reminders and 1.69m 'Athkar' actions. Football fever As football continues to rise in popularity in Saudi Arabia, Amazon has recorded over 5 million football-related questions that were made to Alexa by fans across the UAE and KSA. Of all the local clubs, KSA's Al Hilal is considered the most popular footballing team, with its fans interacting with Alexa four times more often than the fans of Al Nasr. Football fans also show a keen interest in international clubs. Barcelona emerged as the top international team requested through Alexa in KSA and UAE, followed by Real Madrid and Manchester City. These clubs continue to captivate fans in the region, with frequent inquiries about matches and key players. Localization wins over KSA and UAE customers Alexa's increasing engagement in the Middle East is attributed to its deep localization efforts, ensuring that the voice service seamlessly integrates into the lives of regional customers. Alexa supports Khaleeji Arabic, a dialect spoken in the Arabian Peninsula, and provides access to a vast array of localized content, including news, music, and skills. Dr. Raf Fatani, Regional General Manager, Alexa, MENA: 'We're excited to see how our customers in KSA and the UAE are leveraging Alexa's capabilities to simplify and enrich their daily lives. The adoption of Alexa and smart home devices has been truly inspiring. We saw a remarkable 28% growth in Alexa's monthly active customers in KSA and the UAE in 2024. This growth underscores our commitment to customer obsession and long-term thinking. Across the region, customers are embracing ambient intelligence, which seamlessly integrates AI, devices, and services to create experiences that are far greater than the sum of their parts. At Amazon, we believe it's still Day One and we remain committed to inventing on behalf of our customers.'
