The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz, chaired the session held by the Council of Ministers, today, Tuesday, at Al-Salam Palace in Jeddah, according to what was reported by the Saudi News Agency (SPA).

The Council reviewed the issue included in its agenda, regarding which the royal directive was issued requiring the Council of Ministers to study the establishment of an independent body called (the Presidency of Religious Affairs of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque), and to transform (the General Presidency of the Affairs of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque) into a public body named (the General Authority for the Affairs of the Holy Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque). The Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque) are linked to the king organizationally. Based on the Council’s competence to create and arrange public interests, in continuation of the process of great care given by the state to the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque, and the importance of continuing the process of institutional development of the agencies related to them structurally, organizationally and administratively, and giving them more specialization and adopting administrative patterns that keep pace with the development plans being worked on in this regard. The matter.

After the Council of Ministers studied the issue, the Council decided the following:

First: Establishing an independent body called (the Presidency of Religious Affairs at the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque) linked organizationally to the King, and transferring to it the powers, tasks, and work of supervising the affairs of the imams and muezzins in the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque, and everything related to religious affairs in them, including the scientific circles and lessons within them related to them. At the General Presidency for the affairs of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque.

Second: Transforming the General Presidency for the affairs of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque into a public body called (the General Authority for the Affairs of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque), which enjoys legal personality, financial and administrative independence, and is organizationally linked to the king and undertakes the specialties, tasks, and services, operation, maintenance, and development work related to the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque.

Third: The General Authority to take care of the affairs of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque will have a board of directors whose president and members will be appointed by royal decree.

Fourth: The Council of Ministers’ Committee of Experts - with the participation of relevant authorities - prepares organizational arrangements for the Presidency of Religious Affairs at the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque and the General Authority for the Care of the Affairs of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque, as well as reviewing the systems, regulations, orders, royal decrees and decisions that are affected by what is included in the items (First) (Secondly) and (Thirdly) of the decision, proposing the necessary amendments thereto, and submitting the findings within (60) days from the date of the decision.

Fifth: A technical committee will be formed from: the Royal Commission for the City of Mecca and the Holy Sites, the Medina Region Development Authority, the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, the General Authority for the Care of the Affairs of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque, and the Presidency of Religious Affairs at the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque. The Committee for the Service of the Guests of God is headed by the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the General Authority for the Care of the Affairs of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque, and is responsible for developing the necessary mechanisms to address the financial and functional aspects resulting from the implementation of what was stipulated in clauses (First), (Second), and (Third) of the decision. Including what relates to vacant and occupied positions, employees, documents, property, contracts, and financial appropriations included in the budget of the General Presidency for the Affairs of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque (formerly), and raising the legal measures required to be taken in this regard.

Sixth: The General Authority for the Care of the Affairs of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque shall assume the tasks assigned to the General Presidency for the Affairs of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque (formerly), until the implementation of what the decision stipulated is completed and the two agencies assume their powers, tasks, and work in accordance with their organizational arrangements referred to in Clause (Fourth) of the decision. This will be coordinated between the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the General Authority for the Affairs of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque, and the Head of Religious Affairs at the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque. In a way that enables the Presidency of Religious Affairs at the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque - during this period - to carry out the powers, tasks, and tasks referred to in Clause (First) of the decision, and this clause shall be implemented for a period not exceeding (60) days from the date of completion of what was stipulated in Clause (Fifth). ) of the decision.

Seventh: The Chairman of the Board of Directors of the General Authority for the Care of the Affairs of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque is assigned the powers of the Council necessary to conduct business without the powers related to approving financial and administrative policies and regulations until its formation, and he is assigned the duties of the CEO of the Authority until his appointment. This is in accordance with the Authority’s organizational arrangements referred to in Clause (Fourth) of the decision.