Saudi Prince plans to build world’s tallest building

[~Zaria~]

Saudi Prince plans to build world’s tallest building in major global capital

Cii News & Agencies | 19 June 2013


Saudi billionaire Prince Alwaleed bin Talal says he is looking at the world’s largest cities, including Shanghai, Moscow, London and New York, as possible locations to build a mile-high skyscraper that would be the world’s tallest building by far.


The prince is inviting Dubai’s biggest real estate developer Emaar Properties EMAR.DU, chaired by Mohammed Alabbar, to team up with his investment firm Kingdom Holding 4280.SE on the project.


“Right now we are discussing and evaluating the possibility of building a one-mile (1.6-kilometre) tower,” Alwaleed told Reuters by telephone late on Monday.
“We also need good partners. I invite Emaar and Mr. Alabbar to join forces with us and see how we can build the ultimate one-mile tower somewhere in the world.”


Alwaleed did not say how the project would be financed if it went ahead, or when it might be completed. He said the cost had yet to be decided.
But his ambition reflects the growing confidence of many Gulf companies as they expand overseas, aided by booming economies and rising asset prices in their home countries.


“I am now inviting the major cities of the world like Shanghai, Moscow, New York, London and regional cities in the Middle East to come and give their offers,” Alwaleed said.


He said countries interested in hosting the world’s tallest tower would have to offer attractive financing terms, tax breaks and other government support.

Alabbar could not immediately be reached for comment. Over the past year, Emaar has committed itself to several other huge projects in Dubai and nearby countries.

Industry experts have said building a one-mile skyscraper would involve technical and design challenges, such as how to supply water economically at that height, but would not be impossible.


If it is built, the mile-high tower would surpass the world’s current tallest skyscraper, the 828-metre (2,717-foot) Burj Khalifa in Dubai, as well as the one-kilometre-high Kingdom Tower now being built by Kingdom Holding in the Saudi Arabian city of Jeddah.


The Kingdom Tower is expected to cost around 4.6 billion Saudi riyals (780 million pounds) and will form part of a hotel, retail and luxury residential project.

The structure is expected to reach ground level by the end of this year and to be completed in 2017, said Talal Al Maiman, executive director at Kingdom Holding.
About 30 percent of useable land in the overall project, which will have an area of about 5.3 million square meters (57 million square feet), will be allocated to hotels. The remainder will be divided equally between retail and premium residential space, Al Maiman added.


Kingdom Holdings, which went public in 2007, has a market value of about $18.5 billion (11.8 billion pounds), making it one of the largest listed investment firms in the Middle East. Its assets include stakes in top Western firms such as Citigroup (C.N: Quote, Profile, Research), News Corp (NWSA.O: Quote, Profile, Research) and Twitter as well as luxury hotels around the world.


Construction of very tall buildings for show is considered by Muslims to a sign of the Day of Judgment based on prophecies made by the Last Messenger of Allah, Muhammad SAW.


An authentic Hadith narrated by Imam al Bukhari states that “The Hour will not be established till …the people compete with one another in constructing high buildings…”
In another hadith recorded in Sahih Muslim, the Messenger (SAW) foretold that “barefoot, naked, penniless shepherds” would vie with each other in constructing high buildings prior to the coming of the Hour. Scholars say this describes people who become rich all of a sudden and then build not for need but only in competition.


http://www.ciibroadcasting.com/2013/...lobal-capital/




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May Allah (subhanawataála) guide this ummah as we approach times of greater trials and afflictions
Ameen

[Jedi_Mindset]

(1) It is narrated on the authority of Yahya b. Ya'mur that the first man who discussed about Qadr (Divine Decree) in Basra was Ma'bad al-Juhani. I along with Humaid b. 'Abdur-Rahman Himyari set out for prilgrimage or for 'Umrah and said: Should it so happen that we come into contact with one of the Companions of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) we shall ask him a bout what is talked about Taqdir (Division Decree). Accidentally we came across Abdullah ibn Umar ibn al-Khattab, while he was entering the mosque. My companion and I surrounded him. One of us (stood) on his right and the other stood on his left. I expected that my companion would authorize me to speak. I therefore said: Abu Abdur Rahman! there have appeared some people in our land who recite the Holy Qur'an and pursue knowledge. And then after talking about their affairs, added: They (such people) claim that there is no such thing as Divine Decree and events are not predestined. He (Abdullah ibn Umar) said: When you happen to meet such people tell them that I have nothing to do with them and they have nothing to do with me. And verily they are in no way responsible for my (belief). Abdullah ibn Umar swore by Him (the Lord) (and said): If any one of them (who does not believe in the Divine Decree) had with him gold equal to the bulk of (the mountain) Uhud and then, it (in the way of Allah), Allah would not accept it unless he affirmed his faith in Divine Decree. He further said: My father, Umar ibn al-Khattab, told me: One day we were sitting in the company of Allah's Apostle (peace be upon him) when there appeared before us a man dressed in pure white clothes, his hair extraordinarily black. There were no signs of travel on him. None amongst us recognized him. At last he sat with the Apostle (peace be upon him) He knelt before him placed his palms on his thighs and said: Muhammad, inform me about al-Islam. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: Al-Islam implies that you testify that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the messenger of Allah, and you establish prayer, pay Zakat, observe the fast of Ramadan, and perform pilgrimage to the (House) if you are solvent enough (to bear the expense of) the journey. He (the inquirer) said: You have told the truth. He (Umar ibn al-Khattab) said: It amazed us that he would put the question and then he would himself verify the truth. He (the inquirer) said: Inform me about Iman (faith). He (the Holy Prophet) replied: That you affirm your faith in Allah, in His angels, in His Books, in His Apostles, in the Day of Judgment, and you affirm your faith in the Divine Decree about good and evil. He (the inquirer) said: You have told the truth. He (the inquirer) again said: Inform me about al-Ihsan (performance of good deeds). He (the Holy Prophet) said: That you worship Allah as if you are seeing Him, for though you don't see Him, He, verily, sees you. He (the enquirer) again said: Inform me about the hour (of the Doom). He (the Holy Prophet) remarked: One who is asked knows no more than the one who is inquiring (about it). He (the inquirer) said: Tell me some of its indications. He (the Holy Prophet) said: That the slave-girl will give birth to her mistress and master, that you will find barefooted, destitute goat-herds vying with one another in the construction of magnificent buildings. He (the narrator, Umar ibn al-Khattab) said: Then he (the inquirer) went on his way but I stayed with him (the Holy Prophet) for a long while. He then, said to me: Umar, do you know who this inquirer was? I replied: Allah and His Apostle knows best. He (the Holy Prophet) remarked: He was Gabriel (the angel). He came to you in order to instruct you in matters of religion. (Book #001, Hadith #0001) (Sahih muslim)

This is the whole hadith^ but yes its very interesting to see this coming into action, that building will be amazingly tall but it seems the government has more time in doing this than taking care of the poor and unemployement in arabia.

[Born_Believer]

The Arabs are bathed in money, money that the rest of the world can only dream of, yet they have no great medical institute, no great educational facilities, no great military standing, they have produced no great scientists, athletes, philosophers of the modern world, yet they compete with each other to build towers which reach the skies. What benefit does that provide them? Other than momentary monetary gain? There is a very good movie you guys should watch called Syriana, starring Matt Damon and George Clooney. In the movie there is a great line spoken by Damon's character while he converses with a fictional Arab Prince, and it goes like this, "The Arabs are in the process of wasting the greatest natural resource in human history".

If only this money was used to build schools, hospitals, provide a social welfare state, improve facilities for all citizens and not just the ones who bring money. If only this money was used to build greater armies, armies which would not lose to a single nation in only 6 days. It's true, the greatest natural resource in human history is about to be lost and when it is, the Arabs will have nothing to show for it but rusted towers and empty shopping malls.

[~Zaria~]

^ :jz:

What disturbs me the most, is that as muslims we should/ do know of these ahaadith that foretell of events leading towards Qiyamat.

Yet, the top 2 tallest buildings in the world (soon to be 3, if Allah wills) are found in muslim countries:

1. Burj Khalifa: Dubai (828m)
2. Clock tower: Makkah (601m)

It would have been easier to comprehend if the race for the tallest building was not from our own ummah :/

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[Pygoscelis]

Reminds me of a redneck who wins the lottery, flaunts it by buying lots of fancy planes and cars and having gold line pools filled with champagne, and then realizing the money is gone and going back to living in the same shack he grew up in.

[Born_Believer]

Reminds me of a redneck who wins the lottery, flaunts it by buying lots of fancy planes and cars and having gold line pools filled with champagne, and then realizing the money is gone and going back to living in the same shack he grew up in.

The perfect analogy but I suspect rednecks would be far more useful with money than the so called princes, princesses and kings of the Arab world.

[Futuwwa]

Saudi Arabia is the redneck of the Middle East :p

[sister herb]

Salam alaykum

This Saudi prince should give his money to charity.

+o( I go to vomit after read this one. Good bye.

[Futuwwa]

If only this money was used to build schools, hospitals, provide a social welfare state, improve facilities for all citizens and not just the ones who bring money. If only this money was used to build greater armies, armies which would not lose to a single nation in only 6 days. It's true, the greatest natural resource in human history is about to be lost and when it is, the Arabs will have nothing to show for it but rusted towers and empty shopping malls.

Why do you presume it is not? Do you have any actual idea of what the Saudi state budget looks like?

[Signor]

Interestingly,I came across another thread and found the explanation of hadith quoted above by Jedi_Mindset

Beyond the signs of the changing of leadership we have another clear sign which we can see has been fulfilled in our life time.

Jibril said in his famous hadith, ‘Tell me about the Hour.’ The Messenger of Allah said, ‘The one asked about it knows no more than the one asking.’

Jibril said, ‘Then tell me about its tokens.’ The Messenger of Allah said, ‘That the female slave should give birth to her mistress, and you see poor, naked, barefoot shepherds of sheep and goats competing in making tall buildings.’ [Muslim]

“and you see poor, naked, barefoot shepherds of sheep and goats competing in making tall buildings.”

The scholars have said the prophet was describing the Bedouin Arabs who will hail from the desert area of Najd, east of Mecca and Medina [present day Riyadh, Dharan, Dammam, Khobar and the gulf region] before the oil boom the people of Najd lived in tents. Another version of the hadith in bukhari states, “when barefoot and the naked are the heads of the people.” Another version in Muslim says “when the naked and barefoot are the top leaders of the people.” A third version in Bukhari and Muslim states “when you see that the barefoot and naked, the deaf and dumb are the kings of the earth.”

Ibn hajar said in commenting on this hadith in Fath al bari. “It was said that “barefoot and naked,” “Deaf and dumb” are their attributes by way of hyperbole, showing how coarse they are. That is, they did not use their hearing or sight in anything concerning their religion even though they are of perfectly sound senses. The prophets words: “ The heads of people” means the kings of the earth. Abu Farwa’s narration names the kings explicitly. What is meant by them is the people of the desert country, as was made explicit in Sulayman al-Tayimi’s and other narations:”who are the barefoot and naked? He answered the Bedouin Arabs.”

Imam Nawawi further explains: “The people of badia [the desert Bedouins] and their like are indigent. There will come a time in which they become rich and build structures to demonstrate their wealth.

Tabarani relates through Abu Hamza, on the authority of Ibn Abbas from the prophet, that “one of the signs of the change of the religion is the affectation [pretention or something that is not part of your natural personality] of eloquence by the rabble and their betaking to palaces in big cities.”

Qurtubi said: What is meant here is the prediction of a reversal in society whereby the people of the desert country will take over the conduct of affairs and rule every region by force. They will become extremely rich and their primary concern will be to erect tall buildings and take pride in them.

Al hafiz Ibn hajar said in the explanation of this hadith, “everyone tries to build a higher building than the other.” Imam Ahmad from Abu Amir that the people who construct tall buildings will keep building them higher and higher [musnad 4:129]. That is if one builds a structure three stories tall, the next person builds four stories, the next person builds five, etc.

We can only imagine how this must have sounded from the perspective of the Ulumah who lived hundreds of years ago, but we know better now, the Saudi Bedouins of najd did take control, they declared themselves kings became extremely rich and created the country known as Saudi Arabia.

In the 1400 years since this hadith was mentioned there have been no sky scrapers in any desert Muslim country. Then on April 24 2000 the tallest building was built in the desert. The Faisaliah building in Riyadh is 269 meters [882 feet] tall. Then in 2003 a new high rise, the kingdom centre was built also in Riyadh and is 311m [1020 feet] making it the 55th tallest building in the world, taller than any building in Najd. It may also be of interest that the once Bedouin Arabs of the United Arab Emirates have now built the world’s tallest building not just in the region, the Burj Khalifah at 828 m (2,717 ft) also fulfilling the conditions of this hadith.

Source

[Ahmad H]

It would have been easier to comprehend if the race for the tallest building was not from our own ummah :/

You do realize these Ahadith were told to Muslims though, right? So it is much easier to comprehend that Muslims are doing this. The Holy Prophet (saw) reported in another Hadith that he was not worried about his Ummah being poor, he was worried about their gaining of immense amounts of wealth, since that would lead them away from Allah.

Here is how I look at it:

Narrated Abu Huraira: The Prophet said, "The Hour (Day of Judgment) will not be established till yourwealth increases so much so that one will be worried, for no one will accept his Zakat and the person to whom he will give it will reply, 'I am not in need of it.' " (Book #24, Hadith #493)
(Sahih Bukhari)

He explains in this Hadith how the Muslims would be conferred a lot of wealth but they would become tempted by it:
Narrated Abu Said Al-Khudri: Allah's Apostle ascended the pulpit and said, "Nothing worries me as to what will happen to you after me, except the temptation of worldly blessings which will be conferred on you." Then he mentioned the worldly pleasures. He started with the one (i.e. the blessings) and took up the other (i.e. the pleasures). A man got up saying, "O Allah's Apostle! Can the good bring about evil?" The Prophet remained silent and we thought that he was being inspired divinely, so all the people kept silent with awe. Then the Prophet wiped the sweat off his face and asked, "Where is the present questioner?" "Do you think wealth is good?" he repeated thrice, adding, "No doubt, good produces nothing but good. Indeed it is like what grows on the banks of a stream which either kills or nearly kills the grazing animals because of gluttony except the vegetation-eating animal which eats till both its flanks are full (i.e. till it gets satisfied) and then stands in the sun and defecates and urinates and again starts grazing. This worldly property is sweet vegetation. How excellent the wealth of the Muslim is, if it is collected through legal means and is spent in Allah's Cause and on orphans, poor people and travelers. But he who does not take it legally is like an eater who is never satisfied and his wealth will be a witness against him on the Day of Resurrection." (Book #52, Hadith #95)
(Sahih Bukhari)

This next Hadith makes it clear that there is no reward in building buildings. (of course, except a Mosque when one is filled with Iman in doing so and not for any worldly reasons):

Narrated Qais bin Abi Hazim: We went to pay a visit to Khabbab (who was sick) and he had been branded (cauterized) at seven places in his body. He said, "Our companions who died (during the lifetime of the Prophet) left (this world) without having their rewards reduced through enjoying the pleasures of this life, but we have got (so much) wealth that we find no way to spend It except on the construction of buildings Had the Prophet not forbidden us to wish for death, I would have wished for it.' We visited him for the second time while he wasbuilding a wall. He said, A Muslim is rewarded (in the Hereafter) for whatever he spends except for something that he spends on building." (Book #70, Hadith #576)
(Sahih Bukhari)

Thus, there is a lot of reasons why that Hadith on the construction of tall buildings was about Muslims. It spoke of the poor camel shepherds who would build tall buildings. The Arabs are meant here, since they made so much wealth off of their oil so quickly that they don't know what to do with it except compete with each other in building tall towers which reap no reward or benefit except squandering wealth which could go to other poor Muslim countries.

It's so obvious, we can see it as clear as daylight. So that Hadith has to refer to Muslims.

[IbnAbdulHakim]

wealth is no joke bro. i've begun to fear my own wealth (regardless of how little)

make dua inshaAllaah.



and this competition of tallest buildings is indeed a sign of the last days. I have little doubt that Imam Mahdi is very close.

[Qurratul Ayn]

Oh great.

Another tall building.

Here it all goes again... Saudi Arabia, I suggest you prepare yourself for bankruptcy.

May Allah (subhanawataála) guide this ummah as we approach times of greater trials and afflictions
Ameen

Ameen, my sister