ASTANA: His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa visited Hazrat Sultan Mosque, accompanied by Kazakh Deputy Premier and Minister of Industry and New Technologies Issekeshev Asset Orentayevich.
HM the King was received by Deputy Mufti and Imam Shaikh Serikbay Oraz and Deputy Mayor of Astana City Sultanbekov Kanat Tanatarovich.
Deputy Mufti and Imam Shaikh Serikbay briefed HM the King on the Grand Mosque which was constructed by the Kazakh President to accommodate 12,000 worshipers.
He saw a copy of the Ottoman Holy Quran in 162 pages in Kufi script calligraphy, hailed as the smallest Quran book in the world.
HM the King was also briefed on the copy of the Holy Quran which was presented by Kazakh President to Hazrat Sultan Mosque.
The 40-kilo Holy Quran is the oldest in Kazakhstan as it dates back to the era of the third Caliph Uthman ibn Affan in the 7th Century AD.
The precious copy of the Holy Quran arrived in Kazakhstan in the 14th Century AD at the time of legendary Commander Tamerlane.
HM the King prayed at Hazrat Sultan Mosque then he was offered a traditional Kazakh “Bisht”.
HM the King visited Nazarbayev University in Astana, accompanied by the Deputy Premier and Minister of Industry and Modern Technology and Head of the Mission of Honour. He was welcomed by the Kazakh Education Minister, the university Vice President and professors who expressed happiness about the visit to the academic and scientific edifice.
The Education Minister presented HM the King with a briefing about the university’s curricular and programmes in the fields of research and technology.
HM the King watched a model of the university and got briefed about future development schemes. After that, he visited the engineering lab department where he listened to a briefing by its head about the research programmes and technological experiments conducted by the students as well as the university’s efforts to offer higher education scholarships at the European universities.
HM the King wrote in the senior visitors’ book, met some students and took a commemorative photo with them.