RIYADH: The Saudi Ministry of Commerce has banned the writing of Quranic verses on jewellery and handicrafts. Citing the speech of the Saudi Grand Mufti, the ministry warned against adding Quranic inscriptions to any type of jewelry or handicrafts, including gold.

This is to ensure that verses in the Qur'an are not disrespected and misused for purposes other than presentation purposes. The Saudi Chamber of Commerce and Industry has issued a circular about this.

The Grand Muft also noted that such inscriptions on gold items underestimate the sacredness of the Quranic verses and involve desecration when the wearers enter toilets.

At the same time, the UAE has introduced a change in visa regulations that will set back expatriates who come to the UAE to find work. The UAE has discontinued the three-month (90 days) visa that it has been issuing for so long. The UAE government has announced that from now on, only 30 and 60 day visiting visas will be available to those coming to the UAE. Mohammad Masiuddin, owner of Superjet Tours and Travels in Dubai, said that only visiting visas for 30 days or 60 days are available to the UAE.