Ramadhan 1429 AH/2008 CE News Worldwide

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Muslim Hands for France Ramadan

By Hadi Yahmid, IOL Correspondent

[فقط الأعضاء المسجلين والمفعلين يمكنهم رؤية الوصلات . إضغط هنا للتسجيل]
The Muslim Hands charity is preparing to provide help to thousands of poor people and orphans in France during Ramadan. (IOL photo)
PARIS — As French Muslims ready to greet the fast-approaching Ramadan, a Muslim charity is preparing to feed thousands of poor people and orphans in the European country during the fasting month.

"We hope our Ramadan campaign will be the real launch for the Muslim Hands charity in France," Kamal Al-Zein, the charity's exchequer, told IslamOnline.net.

Established in 1993 in Britain, Muslim Hands is an international NGO offering help to people affected by poverty, natural disaster and conflict around the world.

It has offices in more than 40 countries worldwide and has partnership with world relief organizations including the UN Food Program and UN children's fund (UNICEF).

Based in Faubourg Saint Denis district in the capital Paris, Muslim Hands made its first steps in France last year.

"Over the past year, we focused on gaining a legal status to the group and promoting its activities," he said.

Now, the group is preparing to start its charity work.

"Ramadan will see the group's first real chairty activity in France."

Ramadan, the ninth month on the Islamic lunar calendar, will fall this year in early September.

In Ramadan, adult Muslims, save the sick and those traveling, abstain from food, drink, smoking and sex between dawn and sunset.

Food Packages

The Muslim charity is planning to distribute food packages among people affected by the soaring food prices.

"We have a deal with a local charity to distribute food packages during Ramadan to the needy, students, prisoners and refugees in La Courneuve in central France," said Zein.

Driven by the increased use of biofuels, the growing demand for grains to feed a booming Asia, droughts and market speculation, food prices have nearly doubled in three years.

This caused 50 million more people to go hungry last year, compared to the year before, according to UN figures.

"Our relief campaign is part of the Muslim Hands' work," said Zein.
"Last Ramadan, nearly 500,000 people from around the globe benefitted from our campaign."

The group is also running a series of projects for orphans and helping people affected by disasters and wars.

Zein said Muslim Hands hopes to make people financially independent.

"That is why we are running nearly 290 schools around the world,
because education is the gateway to the job market and making a decent living."

[بسـ الطفـε(｡◕‿◕｡)зـوله ــمة]

"Air-conditioned" Iftar in Qatar


[فقط الأعضاء المسجلين والمفعلين يمكنهم رؤية الوصلات . إضغط هنا للتسجيل]
One of the "air-conditioned" iftar tents will be dedicated for the new Muslim reverts. (IOL photo)
DOHA — With "air-conditioned" iftar tents, food banquets in the open air and aid for the needy in poor Muslim countries, Qataris are welcoming the fast-approaching holy fasting month of Ramadan.

"Some 14 million riyals ($3.8 million) has been allocated for the project," Mohammed Judae, director of Iftar program at the Doha-based Zakah Fund, told IslamOnline.net on Monday, August 25.
The fund is building 23 giant "air-conditioned" iftar tents for the poor during the dawn-to-dusk fasting month.

"More than 600,000 people are expected to benefit from the project this year," said Judae.

Two famous restaurants have been tasked with preparing the iftar meals in the tents.

One of the tents, which caters for 300 people, in Al-Khoweir area will be dedicated for the new Muslim reverts.

Ramadan, the ninth month on the Islamic lunar calendar, will fall this year in early September.

In Ramadan, adult Muslims, save the sick and those traveling, abstain from food, drink, smoking and sex between dawn and sunset.

After breaking their fast, Muslims attend Tarawih, a special nightly prayers.

It is customary for Muslims during Ramadan to host iftar banquets for the poor and needy people.

Vying

Many Qatari charities are also vying to feed the poor during the holy fasting month.

The Qatar Red Crescent has allotted 1.32 million riyals ($363,000) to feed 50,000 people in the Gulf country during Ramadan.

It has also allocated one million riyals ($273,000) to send food packages for the poor in Sudan's war-torn Darfur province, Somalia and Palestinian refugees in Lebanon.

The Sheikh Eid Bin Muhammad Al-Thani charity has also allocated 520,000 riyals ($140,000) for food packages for 2,600 poor families.

The charity also has a series of tents to host scholars from around the Muslim world to give religious lessons to the faithful.

Al-Fanar Islamic Center is also preparing to provide more than 40 Muslim scholars to give religious lessons to the faithful during the holy fasting month.

Muslims dedicate their time during the holy month to become closer to Allah through prayer and self-restraint.

Many men perform i`tikaf (spiritual retreat), spending the last 10 days of the month exclusively in the mosque.

It is also customary for Muslims to spend part of the days during Ramadan studying the Noble Qur'an.

Source: [فقط الأعضاء المسجلين والمفعلين يمكنهم رؤية الوصلات . إضغط هنا للتسجيل]

[بسـ الطفـε(｡◕‿◕｡)зـوله ــمة]

Ukraine's Spiritual Ramadan

By Mohammed Safwan Jolak, IOL Correspondent

KIEV — Muslim organizations in Ukraine are racing time to prepare for the fast-approaching holy fasting month of Ramadan with plans for religious lectures to re-charge people's spirituality and brochures to introduce Islam to non-Muslims.

"The Federation of Social Organizations in Ukraine (Arraid) is sponsoring programs to raise religious awareness among Muslims during Ramadan," Ismail Al-Kadi, its chairman, told IslamOnline.net.

The federation will be organizing session for Muslims to study the Noble Qur'an and Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him).

It will also host iftar banquets for the poor and needy during the holy fasting month.

"In Ramadan, Arraid sends nearly 800 food packages every day to poor families and orphans," said Kadi.

Ramadan, the ninth month on the Islamic lunar calendar, will fall this year in early September.

In Ramadan, adult Muslims, save the sick and those traveling, abstain from food, drink, smoking and sex between dawn and sunset.

Muslims dedicate their time during the holy month to become closer to Allah through prayer and self-restraint.

Many spend part of the day studying the Qur'an.

Introducing Islam

Ramadan is a special time for Ukraine's two million Muslims, who make up nearly five percent of the population.

"Ramadan brings a special joy for Ukrainian Muslims," Seran Arifof, director of the Radwan center for memorization of the Qur'an, told IOL.

"During the holy fasting month, Muslims become more active in joining awareness programs, not to mention paying zakah for the poor and orphans."

Arifof said many children show increasing interest in memorizing the Qur'an and learning more about their faith during Ramadan.

"We have seen many Ukrainian Muslims compete in international competitions for Qur'an memorization in recent years."

There are up to 200 mosques and 20 Islamic centers nationwide, which experience no restrictions by the Ukrainian authorities.

Ukrainian Muslims are also planning to seize on the holy fasting month to introduce their faith to non-Muslim compatriots.

"We are doing our utmost efforts to educate both Muslims and non-Muslims about Ramadan," said Kadi.

His organization has been distributing brochures and pamphlets about Islam and the holy fasting month.

"It is amazing the kind of reaction with which the brochures have been received by many non-Muslim Ukrainians and we have seen many of them embracing Islam during Ramadan."

[بسـ الطفـε(｡◕‿◕｡)зـوله ــمة]

Bangladesh Fights Ramadan Price Hikes

DHAKA — The government and business leaders are intensifying efforts ahead of Ramadan to curb the traditional soaring of prices that exacerbates the sufferings of the poor and low-income brackets during the holy fasting month.

"Demand of essential commodities generally increases ahead of Ramadan accompanied with an increase in prices," Colonel Anisuzzaman of the Bangladesh Rifles (BDR), a paramilitary force charged with guarding the borders, told IslamOnline.net.

"To control the prices we have opened fair prices shops where most essentials will be sold at cheaper rates."

With the advent of Ramadan, to begin this year in early September, prices of basic foodstuffs and commodities usually witness inexplicable hikes.

To help alleviating the impact of that, the BDR has established about 210 fair price outlets across the country, including 100 in the capital Dhaka.

It has also established a Rice and Pulses distribution program.

Colonel Anisuzzaman, chief coordinator of the program, notes that the number of BDR outlets has been increased to keep the prices of essential goods within the purchasing capacity of the common people.

During Ramadan, which is dedicated to spiritual growth, adult Muslims, save the sick and those traveling, abstain from food, drink, smoking and sex between dawn and sunset.

Bangladesh is the world's third largest Muslim majority country, with Muslims making up more than 80 percent of its 148 million population.

Nearly half of the population lives on less than a dollar a day and the country is among the poorest and most crowded in the world.

Inadequate

Bangladeshi business leaders are also vowing to shield people from prices rises during Ramadan.

The Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) will open fair price shops during the month in district chambers.

"We are operating these fair price shops for poor people only during Ramadan," Anisul Haque, FBCCI President, told IOL.

"There is no business target. It's our social responsibility."

But many people are still skeptical.

"No strict measures and steps have been taken by the government and business bodies to beat the essentials' price hike ahead and during Ramadan," says a grocer in Dhaka New Market.

He doubts the ability of the fair price shops to contain the prices increase.
"It will not impact the markets."

Commodity prices have nearly doubled in the country over the past year.
While this is mainly due to global surge in food and other commodities prices, analysts also blame poor market control.

The country has also suffered a huge rice loss due to last year's devastating floods and cyclone Sidr.

Nonetheless, many still see the increase of key food items in Ramadan as unjustifiable.

"Most of these items are exported from foreign countries," insists Asrafuzzaman, a lawyer by profession.

"There was no rise in the prices of these items in international markets, so why the rise in Bangladesh?"

He blames both the government and the business leaders' federation.
"This is a syndication of some immoral businessmen. The government should check the price-hike."

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Malawi's Poor Brace for Tough Ramadan

By Mallick Mnela, IOL Correspondent

BLANTYRE — Malawi Muslims have gone full throttle with preparations for the holy fasting month of Ramadan, with food stockpiling dominating the arrangements.

This year, they will have to cough a little more money than in previous years because of the global food price rises, leaving the low-income and underprivileged watching not buying.

"It’s an annual tradition to gather food-stuffs in readiness for the fasting month here," Jassim Zacharia Nsosa, a Muslim social worker, told IslamOnline.net in Blantyre.

"But this year, it seems a substantial population of poor Muslims will brace themselves for tough times as a result of rising costs of food."

Although Malawi has sufficient food reserves, media frenzy on the prospects of global food price hikes prompted a sharp increase in the cost of maize, the main staple food, among others.

The speculation on the hikes has ultimately led to hoarding of food items on the local market.

On the other hand, other food items such as cassava, potatoes and rice – while available in abundance - are becoming unaffordable for the average Malawian.

"The main problem is that poor people are likely to starve when food is available. Food traders are capitalizing on their vulnerability," says Nsosa.

"It actually makes little sense to victimize the starving poor at the alter of maximizing profits."

Nothing New

A brief survey conducted by IOL correspondent in some parts of southern Malawi suggests a majority of poor Muslims will have tough times unless there is intervention by Muslim bodies.

"We can not rule out suffering due to the lack of food, but we have become used to it," said Abiti Sumani, an old woman, at her homestead on the outskirts of Zomba.

"Ramadan or no Ramadan food problems have always been with us."
She said she will have to make do with maize husks she has been getting as payment for winnowing errands at a local maize meal.

"This is life as we have always lived it. We can not claim to need luxurious food to enable us to fast if we involuntarily fast almost all year round due to lack of food.

"This time we ought to be proud that we go hungry alongside those who can afford to buy the food – but for Allah’s pleasure."

Poverty levels are high in Malawi, with a majority of its 12 million population living below the poverty line, consuming less than a dollar per day.

According to state figures, Muslims constitute 12 percent of the entire population, though the Muslim umbrella body puts the figure at 36 percent.

Helping

Muslim charities are on alert, determined to mitigate potential problems as a result of the food costs rising.

"We normally compliment one another in these efforts – only that we go different ways to avoid duplication of activities," says Sheikh Hatim Ibrahim, Chairman of the Al-Barakah Charity Trust.

"Our main focus will be on those who can not afford to feed themselves and their families."

Munazzamat Al-Dawa Al-Islamia (Malawi Mission) hopes to cater for over 500 institutions – including mosques, orphanages, madrasahs, hospitals, prisons and secondary schools - during Ramadan.

"We are trying to gather as much food as possible to ensure that we cater for a majority of vulnerable poor people around the country," says AbdulRahman Abdallah.

"We will cater for suhur and iftar."

He said that his organization has so far made considerable progress in gathering food stuffs to distribute among the poor in the country.

"We are determined to see the plight of a majority poor reduced to the lowest levels. This is one of our objectives.

"We feel more obliged to commit ourselves to the cause of ending the suffering of the poor, particularly in the month of Ramadan."

The organization is sponsoring agricultural irrigation schemes in selected parts of southern Malawi as a way of empowering communities to be food secure.

"The project has just started but we trust it will start yielding results soon. By next Ramadan we trust they will be independent."

[بسـ الطفـε(｡◕‿◕｡)зـوله ــمة]

Ramadan Unites Balkan Muslims

By Hany Salah, IOL Correspondent

BALKAN CAPITALS — In a show of unity, Muslim religious authorities in Bosnian, Serbia, Macedonia, Montenegro and Slovenia have agreed to observe the start of the holy fasting month of Ramadan on September 1.

"We follow astronomical calculations to determine the beginning of the lunar months," Subhi Wassim, an official with the Islamic Sheikdom of Bosnia, told IslamOnline.net.

"Therefore, the first day of Ramadan will be observed in Bosnia on September 1," he added.

Muslims make up nearly 40 percent of Bosnia's 3.8 million population.
During Ramadan, adult Muslims, save the sick and those traveling, abstain from food, drink, smoking and sex between dawn and sunset.

Neighboring Serbia's nearly half a million Muslim will start the dawn-to-dusk fast on the same day as Bosnia.

"We consider ourselves part of the Islamic institution in Bosnia and coordinate with them in all things," said Hajrudin Balic, a media officer of the Islamic Sheikdom of Serbia.

The Islamic Sheikdom in Croatia will also follow neighboring Bosnia in observing the beginning of Ramadan, said sources in the Islamic Sheikdom of Bosnia.

Moon sighting has always been a controversial issue among Muslim countries, and even scholars seem at odds over the issue.

While one group of scholars sees that Muslims in other regions and countries are to follow the same moon sighting as long as these countries share one part of the night, another states that Muslims everywhere should abide by the lunar calendar of Saudi Arabia.

A third, however, disputes both views, arguing that the authority in charge of ascertaining the sighting of the moon in a given country announces the sighting of the new moon, then Muslims in the country should all abide by this.

Unity

Muslims who make up 33 percent of Macedonia’s two million population will follow Turkey in determining the start of Ramadan.

"The Islamic Sheikhdom of Macedonia and Dar al-Ifta in Turkey have an agreement to unify all Islamic occasions according to astronomic calculations," Afrim Alija, a teacher in a school affiliated to the sheikdom, told IOL.

Turkey’s Presidency of Religion Affairs, the country’s highest religious institution, has announced on its website that Ramadan will fall on September 1.

The Islamic sheikhdom of Slovenia, where Muslims make up 2.4 percent of two million population, agrees with Turkey and Bosnia on the start of the fasting month.

Montenegro Mufti Jusuf Gjoken said the country's 140,000 Muslims, who constitute up to 20 percent of the population, will coordinate with both Bosnia and Turkey on Ramadan start.

"We are living in neighboring countries and it would be wrong to disagree on the beginning of the fast," he told IOL.

"The unity of Muslims in the Balkan is a top priority to all Islamic sheikhdoms in the region."

[بسـ الطفـε(｡◕‿◕｡)зـوله ــمة]

Ramadan on September 1: ISNA

By IOL Staff

CAIRO — The first day of the holy fasting month of Ramadan will fall in North America on September 1 according to astronomical calculations, the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) has announced on its website.

"The Astronomical New Moon for Ramadan is on Saturday, August 30, 2008, at 19:58 Universal Time," said ISNA.

It added that the first day of the holy fasting month of Ramadan, thus, will be Monday, September 1.

ISNA said the last day of the dawn-to-dusk fasting month will be on Tuesday, September 30.

`Eid Al-Fitr, one of the two main religious festivals on the Islamic calendar will be on Wednesday, October 1.

During Ramadan, adult Muslims, save the sick and those traveling, abstain from food, drink, smoking and sex between dawn and sunset.

Moon sighting has always been a controversial issue among Muslim countries, and even scholars seem at odds over the issue.

While one group of scholars sees that Muslims in other regions and countries are to follow the same moon sighting as long as these countries share one part of the night, another states that Muslims everywhere should abide by the lunar calendar of Saudi Arabia.

A third, however, disputes both views, arguing that the authority in charge of ascertaining the sighting of the moon in a given country announces the sighting of the new moon, then Muslims in the country should all abide by this.

This usually causes confusion among Muslims, particularly in the West, on observing the dawn-to-dusk fasting and celebrating the `Eid el-Fitr, which marks the end of fasting.

[بسـ الطفـε(｡◕‿◕｡)зـوله ــمة]

Religion: Saudi mosques open 24 hours for Ramadan

Riazat Butt, Religious affairs correspondent
The Guardian,
Thursday August 21 2008

Mosques across Saudi Arabia will open 24 hours a day under new plans to allow Muslims to pray at their convenience during Ramadan, the month of fasting which begins in September.

Under the proposals, unveiled yesterday by the Islamic affairs ministry, extra imams are to be drafted in to accommodate the annual increase in worshippers who spend longer hours at their local mosque. In Ramadan, Muslims lengthen the fifth and final prayer of the day and more time is given over to religious practices, such as reading the Qur'an and repeating phrases glorifying Allah.

A ministry official, Tawfik al-Sedairi, said that worshipping Allah was a priority for many during Ramadan.

"The ministry is ensuring the safety of Muslims by hiring more staff for night shifts. Imams and workers will be present every day." Some Muslim men also choose to perform itkaaf, spending the last 10 days exclusively within the confines of a mosque.

Al-Sedairi said imams had a great duty to meet the additional spiritual needs and activities of Muslims during Ramadan, adding that the ministry had instructed mosques with four loudspeakers to avoid disrupting nearby, smaller mosques after worshippers complained about losing their concentration during prayer.

Meanwhile, Mecca, the holiest city in Islam, is preparing itself for the arrival of 3 million pilgrims during the 30 days of Ramadan.

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Afghans Need Food Aid Before Ramadan

By IOL Staff

KABUL — As the world is preparing to welcome the holy fasting month of Ramadan, millions in war-torn Afghanistan are facing their worst humanitarian crisis in two decades.

"Up to five million Afghans face severe food shortages," said the British charity Oxfam in a statement on its website.

"Large parts of Afghanistan are facing crisis as a result of the cumulative effect of factors including the harsh winter, high food prices, drought, and increasing and spreading insecurity."

Oxfam cited the central Daikundi province as one of the hardest-hit where people are facing their worst humanitarian conditions in more than 20 years.

"Similar conditions can be found in other provinces," it warned.
The warning comes a few days before the advent of Ramadan, the ninth month on the Islamic lunar calendar, which falls this year in early September.

In Ramadan, adult Muslims, save the sick and those traveling, abstain from food, drink, smoking and sex between dawn and sunset.

"As it is almost impossible to deliver aid to rural areas during the harsh Afghan winter, concerted action is needed now to avert the crisis," said Oxfam.

Afghanistan is one of the poorest countries in the world with more than half of the population living below the poverty line.

The country is so destitute and undeveloped that most inhabitants have no central heating, electricity or running water.

According to the international policy think tank Senlis, more than 70 percent of Afghans are chronically malnourished, with less than a quarter having access to safe drinking water.

Action Needed

Oxfam called an urgent action to avoid a humanitarian catastrophe in the war-torn country.

"This is a race against time," said Matt Waldman, Oxfam's Head of Policy in Kabul.

"The international community needs to respond quickly before winter when conditions deteriorate."

Many areas in Afghanistan are virtually inaccessible in winter because of snow, poor roads and worsening security, hindering the delivery of aid and food.

About 1,000 people died in the last, exceptionally severe winter marked by bitter cold and heavy snowfall.

"The health of one million young children and half a million women is at serious risk due to malnutrition," said Waldman.

In a letter to development ministers around the world, Oxfam called for help to meet the funding shortfall and to support Afghanistan's agriculture sector and ability to cope with disasters.

"We believe the current situation requires a major humanitarian response," the letter said.

"If the response is slow or insufficient, people could be forced to sell assets or leave their homes and villages, and there could be a further deterioration of stability.

"Infant, child and maternal mortality rates – already some of the world's highest – could increase even further."

Child mortality rates in Afghanistan are among the highest in the world, and one out of every five Afghan children (or 191 out of every 1,000 live births) will not survive beyond age five.

[بسـ الطفـε(｡◕‿◕｡)зـوله ــمة]

Morocco Mosques Shine Up for Ramadan

By Abdel Rahman Khaizaran, IOL Correspondent

RABAT — Painting walls, cleaning up floors and buying new furniture, Moroccans are shining up mosques to welcome the sea of worshippers during the holy fasting month of Ramadan.

"We are preparing the mosque for Ramadan," Lahsan Mottahar, the imam of Al-Radwan Mosque in Casablanca, told IslamOnline.net.

Volunteers are racing time painting the mosque's walls, cleaning up the floors and buying new furniture.

Loudspeakers have been added to carry the recitation of the Noble Qur'an during the Tarawih, a special nightly prayers Muslims perform during Ramadan.

"This is how we show our joy welcoming the holy fasting month," says Mottahar.

Morocco will sight the moon of Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, on Sunday, August 31.

This means Ramadan will start in the country either Monday or Tuesday.
In Ramadan, adult Muslims, save the sick and those traveling, abstain from food, drink, smoking and sex between dawn and sunset.

Muslims dedicate their time during the holy month to become closer to Allah through prayer, self-restraint and good deeds.

Dear Ramadan

Khadijah joined fellow volunteers in cleaning up "Al-Harameen" mosque in Casablanca.

"We are shining up the mosque for worshippers to perform Tarawih prayers and study their faith," she told IOL.

"This is how we welcome the dawn-to-dusk fasting month."

Mustafa is also helping with the mosque cleaning effort.

"This is the way Moroccans show their love for performing good deeds in Ramadan."

It is customary for Muslims to spend part of the days during Ramadan studying the Noble Qur'an.

Many men perform i`tikaf (spiritual retreat), spending the last 10 days of the month exclusively in the mosque.

"Ramadan is a dear guest for Moroccans and we are doing our best to welcome the guest," said preacher Abdullah bin Oqba