Etiquette of Ramadan

by: Shazia Bashir Moonwatching The excitement starts when people first catch sight of the Ramadan moon. There is a hustle and bustle in the streets deep into the night as people start preparing for the month of fasting by stocking up on essentials. T...

by: Shazia Bashir Moonwatching The excitement star...

Ramadan, the Islamic month of fasting, involves abstaining from food, drink, sexual relations, smoking and other vices between sunrise and sunset. Its conclusion is marked by Eid Al-Fitr, one of the two major Islamic holidays. Although the focus of R...

Ramadan, the Islamic month of fasting, involves ab...

images/stories/04/07/a.jpgEach year people in Gambia observe the holy month of Ramadan (the fasting month) and is the ninth month of the Muslim lunar year and is the fourth pillar of Islam. It has double significance as this is the month that the Hol...

images/stories/04/07/a.jpgEach year people in Gamb...

For those of you not familiar with Brunei, it is a tiny Islamic sultanate in the middle of the northern coast of Borneo. Basically, a sultanate is ruled by a sultan, a sort of Islamic king. The country is surrounded by Malaysia, in fact split into tw...

For those of you not familiar with Brunei, it is a...

We have almost reached halfway through the Holy Month of Ramadan here in Oman. However, it doesn’t feel like a fortnight of fasting when you look back, it feels that this month is passing us by a little too quickly. Although, we all are excited about...

We have almost reached halfway through the Holy Mo...

by: Madiha Samsuddin Ramadan is a month that all Muslims in Malaysia look forward to. Every year we wait in front of the television for the announcement of when the month begins. Once confirmed, everyone is happy and we get ready to go to the mosque ...

by: Madiha Samsuddin Ramadan is a month that all M...

Ramadan and Eid traditions vary across the different regions of Albania. During 50 years of strict communism all religious practices such as the prayer, were banned and almost disappeared. Nobody knew if you were fasting or not and so the fast was th...

Ramadan and Eid traditions vary across the differe...

Mauritanians: Praying and Drinking Green Tea At the beginning of Ramadan, Mauritanians especially the youth hasten to perform regular prayers at their appointed times in Mosques. It is worth stressing here that Mauritanians start celebrating the mont...

Mauritanians: Praying and Drinking Green Tea At th...

Fasting in the Desert Prayer of Religion Column by Isa Ebrihim As I write this, in Qatar, as in the rest of the world, we are entering Ramadan, the Muslim fasting month. Ramadan is the month when Muslims remember the time when the Prophet received ...

Fasting in the Desert Prayer of Religion Column b...

by: Zabi Rashidi The Holy Ramzaan [the holy ramadan] Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, which lasts 29 to 30 days. It is the Islamic month of fasting, in which participating Muslims refrain from eating and drinking and is intended to...

by: Zabi Rashidi The Holy Ramzaan [the holy ramada...

"O you who believe, fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those who were before you, that you many learn piety and righteousness," states the Holy Quran. With this foremost in their mind, close to 50,000 members of the Muslim communi...

"O you who believe, fasting is prescribed for you ...

The Ramadan Feast in Turkey is a time for visiting relatives and paying one’s respect to older people. Many Turks give away sweets and desserts during the festival, and children may watch free Turkish shadow plays. The Ramadan Feast in countries such...

The Ramadan Feast in Turkey is a time for visiting...

The 30-day Islamic holy month of Ramazan (RAH-mah-zahn, called Ramadan in other countries) is a time of fasting, prayer and celebration. (Here are Ramazan dates.) It can also affect your travel plans. FASTING Fasting means letting nothing pass the li...

The 30-day Islamic holy month of Ramazan (RAH-mah-...

Ramadan is probably the only month of the year when Algerian families get together around a diner table, and have a multiple dish menus during 30 long days, what a blessing! Algeria in Ramadan? Sleepy and slow in the day, busy and animated in the eve...

Ramadan is probably the only month of the year whe...

The holy fasting month of Ramadan in Sweden gives Muslims a good chance to stick closer to their Islamic identity, with mosques teeming with worshippers and shops selling famous Arab food. Encouraged by a country that respects freedom of religion; Mu...

The holy fasting month of Ramadan in Sweden gives ...

by : Rajana Hamyeh Suddenly, faith descends. God becomes closer, as if He had just been found. Often absent from the lives of many throughout the year, God becomes present when the month of fasting begins. For thirty days, they are completely faithfu...

by : Rajana Hamyeh Suddenly, faith descends. God b...

Morocco is the only Muslim country I've been to. I spent three Ramadans there and was consistently amazed at the transformation that took place once Ramadan began. First of all, all schedules change. Normal business hours are about 8am to 6:30pm, wit...

Morocco is the only Muslim country I've been to. I...

By : Dalia El Kady Ramadan is the month during which Prophet Mohammed received the inspiration of Quran. The month of Ramadan moves ten days earlier each year. Ramadan is a holy month for Muslims, in which they don't eat or drink, starting from dawn....

By : Dalia El Kady Ramadan is the month during whi...

For those of you not familiar with Brunei, it is a tiny Islamic sultanate in the middle of the northern coast of Borneo. Basically, a sultanate is ruled by a sultan, a sort of Islamic king. The country is surrounded by Malaysia, in fact split into tw...

For those of you not familiar with Brunei, it is a...

Ramadan is strictly observed in Bahrain and non-Muslims are expected to observe the rules of Ramadan in public. If you demonstrate culturally insensitive behaviour that offends, you could be arrested. Remember the following pointers: Do: Be aware th...

Ramadan is strictly observed in Bahrain and non-Mu...

Ramadan (Ramazan in Bosnian) is unarguably the most interesting and most discussed month of the year in Bosnia. It is one of few axial points in time for the people, even non – Muslims. Events and activities are talked about as being before and after...

Ramadan (Ramazan in Bosnian) is unarguably the mos...