Interesting Ramadhan 1435H/2014 News.

[queenislam]

Assalamu'alaikum
greeting,
Here featuring
news all about the blessed month of Ramadhan.


More than 1,300 volunteers work daily during the holy month of Ramadan to serve food on a plastic trail extending 4 kilometers along the ground of the Grand Mosque in Makkah.
The table is always full of coffee and dates to feed the crowds of pilgrims and visitors from inside and outside the Kingdom.
The administration at the Grand Mosque has also offered around 100,000 kg of de-pulped dates distributed inside 1,922,160 containers, with coffee on the side.
This giant table brings together many thousands of pilgrims from different nationalities, languages, ages and other features within safe and comfortable atmospheres.
Dr. Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz Al-Musleh, the secretary-general of the Muslim World League for the Scientific Miracles in the Qur’an, said this table represents an honored and proud image of the highest degree of hospitality that prevails every year during the holy month.
Dr. Saleh bin Muhammad Al-Taleb, imam and preacher at the Grand Mosque, said that there are over 1,300,000 meals being distributed to pilgrims during Ramadan, with the total length of the trail extending to 129 kilometers.
Mansour bin Amer, chairman of the Hadiyat Al-Haj wal Mu’tamir Charitable Society, said that his society is the first one of its kind that specializes in serving more than 15 million pilgrims every year.
He stressed the need to consolidate collective work in such a field to revive participation and teamwork within the integrated work of government agencies and charities.
News.
~above event took place on Ramadhan 2013.
Masha'allah.
Thank you for reading,
~Wassaalam

 

[queenislam]

Ramadan Dua from the Holy Qur'an.

Amin!

 

[queenislam]

Assalamu'alaikum/greeting.
Holidays deprive stores of Ramadan profits.
JEDDAH: IRFAN MOHAMMED
Published — Friday 27 June 2014

Traders and vendors in the Kingdom perceive Ramadan as a lucrative month where their profits usually rise due to an increase in the sales of foodstuff. But this is not the case this year in Jeddah.
This time the holy month coincides with the summer vacation and most Saudi families have already left the Kingdom on holiday or planning to do so. Expatriate families too have packed their bags and headed home to spend the vacation there.
Although many shops and supermarkets opted to take pre-emptive measure by announcing sales weeks ahead of Ramadan to cover for expected poor earnings, sales remain below expectations and will most likely decline, some traders said.
The summer vacation has deeply impacted retail sales as sales went down over the past week, a sales supervisor of a leading hyper market told Arab News, stressing that even big stores have suffered and saw their sales going down despite offering several promotional activities to boost sales of major commodities such as sugar, rice, oil and utensils.
“My shops used to generate on average SR8,000 per day but after the holiday started their sales dropped to around SR5,000,” said Abdul Hakeem, a Bangladeshi salesman in a leading grocery store in Safa district, adding that it is unlikely that the situation would change in Ramadan.

~News.
Thank you for passing by reading,
Take care,
~Wassalam

 

[queenislam]

Makkah visitors, park your vehicles here

KEEPING POLLUTING VEHICLES OUT: Authorities have prepared huge parking lots outside the holy city of Makkah for intending Umrah pilgrims and visitors. (SPA)
JEDDAH.
Published — Friday 27 June 2014

Over a million visitors are expected to arrive to Makkah during the holy month of Ramadan, according to authorities in the holy city, who said that they have taken all necessary measure to ensure parking spaces are available for their vehicles.
Five locations have been allocated for parking purposes in Ramadan, they said, adding that the parking area will accommodate more than 45,000 vehicles at one time.
“We have allocated a total of 1,500,000 square meters of parking space in five locations in the city,” Osama Al-Zaitony, senior official of Makkah Municipality, said Thursday.
Those are on Makkah-Al-Madinah Highway, Makkah-Jeddah Highway, Makkah-Taif (Al-Sail) Road, Makkah-Taif (Al-Kar) Road and Makkah-Laith Road and are located at entrances points in Makkah.
Al Zaitony said the parking lots will be equipped with proper infrastructure in addition to adequate facilities such as toilets, restrooms and temporary canteens.
Urging pilgrims and visitors to the holy city not to park cars inside Makkah to avoid traffic congestion, Al-Zaitony noted that the new parking location will be in addition to the current parking facilities at Kudai, Al-Umrah and Aziziyah.
Ali Al-Zahrani of Makkah traffic police told Arab News that restriction of smaller vehicles inside the holy city and enhancing the public transportation system have been successful in reducing the number of traffic violations in the city, which is the highest in Kingdom.
He said that extra traffic police would be deployed to control the mobility of vehicles during Taraweeh in the city, adding that special arrangements have been made to assist motorists driving between Makkah and Madinah.
He noted that police would be using the GPS technology in the holy city to determine the location of accidents.
News.

~Wassalam.

 

[queenislam]

Apricot juice for Iftar.

• 

“Apricot juice is the most preferred drink during Ramadan especially for iftar (breaking of the fast). I also buy berry juice,” said Hassan Shatery, a resident of Jeddah.
He said he typically buys apricot juice by the carton during Ramadan for his family of seven, each of whom usually drink three to four cups a day.
For the Shatery family, the juice embodies a sense of spirituality associated with Ramadan and is one of the long standing traditions in the Muslim world.
The prices of apricots, or Qamar Al-Din as it is commonly known, have increased considerably in the Saudi market, with prices increasing by close to 400 percent in the days before the start of Ramadan. The price of a carton, which used to retail for SR75 in previous years, is now priced at between SR320 and SR350. The price of apricot has also increased due to the war in Syria which has halted imports.
Abdulghani Hamada, the general manager of Hamada Center in Jeddah, told Arab News: “The situation in the region in general, and particularly in Syria, has made it difficult to obtain enough quantities of apricot juice during Ramadan this year. Thus the prices have increased substantially, reaching close to SR350 for a carton of 25 pieces.” He said such an increase is normal and can be expected due to the short supply in the market.
Ali Bahadi, a salesman at a local supermarket in Jeddah, said that limited quantities are likely to be imported from Syria this Ramadan. The local market typically consumes about 2,000 tons of apricot yearly.
Mohammed Al-Houty, a trader from Syria, added that there are attempts to import apricots to the Kingdom, but due to the situation inside Syria, this has been particularly difficult, especially from the city of Alghouta, which is known for producing and exporting large quantities but is caught in the ongoing war.
~News.
wassalam.

 

[queenislam]

Ramadhan Reminder.
Ramadhan 2014: We Can Deport Anyone Who Eats, Drinks or Smokes, Saudi Arabia Tells Non-Muslims.

A Muslim man walks past as he reads the Holy quran at the Al-Rajhi mosque east of Riyadh.

Saudi Arabia has threatened to deport any non-Muslim foreigners who don't respect the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan by eating, drinking or smoking in public.

An interior ministry statement on the official SPA state news agency urges non-Muslim expatriates in the kingdom to "respect the sentiments of Muslims by not eating, drinking or smoking during Ramadan's daylight hours in public places, including roads and workplaces."

Those who violate the regulations will be deported or sacked, according to the statement.

"They are not excused for being non-Muslim," it said, adding that "anyone living in this country should follow the laws of the Kingdom, including respecting religious sentiments".

The statement also asked companies to transmit the instructions to their employees.

Millions of Muslims from around the globe are preparing to observe Ramadan, the religious month of fasting.

For 30 days, they will not eat or drink from sunrise and sundown and refrain from sexual intercourse, smoking or profanity in a bid to become closer to Allah.

They are also encouraged to give back to the community and take part in charitable deeds.

Saudi Arabia applies a strict version of sharia law and it hosts more than nine million foreigners.

Last march, the Kingdom started a crackdown on illegal workers. The government issued an amnesty period in April 2013 giving illegal migrants seven months to gain legal status. Since then, one million Bangladeshis, Indians, Filipinos, Nepalis, Pakistanis and Yemenis have left.

The government created a task force of 1,200 labour ministry officials who raided shops, construction sites, restaurants and businesses in a hunt for foreign workers employed without permits.

More than 16,000 people were rounded up.

News.
~Wassalam.

 

[queenislam]

Ramadan working hours for UAE public sector announced.
Abu Dhabi:
Working hours during Ramadan for federal government and ministry employees will be from 9am to 2pm, according to a resolution issued on Sunday by Humaid Mohammad Al Qutami, Minister of Education and Chairman of the Federal Authority for Government Human Resources.
Both ministers have extended their congratulations on this occasion
to all muslims world wide.
~News.
~Wassalam.

 

[queenislam]

Khalifa Foundation to provide Iftar meals.
1.8m Iftar meals will be distributed in 110 different regions

Abu Dhabi: The Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Foundation is providing 1.8 million Iftar meals to be distributed throughout the month of Ramadan in 110 different regions across the country.

The foundation has completed all preparations to start the project on the first day of the month.

The Khalifa Foundation stated that its Iftar Project, now being implemented for the seventh year in a row, reflects Islamic teachings which call for cooperation, compassion and affection.

The foundation’s Iftar project is aimed at helping national underprivileged families increase their income.

News.

 

[queenislam]

Saudi Arabia to expel expats who ‘disrespect’ Ramadan.
Violators face termination of work contracts and deportation.
Riyadh: Saudi authorities threatened on Thursday to expel non-Muslim foreigners who eat, drink or smoke in public during Ramadan, which begins this weekend.

The interior ministry urged non-Muslims to “respect the feelings of Muslims by refraining from eating, drinking or smoking in public places, streets and at work.”

“They are not excused for being non-Muslim,” said the statement carried by SPA state news agency, adding that “labour contracts stipulate respect for Muslim rites”.

“Those who violate [that]... will face the necessary measures, including terminating work contracts and being deported,” the statement added.
Saudi Arabia, which applies a strict version of Sharia, hosts more than nine million foreigners, mostly Asians.

~News.
Wassalam.

 

[queenislam]

Ramadhan 2014: Top Apps That Help With Fasting, Diet, Duas, Schedule, Sending Islamic Greetings, Salah and Much More

During the holy month of Ramadan, which is set to begin on 28 June this year, Muslims from around the globe will abstain from food, drink, and other physical needs during the day. To make things more convenient, IB Times UK has come out with a list of apps that have been designed specifically for Muslims during their spiritual journey.

Resala Ramadan
Interested in learning about the most basic principles to conduct fasting in the month of Ramadan? Then get this app. It highlights the key points about Ramadan and talks about things that are lawful and forbidden during the holy month, apart from essential fasting rules.

Click > OS and Android

Ramadan Duas
Ramadan marks the start of the month of prayers and asking of forgiveness, blessings and mercy of Allah Almighty. Pertaining to the month, there are some special duas that every Muslim must recite in order to gain the most blessings and mercy from Allah Almighty. Ramadan Duas is an app especially designed for Muslims who want to know formal duas for the month as a token of their gratification.

Click > Android

Ramadan Diet
The app has diet programmes that help users lose weight or maintain weight ahead of Ramadan. It has a set of exercises that help keep users fit and able during the fasting. There's also a notification function that will remind you to eat or exercise at the right time.

Click > iOS

Salah 3D Pro Islam
Salah 3D is a great way to learn how to pray salah. Whether you're an adult wanting to learn or brush up, or maybe you're looking for a way to teach your children namaz, this should be the perfect app for the purpose.

Click > iOS and Android

Muslim Pro
This is recognised by millions of followers of Islam throughout the Muslim world as the most accurate prayer time and azan application on mobile devices. Muslim Pro also features the full Quran with Arabic scripts, phonetics, translations and audio recitations as well as a Qibla locator, an Islamic Hijri calendar, a map of halal restaurants, mosques and more.

Click > iOS and Android

Islamic Greeting Cards
This app lets you easily pick an Islamic card and share it with the world. Share a Quran verse or Hadith using the Quran and Hadith cards.

Want to educate others about Islam? There are dawah cards available for free. Do you know some one who needs a dua? Pick a specific dua card for them. Want to send Ramadan and Eid greetings? There are cards available for these occasions as well. The app has cards from various different categories including Quran cards, Hadith cards, Eid cards and much more.

Click > iOS and Android

Masha'allah
Alhamdulillah

~Wassalam

 

[Um Ibrahim]

Saudi Arabia to expel expats who ‘disrespect’ Ramadan.
Violators face termination of work contracts and deportation.
Riyadh: Saudi authorities threatened on Thursday to expel non-Muslim foreigners who eat, drink or smoke in public during Ramadan, which begins this weekend.

The interior ministry urged non-Muslims to “respect the feelings of Muslims by refraining from eating, drinking or smoking in public places, streets and at work.”

“They are not excused for being non-Muslim,” said the statement carried by SPA state news agency, adding that “labour contracts stipulate respect for Muslim rites”.

“Those who violate [that]... will face the necessary measures, including terminating work contracts and being deported,” the statement added.
Saudi Arabia, which applies a strict version of Sharia, hosts more than nine million foreigners, mostly Asians.

~News.
Wassalam.

That is just strange. Why would they make such harsh laws for people that are not even Muslims. Shirk is a bigger sin than not observing the fast. So if they are tolerant of them worshiping other than Allah, surely they can tolerate them eating in ramadan. It just seems like these people make their own rules and don't follow the Quran or the Prophets sunna. And what about women who cannot fast; for example, women on their menses or those who are pregnant? These laws are outrages...sorry just don't understand it at all.

 

[queenislam]

King’s Ramadan gift: 1,017 prisoners freed.
Assalamu'alaikum,greeting.
JEDDAH .
Published — Wednesday 9 July 2014

image above:A file photo of Jeddah Gov. Prince Mishaal bin Majed with Brig. Ahmed Al-Shahrani, director of prisons in Jeddah.

Authorities are working around-the-clock to examine the cases of eligible prisoners including expatriates to be released from the Kingdom’s jails in Ramadan, Brig. Ahmed Abdullah Al-Shahrani, director of prisons in Jeddah, said on Tuesday.
In an interview with Arab News, he said that prisoners with minor crimes and those who had met the conditions for royal pardon are being released from prison as a gesture of mercy and kindness of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah during the month of Ramadan.
A special committee supervised by Jeddah Gov. Mishaal bin Majed is studying the cases of inmates who can avail of the royal pardon in Ramadan. The committee will determine the eligibility of the release, he added.
Brig. Shahrani said that up until last week, 1,017 inmates had walked free and the number was due to increase in the next few days.
He said that the released prisoners included Asian and African expatriates. However, he clarified that only prisoners detained for public rights related offenses were eligible for the amnesty.
The official further said that the punitive and correctional committee is closely examining the moral behavior of the inmates in addition to the nature of the crime. He said that memorization of the Holy Qur’an was also being taken into consideration for the amnesty.
Brig. Shahrani said that this year, 30 foreign non-Muslim inmates had converted to Islam having been impressed by Islamic teachings and values.
He said that Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah’s clemency reflects his interest to enable the released inmates to reunite with their families and relatives. He hoped that the released prisoners would turn over a new page and begin life again free from crime.
The Central Prison in Briman in Jeddah is currently being frequented by visitors of inmates to inquire if they have been pardoned or if their next of kin and friends have been released.
The inmates are being released in batches on a daily basis. Prison authorities are presenting them with gifts prior to their release. Many of the expatriate inmates shed tears of joy as they walked out of the prison.

News.
Thank you for reading,
~Wassalam

 

[queenislam]

Saudi Arabia donates polio medication to Pakistan.
RIYADH: MD RASOOLDEEN
Published — Wednesday 9 July 2014

A Pakistani health worker administers polio vaccination drops to a girl in a van in Bannu.

Saudi Arabia donated over 10 million doses of polio vaccine to Pakistan on Tuesday to help the country contain the crippling disease.
Khayyam Akbar, charge d’ affaires at the Pakistan Embassy, told Arab News that the consignment has already arrived at Islamabad airport and was received by Saudi Embassy officials in the Pakistani capital.
The Saudi embassy handed over 10,035,000 doses of polio vaccine to authorities of Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI) on the same day.
Akbar registered his thanks to the government of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosque King Abdullah for this magnanimous gesture.
The Saudi government pledged to donate vaccine to Pakistan during the World Health Assembly meeting held in May.
The doses will be administered to every Pakistani intending to travel abroad in line with the World Health Organization’s travel restrictions on Pakistan.
Pakistan is one of only three countries, alongside Afghanistan and Nigeria, where polio remains endemic and its persistence is considered a threat to the possible spread of polio to other countries.
Travel restrictions mean Pakistanis traveling abroad must be vaccinated against polio before leaving the country.
A total of 82 people in Pakistan tested positive for the disease in 2014, while 63 of these cases were reported in the North Waziristan region of the country.

Ramadhan Mubarak
~May Allah swt help,protect and guide all muslims~Amin!
Thank you for reading,
~Wassalam

 

[sister herb]

That is just strange. Why would they make such harsh laws for people that are not even Muslims. Shirk is a bigger sin than not observing the fast. So if they are tolerant of them worshiping other than Allah, surely they can tolerate them eating in ramadan. It just seems like these people make their own rules and don't follow the Quran or the Prophets sunna. And what about women who cannot fast; for example, women on their menses or those who are pregnant? These laws are outrages...sorry just don't understand it at all.

I wonder that too; is it right to force people to fast during Ramadan? I mean both non-muslims and muslims. In the Quran is written that "There is no compulsion in religion..." (2:256). If muslim fasts because he has to follow rules of some country, not because he wants to, doesn´t it invalidate his fast?

 

[queenislam]

The pillar of islam:
Fasting is wajib on all muslims in the month of Ramadhan

Assalamu'alaikum!
their intention for the non muslims to observe and respect
the holy blessed month of Ramadhan .
Nobody CAN force them to fast ,
Allah swt don't need fast from non muslims !
But
If they (non fasting) feel the urge to do their needs, well surely they can hide their activity
somewhere without getting spotted!

~Wassalam

 

[queenislam]

BISMILLAHIRRAHMANIRRAHIM: