Muslims welcome holy month of Ramadan with a mix of joy and deep concern

Muslims welcome holy month of Ramadan with a mix of joy and deep concern
Muslim worshippers take part in the evening ‘Tarawih’ prayers during of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, at Al-Aqsa compound, in Jerusalem Old City March 10, 2024. (REUTERS)
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Updated 10 March 2024
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Muslims welcome holy month of Ramadan with a mix of joy and deep concern

Muslims welcome holy month of Ramadan with a mix of joy and deep concern
  • Ramadan is month of dawn-to-dusk fasting, intense prayer, charity and feasts that begins for many Sunday night
  • This year, war and starvation in the Gaza Strip casts an especially dark shadow on the festivities of the holy month

Muslims around the world are welcoming the arrival of Ramadan, a month of dawn-to-dusk fasting, intense prayer, charity and feasts that begins for many Sunday night.
But as they savor the traditions of their own diverse communities — from holiday treats to evening diversions — the tribulations faced by fellow Muslims are never far from anyone’s mind. This year, war and starvation in the Gaza Strip casts an especially dark shadow on the festivities.
Many are also struggling to buy food as inflation remains high in many countries and has worsened in some.
Still, even Muslims who are struggling economically or otherwise look forward to what are widely seen as the true blessings of the holy month — prayer and reflection, nurtured by the daylong fast, and time spent with loved ones.
IN PAKISTAN, A CITY THAT DOESN’T SLEEP
No one does Ramadan better than the people of Karachi, at least according to Maulana Tanveer Ul Haq Thanvi, an Islamic scholar in the city in southern Pakistan.
The congregation at his family-run mosque swells from 10,000 to 15,000 during the holy month, and volunteers are working to make sure there is enough space, food and water for the sunset prayers.
From dawn to dusk, observant Muslims the world over will refrain from eating, drinking, smoking and sexual intercourse. Even the tiniest sip of water would invalidate the fast, which is intended to help focus the mind on prayer and charity.
“In Ramadan, our prayers are heard and the religious observance is day and night,” Thanvi said. “People want to help others who are needier than them, even those who don’t have much to give.” His sermons will focus on “how people should behave with each other, including when Ramadan is over.”
At sundown, many will break the fast with a date or two, as the Prophet Muhammad was said to have done, before attending evening prayers. Then they will gather for “iftar,” a typically lavish feast shared with friends and family, and a festive atmosphere will prevail late into the night.
“Locals don’t go to sleep. You’ll see kids playing cricket in the street after iftar,” Thanvi said.
IN INDONESIA, HIGH PRICES THREATEN HOLIDAY FEASTS
Muslims liven up their iftar spreads with their own local delicacies. In Egypt, the shelves are lined with qamar el-din, a sticky apricot treat. In Syria, Lebanon and Jordan, sidewalk vendors make qatayef — tiny pancakes stuffed with cream and nuts and drizzled with syrup.
In Indonesia, with the world’s largest Muslim population, Ramadan rituals vary by region, reflecting the country’s rich and varied culture. Many celebrate with rendang — meat braised in coconut milk and local spices.
This year, it will be harder to come by, as the country grapples with soaring food prices because of worldwide inflation and a poor local rice harvest.
Sari Yanti, a mother of three, stood in a long line at one of several distribution points in the capital, Jakarta, to purchase state-subsidized rice and other staples, saying it had never been this bad. “Prices are going up nowadays — anything to do with cooking is rising,” she said.
Mosques and charities across the Muslim world organize free iftars for the poorest, and sometimes it’s the only meat they will eat all year.
IN EGYPT, MANY STRUGGLE DESPITE FESTIVE ATMOSPHERE
In Cairo, the streets are decked with colorful Ramadan lanterns, bakeries are hawking holiday sweets and television networks are promoting prime-time soap operas, hoping to capitalize on nightly food comas.
“Ramadan is a month of prayer, but also of desserts,” one man quipped as he waited in line outside a bakery displaying trays of holiday sweets, including baclava, qatayef and kunafa — a syrupy delight made with shredded pastry and topped with crumbled pistachios.
But here too, beneath the normal holiday veneer, many are struggling. The government floated its currency last week as part of an emergency bailout from the International Monetary Fund, causing prices to skyrocket.
One out of every three people in Egypt, the Arab world’s most populous country, was already living in poverty, and in recent years even the middle class have struggled to make ends meet.
“The situation has been very difficult,” said Abdel-Kareem Salah, a civil servant and father of four, as he shopped for groceries ahead of Ramadan in the working class neighborhood around the famed Sayeda Zaynab mosque, where the alleys are strung with lights and lanterns.
“We just purchase the necessities,” he said. “For us, and many like us, meat has become a luxury.”
IN THE UNITED STATES, ‘A SENSE OF GUILT’ OVER GAZA
Sonia Uddin, a second-generation Pakistani-American living in Orange County, California, said that her family sometimes enjoys hamburgers for iftar and coffee and donuts for suhoor, the pre-dawn meal right before the daily fast begins.
She strives to maintain the traditions of her immigrant parents, but said that her 14-year-old son “is really more Western than Eastern,” and insists on American-style food as they observe the holy month half a world away from the cradle of their faith.
She looks forward to attending nightly prayers, drinking tea with friends and catching up with people she hasn’t seen for the past year.
But for her and many other Muslim Americans, those joyful moments will be shadowed by concern for Gaza, where a five-month Israeli offensive has killed more than 30,000 Palestinians, driven most of the population from their homes and pushed hundreds of thousands to the brink of famine.
Israel launched the campaign in response to Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack, in which Palestinian militants killed around 1,200 people in Israel and took around 250 hostage. The United States, Israel’s top ally, has provided crucial military and diplomatic support while pushing for more aid for civilians.
“Ramadan has typically been a time when I’ve turned away from the outside world and focused on my connection with God,” Uddin said. “But this year, turning off is not an option for me. I need to continue my activism so those who have no voice can be heard.”
Zulfat Suara, a Nigerian American and the first Muslim to serve on the metro council in Nashville, Tennessee, said that Gaza is “at the very top” of her list of prayers.
“That is the whole point of Ramadan — just that weight. That is the whole reason we fast,” Suara said.
She plans to attend the Music City Iftar, an annual community event for Muslims and non-Muslims. She said that interfaith dialogue has broken down barriers and likely helped her get elected.
“Muslims are not strangers anymore. Our customs, our traditions, become part of our society,” she said.
Nashville native Ahmad Ayoub, a 20-year-old Palestinian American, said he is looking forward to Fridays at the city’s Islamic Center and iftars with his family, but the guilt is already creeping in.
“I’ll come home to break my fast and hunger with a full meal, while our aunts, uncles and cousins in Palestine are just forced to continue to starve,” he said. “There will definitely be a sense of guilt in knowing that I have this full meal in front of me.”


84 Indonesian workers from Myanmar scam centers return home

84 Indonesian workers from Myanmar scam centers return home
Updated 5 sec ago
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84 Indonesian workers from Myanmar scam centers return home

84 Indonesian workers from Myanmar scam centers return home
  • Eighty-four Indonesians returned home overnight on two flights from Thailand, Indonesian officials said Saturday, the latest group of alleged scam workers to be repatriated from the region

JAKARTA: Eighty-four Indonesians returned home overnight on two flights from Thailand, Indonesian officials said Saturday, the latest group of alleged scam workers to be repatriated from the region.
Cyberscam operations, which have thrived in Myanmar’s lawless border areas for several years, lure foreign workers with promises of high-paying jobs but hold them hostage and force them into committing online fraud.
Under pressure from key ally Beijing, Myanmar has cracked down on some of the compounds, freeing around 7,000 workers from more than two dozen countries.
The 69 Indonesian men and 15 women landed in capital Jakarta after negotiations between Indonesian officials and their Thai and Myanmar counterparts, Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affair’s citizen protection director Judha Nugraha told AFP Saturday.
“They will be brought to the Social Affairs Ministry’s safehouse and trauma center. They will undergo a rehabilitation process,” he said.
Ministry spokesperson Rolliansyah Soemirat also confirmed their return.
The group, which included three pregnant women, were in “good condition and healthy” after their evacuation from Myanmar, the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.
They arrived in Jakarta on two AirAsia flights — one late Friday and one early Saturday.
The ministry said it had repatriated an early group of 46 Indonesians in February, bringing the total repatriated since last month to 140.
Thousands of Indonesians have been enticed abroad in recent years to other Southeast Asian countries for better-paying jobs, only to end up in the hands of transnational scam operators.
Between 2020 and September last year, Jakarta repatriated more than 4,700 Indonesians entangled in online scam operations from countries including Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos and Vietnam, according to foreign ministry data.


Four dead in India avalanche, five still missing: army

Four dead in India avalanche, five still missing: army
Updated 1 min 38 sec ago
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Four dead in India avalanche, five still missing: army

Four dead in India avalanche, five still missing: army

DEHRADUN, India: At least four people were confirmed dead and five were still missing after an avalanche hit a remote border area in India, the army said Saturday.
A total of 55 workers were buried under snow and debris after the avalanche struck a construction camp near a village on the border with Tibet on Friday.


Millions of Muslims in Indonesia mark the start of the holy month of Ramadan

Millions of Muslims in Indonesia mark the start of the holy month of Ramadan
Updated 01 March 2025
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Millions of Muslims in Indonesia mark the start of the holy month of Ramadan

Millions of Muslims in Indonesia mark the start of the holy month of Ramadan

JAKARTA: Muslims in Indonesia are shopping for sweets and new clothes and taking part in traditional festivities as millions observe the holy month of Ramadan, which started on Saturday.
Celebrations in the world’s most populous Muslim-majority country range from colorful nighttime parades and cleaning family graves to preparing food for predawn breakfasts and elaborate post-sundown meals known as “iftars.”
Each region in the vast archipelago nation of 17,000 islands has its own way to mark the start of Ramadan, when Muslims refrain from eating, drinking, smoking and sexual intercourse from sunrise until sunset for the whole month.
Even a tiny sip of water or a puff of smoke is enough to invalidate the fast. At night, family and friends gather and feast in a festive atmosphere.
Religious Affairs Minister Nasaruddin Umar announced on Friday that Ramadan will begin on Saturday, after the sighting of the crescent moon was confirmed by Islamic astronomy observers in Indonesia’s westernmost province of Aceh.
Shortly after the announcement, mosques flooded with devotees offering evening prayers known as “tarawih” on the first eve of Ramadan. In Jakarta’s Istiqlal Grand Mosque, the largest in Southeast Asia, tens of thousands of worshippers crammed together shoulder-to-shoulder.
The daylong fasting is aimed at bringing the faithful closer to God and reminding them of the suffering of the poor. Muslims are expected to strictly observe daily prayers and engage in heightened religious contemplation. They are also urged to refrain from gossip, fighting or cursing during the holy month.
Flares, drums and tradition
Samsul Anwar, his wife and their 8-year-old nephew were among hundreds of people taking part in a torchlight parade along the streets of their neighborhood in Tangerang, a city just outside the capital of Jakarta, on Wednesday after evening prayers.
They carried torches, lit flares and played Islamic songs accompanied by the beat of rebana, the Arabic handheld percussion instrument, as they walked along the cramped streets of the densely populated neighborhood.
“Every year we welcome Ramadan with a tradition that has been passed down from generation to generation,” said Anwar.
Chinese Indonesian communities also participated in the parade by performing the vibrant “barongsai” or “lion dance,” a prominent part of Chinese New Year celebration, to the sound of drums and trumpets.
The barongsai performance “was also held to show unity between the religious communities of Chinese and Muslim, aiming to increase religious tolerance,” Anwar said.
Cost of living anxieties
It’s also an exciting time for business. Hotels, restaurants and cafes all prepare special Ramadan promotions, and shoppers flock to shopping centers for new clothes and home decorations for the holiday of Eid Al-Fitr, which marks the end of Ramadan. Children often receive new clothes and gifts.
However, some Muslims worry how they will cope financially during Ramadan this year amid soaring prices.
“Everything to do with cooking is rising (in cost) day by day,” said Asih Mulyawati, a mother of two who lives in Jakarta’s outskirt of Tangerang. “I worry this situation will impact Ramadan celebrations.”
Despite soaring food prices in the past month, popular markets such as Tanah Abang in Jakarta were teeming with shoppers buying clothes, shoes, cookies and sweets before the holiday.
Indonesia’s Trade Ministry has said prices of imported staple foods including wheat, sugar, beef and soybeans have increased sharply this year as a result of rising global commodity prices and supply chain disruptions.
But many people say the rise in prices not only impacts imported foods but also local commodities like rice, eggs, chili, palm oil and onions. Many also blame the government for rising gas and electricity prices.
“The current gloomy economic situation and extreme weather recently also contribute to the soaring prices and the weakening of people’s purchasing power,” said Heru Tatok, a trader in Jakarta’s Pasar Senen market.


Trump administration approves major nearly $3 billion arms sale to Israel

Trump administration approves major nearly $3 billion arms sale to Israel
Updated 01 March 2025
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Trump administration approves major nearly $3 billion arms sale to Israel

Trump administration approves major nearly $3 billion arms sale to Israel
  • State Department said it had signed off on the sale of more than 35,500 MK 84 and BLU-117 bombs and 4,000 Predator warheads

WASHINGTON: The Trump administration has approved a major nearly $3 billion arms sale to Israel, bypassing a normal congressional review to provide the country with more of the 2,000-pound bombs that it has used in the war against Hamas in Gaza.
In a series of notifications sent to Congress late Friday, the State Department said it had signed off on the sale of more than 35,500 MK 84 and BLU-117 bombs and 4,000 Predator warheads worth $2.04 billion.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio “has determined and provided detailed justification that an emergency exists that requires the immediate sale to the Government of Israel of the above defense articles and defense services in the national security interests of the United States, thereby waiving the Congressional review requirements,” the department said.
Deliveries are set to begin next year, it said.
Using the same justification, the department also said Rubio had approved another munitions sale to Israel worth $675.7 million to be delivered starting in 2028.
In addition, it said Rubio had approved the emergency sale of D9R and D9T Caterpillar bulldozers worth $295 million.


What Trump’s order making English the official language in the US could mean

What Trump’s order making English the official language in the US could mean
Updated 01 March 2025
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What Trump’s order making English the official language in the US could mean

What Trump’s order making English the official language in the US could mean
  • Designating English as the national language “promotes unity, establishes efficiency in government operations, and creates a pathway for civic engagement,” according to the White House
  • Of more than 350 languages spoken in the US, English, Spanish, Chinese, Tagalog, Vietnamese and Arabic and the most widely spoken

As President Donald Trump is expected to sign an executive order designating English as the official language of the United States, activists and advocacy groups are alarmed by what that will mean for non-English speakers when it comes to immigration, voter access and other issues.
The order, which was announced Friday, will allow government agencies and organizations that receive federal funding to choose whether to continue to offer documents and services in languages other than English, according to a fact sheet. The move rescinds a mandate from former President Bill Clinton that required the government and organizations that received federal funding to provide language assistance to non-English speakers.
Designating English as the national language “promotes unity, establishes efficiency in government operations, and creates a pathway for civic engagement,” according to the White House. But some activists and organizations think the move is just another way for the president to stoke division and fear.
“This isn’t just an offensive gesture that sticks a thumb in the eye of millions of US citizens who speak other languages, but also will directly harm those who have previously relied on language assistance for vital information,” Vanessa Cárdenas, executive director of America’s Voice, an advocacy group for immigration reform, said in an email.
What does it mean to have an official language?
According to the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance, an official language is what is used by the government to conduct official, day-to-day business. Having one or more official languages can help define a nation’s character and the cultural identity of those who live in it.
Prioritizing one language may place certain people in position of power and exclude others whose language is not recognized, according to the institute.
US English, a group that advocates for making English the official language in the United States, believes having an official language provides a common means of communication, encourages immigrants to learn English to use government services and “defines a much-needed common sense language policy.”
Currently there are more than 350 languages spoken in the United States, according to US Census Bureau data. The most widely spoken languages other than English are Spanish, Chinese, Tagalog, Vietnamese and Arabic.
People in the US also speak Native North American languages such as Navajo, Yupik, Dakota, Apache, Keres and Cherokee, among others.
Potential impact on citizenship and voting
Anabel Mendoza, the communications director for United We Dream, a nonprofit immigrant advocacy organization, said limiting the language of federal communication will make it harder for people to become citizens if they are denied the ability to speak their native tongue throughout the process. Currently, people of certain age and residency requirements can qualify for a waiver to do the citizenship test and interview in their native language.
“Trump is trying to send the message that if you’re not white, rich and speak English you don’t belong here,” Mendoza said. “Let me be clear: Immigrants are here to stay. No matter how hard Trump tries, he can’t erase us.”
The Congressional Hispanic Caucus announced Friday that New York Rep. Adriano Espaillat, caucus chair, will deliver, on behalf of Democrats, the official Spanish-language response to Trump’s upcoming joint address to Congress.
George Carrillo, co-founder & CEO of the Hispanic Construction Council, said it seems like a step backwards in a country that has championed its diversity. He is also concerned how limiting governmental communication might affect US territories such as Puerto Rico where the predominant language is Spanish.
“This executive order, while framed as promoting unity, risks dismantling critical supports like ESL programs and multilingual resources that help immigrants adapt and contribute,” Carrillo said. “Imagine families navigating health care or legal systems without materials in a language they understand, it’s a barrier, not a bridge.”
APIAVote, a nonpartisan nonprofit focused on registering Asian American and Pacific Islander voters, also expressed worry this could mean barriers for millions of voters such as naturalized citizens or elderly residents who aren’t English-proficient.
“It will make it harder for them to participate civically and vote, as well as access critical health care, economic and education resources,” the group said in a statement.
Furthermore, the organization says this action could make anyone who speaks another language a target.
“The exclusionary nature of this policy will only fuel xenophobia and discrimination at a time when anti-Asian hate and hate against other minority and immigrant groups are rising.”
States that have English as the official language
More than 30 states, from California to New Hampshire, as well as the US Virgin Islands have already passed laws designating English as their official language, according to US English. Hawaii is the only state to declare two official languages, English and Hawaiian.
For decades, lawmakers in Congress have introduced legislation to designate English as the official language, but those efforts failed. The most recent effort was in 2023, when Sens. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., and JD Vance, R-Ohio, introduced the English Language Unity Act. Vance is now vice president.
How many countries have official languages?
It is estimated that over 170 countries have an official language, with some having more than one language.
Mexico does not have an official language. In Canada the official languages are English and French. According to Canada’s Official Languages Act of 1969, the purpose of designating two languages ensures “the equality of status” and protecting linguistic minorities “while taking into account the fact that they have different needs.”