Ramadan
This refers to the report “ Preparation in place for Ramadan” (July 5). It is good to read that the Ministry and Municipality have made all arrangements to make Ramadan more comfortable for the pilgrims and local people in Saudi Arabia.
Ramadan is the month of full blessings, Muslims should strive hard to devote most of the time in prayers and worshipping as in this month reward is almost double than to that other months. As a matter of fact, life is the tilt of Hereafter, what one sows here, he or she will reap in Hereafter.
Ramadan is full of trial, so Muslim must be steadfast on right path, and should do more and more goodness. In this month, charity also plays an important role as by donating money, food or clothes or cloth may make poor and needy people comfortable and they may pray for you and that will be the investment in the Hereafter. To remain healthy in Ramadan, one must go to bed after the prayer of Tarawih as it will make one fresh and will give him or her strength for the next day.
In Ramadan many people do not keep a timetable for sleep and they go on depriving the sleep for many days that makes them weak and they do not find interest in the job as they cannot concentrate on the job owing to lack of sleep.
For the whole day a Muslim must pass without food and water in Ramadan, the quantity of fluid becomes less in his or her body, so for the sake of gaining required water quantity, it is always good to have at least three to four glasses of water at the dawn (Shehri) and at least five to six glasses of water after breaking the fast.
By this way, one can maintain required fluid for the body. Also, one must be very careful with eating habits in Ramadan as many people eat lot of oily food stuffs before and after the fasting that make them fat. Once weight has gained then it can slow down one’s alacrity and he may tend to slow in his or her work. It is important that weight should be increased in Ramadan. Also, in Ramadan, performing Umrah also plays and important role as in this month performing Umrah gives the equal reward of Haj.
For gaining good knowledge in line with religion, one can devote time reading Qur’anic commentary after Asr prayer for at least one hour, by this way he or she can gain good knowledge by the end of Ramadan.
And once reading habit gets cemented he can carry on his reading habits the whole year that will open vast resources of the knowledge. In Ramadan it is a good chance to give up smoking habit, if one can pass the time almost 14 hours without smoking then if he or she tries harder than restraint can be put on the smoking. As a matter of fact, smoking creates a lot of ailments and weakens inner body system, so in Ramadan one must give a try to give up smoking on permanent basis. — Anees Kokhande, Alkhobar
Media on Islamists
Is this the time of the Islamists? (July 4) was an interesting read that had an element nullifying the strength of Islamists and their long journey on the road of sacrifices accompanied by brutalities by dictators and corrupt rulers for decades. Finally, Egyptians are attempting to free themselves from the clutches of dictators and corrupt rulers to elect their true representatives.
I would like to congratulate the Egyptian masses for their unified decision to cast their vote for Muhammad Mursi, proving their majority as Islam-loving patriots.
Islamists’ simple style, visionary and selfless leadership will answer the hue-and-cry of much hyped media through their actions of peace, progress, real freedom and equal opportunity to all Egyptians besides development and prosperity.
Unfortunately, Muslim intellectuals too engage in promoting the concept of Islamophobia and negative stereotypes of Muslims by calling for “political Islam.” I think it is mere negligence without giving a fair chance to Islamists and using the language of colonial powers. This practice of maligning Islamists has to stop at least for now.
It will be premature if anyone expects a sweeping change at the time when in Egypt’s history, Dr. Mursi has insignificant power where as Hosni Mubarak regime has enjoyed full constitutional, legislative and executive powers. Why this double standard?
The military is sworn to uphold the constitution of the country against all enemies, foreign and domestic, but why is Egypt’s Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) putting their nose in politics, which is an unholy exercise and is not at all paid for. They simply have to stay out of politics and go back to barricades to perform their duties, especially in a situation where the Egyptian people had democratically elected their president. Congratulations to all Egyptians. — Saif Ul Islam Farooqui, Riyadh
Letters — Ramadan
