The authorities of Saudi Arabia have warned non-Muslim expatriates on Friday, the first day of Ramadan, not to eat, drink, or smoke in public until the end of the Muslim holy month’s sunrise-to-sunset fast — or face expulsion.
It was reported that the Interior Ministry of the oil-rich kingdom called on expatriates to “show consideration for feelings of Muslims” and “preserve the sacred Islamic rituals.” Otherwise, a ministry statement said, Saudi authorities will cancel violators’ work contracts and expel them.
Saudi Arabia’s population of 27 million includes some 8 million expatriates, including Asians, Arabs, and Westerners, according to government figures.
The ultraconservative Sunni kingdom is the home of Islam’s holiest sites. The warning — which is issued at the beginning of Ramadan every year — serve as a reminder that the Western-allied monarchy must answer to a strict religious establishment that holds de facto veto power over many of its policies.
With challenges to the established order growing bolder from a population nearly half of which is under 30, Saudi Arabia has recently made some moves to show moderation. It is sending female athletes to the Olympics for the first time this year. King Abdullah has promised to allow women to run and vote in municipal elections in 2015. He also has tried to rein in the country’s feared morality police.
But Saudi rights advocate Waleed Aboul Khair believes that while such moves give impression that the grip of hardliners has eased, “when you look around, nothing has changed and suppression has not changed.” He is facing trial for “tarnishing the kingdom’s reputation,” mostly by his political activism for women’s rights and other issues.
When christains will be fasting,will muslis also b eating secretly aswell? Useless sabi terro.
My dear don’t mind the useless idiots.
2 d muslim world is a sacred month and it must be respected. Minority fools. If u understand d message of islam u woud’nt have d audacity 2 insult any one.THIS IS A HOLY LAND MIND U.I URGE U GUYS 2 STOP DIS SENSELESS POSTING
@Bshir,nice 1 nd tnx 4 dat.happy ramadan kareem
I keep saying one thing and I will continue to say it. Are the present christians really follow the preaches of Jesus or worldly affairs? Because Jesus never condemned other people businesses which are not concern of his. Well, from me I would rather say thank you for helping muslims to popularize Islam. The more you lambast it the higher it grows in the air. Air is the most important thing in the lives of everything that exists and such is Islam. Ramadan Kareem to all the muslims in the universe. I love Allah and all His prophets especially Abraham, Moses, Jesus and Muhammad(S.A.W.)
@ Bashir,must u insult ppl y adressing them.Wel,my fellow Believers,plz stop bombanding odas business.Grace be wit d Christian World.
yes christians fast but not a way 2 get 2 heaven. bcos God has givin us a race, n all is in d BIble. all dis ur so called islamic religious activities is it what will take u all 2 heaven ? u stay away from d pleasures of life, u giv 2 d poor n all sort of practices 2 seek ur allah’s face 4 long or short period of time or watever, is dat salvation, u tink d race of heaven is just dis human religious vanity ritiousness u muslims dedicate ursels 2 ? d Word of God must prevail in d Bible. thereLs only 1 way of life 2 serve God n its in d Bible. ur mohamed is a vessel of d evil dat read d Bible n counterfit it into o novel reading quran and form a religious islamsm 2 decieve millions of soul in2 blivin dat they are serving God. Christianity is not a religion, it is a way of life God has design 4 us 2 serv Him. Christianity has been b4 all oder counterfit called religion like hindu’s islam etc.there’s dis popular saying dat “original must b produce b4 d fake” “if u donnw original u wil not knw fake ” dis life is a life of TWO, good n bad, original n fake. n u all knw dat d ist tin in existance is always GOOD N ORIGINAL wich is christianity, its has been b4 all others called relligion.
muslims dont b confuise allow God 2 heal ur worldy n satanic pride n 2 deliver u from dat satanic islamic religion. come 2 d light n GIV UR LIFE 2 JESUS CHRIST D SAVIOUR OF D WORLD. through him u’ll inherit d kingdom of God. do not b decieved anymore of this ur religious practices dat mohamed n co a vessel of d devil 2 decieve u all 2 HELL.
Thanks @ Organiser,Best,& Save. 2 D muslims, just know that 2 make peace is not by making otherz 2 feel inconvinient,or “notice me”.Jesus is Lord….no controvercy.
@saved frm…why have associated such wrongs wit islam.U didnt inquire to know abt Islam yet u condemned it as such.U’ve never read d Quran yet u calld it a novel.Quran was sent by God to correct the misunderstandin that God and Jesus share the same authority and other misconceptions.Anyone that doesnt blieve in the oneness of God is a non believer. Stick to ur religion and stop condemnin Islam.I am proud to be Muslim.
@saved..wat wil u calf faked if not christianity..did jesus realy named u pple christian..did Jesus wana die 4 u on d cross as u said..den y screamin…did u realy wat religiön entails den y dancin nd cryin lyk an owl in d hous of god..d originality is in islam, d relign wel organisd by God nd devoid of human error..
Pls my poeple both christians and muslims before we know the origin of our religions let us go to GOOGLE and search for BAPHOMET we will understand better and do the right thing through knowing the right riligion to follow