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Ramadan 2014 is being celebrated with traditional fervour in Saudi Arabia.

A sizzling summer and 15 hour-long fast is noteworthy this Ramadan and an influx of Umra visitors from abroad is rapidly on the rise.

More than 500,000 visitors are expected in Makkah and Madinah every week. The Saudi authorities, as well as residents, are enthusiastic to host and serve them.

Incoming flights are packed as are hotels and furnished apartments in the two Holy Cities.

I was lucky to spend the first two days of Ramadan in Makkah Mukarramah. The Holy Mosque was jam-packed the entire day despite the hot weather. Taraweeh prayers witnessed over half a million participants from all over the world.

Representatives have reported that Ramadan is in full swing in Jeddah, Riyadh, Dammam and other cities across the kingdom.

The Custodian of Two Holy Mosques, King Abdullah Al-Saud’s decision to allow an extension of visit visas to foreign residents has been widely appreciated by all quarters.

Life during Ramadan is peculiar in Saudi Arabia. Daily work hours are considerably reduced. One goes to work at 10am and comes back home at 3pm, thus allowing more time to focus on Ramadan rituals.

Fasting does make some people dry and lazy. However, within a few days, those affected eventually recover and become steadfast Muslims.

During Ramadan, people become philanthropic and execute the disbursement of Zakat (charity) to the poor and deserving.

Shopping during Ramadan is a treat in Saudi Arabia. The shops, markets, corniche and restaurants remain open from 9pm till 3am. Soon after Isha’ prayers, the main roads are packed and malls are filled with shoppers.

Unlike some South Asian countries, inflation is kept under strict control across Saudi Arabia. The average shopper receives hefty discounts, giveaways and prizes during Ramadan.

Wiser housewives utilise Ramadan to purchase new furniture and appliances to re-decorate their homes. Inexplicable as it may seem, most Saudis replace their automobiles with new ones during Ramadan. Expatriates watch out for flight discounts since most would prefer to spend the coming Eid al-Fitr in their home countries.  

May Allah enable all of us to reap the real benefits of fasting this Ramadan.

Rohail Khan, Jeddah.

I enjoy Camille Jones’ FashionWeekly page and when I see particular clothes that I like, I scan the article to see where the outlet is located.

But very often she omits this very vital detail, including a phone number. Even when the outlet’s location is stated as being in a large shopping mall, there is no contact number.

Last week’s article on Kubra Al-Qaseer’s jalabiyas is a typical example. Camille mentions that Kubra’s headquarters are in East Riffa yet there is no phone number, nor location.
 
Please can Camille make it mandatory in future, to always include an exact location and phone number?

Frustrated fashion follower,
Tanya Skinz.

Editor’s note: I’ll have to defend Camille on this occasion because the exact location of Kubra’s HQ was edited from the final version of her article.

It is in Al Hunainya and the contact number is 17666776.

As a general rule the article does not contain contact telephone numbers because many outlets often have more than one location and space constraints rule out publication, but perhaps your comments will encourage the featured companies to advertise their products in this newspaper.

The Bahrain Federation of Expatriate Associations (BFEA) held a special Ghabgha ‘This is Bahrain’ event at the Sacred Heart Church last night.

It was designed to bring all of our multi-faith communities together to celebrate our freedom of religion and the ‘one family’ spirit that has seen Bahrain welcoming all faiths and nationalities to live together in peace and harmony with mutual respect and tolerance for centuries.

Sacred Heart Church is located right in the heart of Manama, in the shadow of Sunni mosques, Shia mattams, Hindu temples, Jewish synagogues and Christian churches.

Invitees included ministers, ambassadors, community leaders and representatives of all religious organisations and the media.

Miss Betsy B Mathieson,
Secretary General,
The Bahrain Federation  of Expatriate Associations.

The Chief of Public Security Major-General Tariq Al Hassan has renewed the Interior Ministry’s stance, warning citizens about participating in, calling for, or inciting others to fight in conflicts zones in foreign countries.
 
He also warned against joining extremist religious groups or any group that is classified as a terrorist organisation. The Ministry also calls for people not to provide any financial or moral support to any individual or group that jeopardises the security of Bahrain.

A committee has been formed in connection to the situations in Syria and Iraq and has been assigned to take legal steps against anyone who participates, or incites, in activities relating in any way to fighting abroad.
 
A travel ban will be issued against anyone who is found to be involved in the aforementioned acts on any level. Some individuals have already been summoned to appear with their parents who were warned to monitor their children.

A series of steps have been taken to prevent people from travelling to fight abroad including:
* The implementation of legal and supervisory procedures in cooperation with the Central Bank of Bahrain, Customs Affairs and the General Directorate of Anti-corruption, Economic and Electronic Security. Statements were registered for some suspects to identify the destination of remittances. In cases where the remittances were proven to be for charitable aid, they were informed of the legal procedures for such support.

* To check travellers who are travelling to countries where conflict zones are located.

* To take all legal procedures against any resident who is involved in supporting, or inciting participation in violence abroad, by not renewing his resident permit and deporting the individual immediately.

The Interior Ministry calls upon the public and on all parents to care for and supervise their children.
 
First Lt Fatema I. Jawhar,
Police Media Directorate,
Ministry of Interior.