The Start of Ramadan; an Annual Political Excercise

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Ramadan is based upon a lunar calendar and starts officially upon the sighting of the new moon. Thus, the holy month whereas Muslims abstain from food and water from sunrise to sunset might start tomorrow or Saturday. Throughout the Muslim world, people will try and spot the new moon (hilal) within an hour window at dusk time. In the Muslim countries, there is an official committee who hereby hears testimony from the witness(es) that have spotted the hilal and declare the start of Ramadan.

The irony is that this becomes a political affair whereas certain countries take the sighting of the moon in another country as applicable to their own country, while others do not. Thus, a religious and simple affair has to suffer at the hands of politics throughout the Muslim world. Instead of rejoice and solidarity amongst Muslims, the occasion become fraught with disharmony and divide. The masses suffer as a result and become disenfranchised from their political leadership.

I call upon key opinion leaders throughout the Muslim world to condemn this political grandstanding and unite behind the masses in having one start to the Holy month of Ramadan. This should be simple and benefits all Muslims throughout the world as the religion is inclusive and not exclusive. Please show us the Ramadan spirit.

Religious Outrage at a Video Game

I am conflicted about writing this post. The reason is that it would give credence to something that I absolutely do not want to promote or allude too. It is a video game that is insulting to all people of religious backgrounds. Although the direct attack is on Muslims, its content is blasphemous to anybody who believes in a higher deity; the All Powerful God.

It is a simple video game available for downloading whereas you blast away at so-called Muslim turbaned terrorists. As you reach higher levels, you get to kill Osama Bin Laden, and then, (may Allah forgive the insane amongst humanity), The All Powerful.

The creator is a simpleton who is a hate-monger and imbecile. They attempt to antagonize everyone who believes in God at an insane attempt at black, heartless comedy. They should be charged by the international community as a criminal within the ranks of Hitler, Stalin, and every other dictator. His actions are inexcusable. He attempts to gain his 15 minutes of fame, by being even more procatitive than the Danish cartoonist.

You would have noticed than I did not mention the title of this video game. No doubt that with a little bit of internet searches, the entripising amongst you would be able to find out about it. However, I do not want to give it credibility by mentioning it, thus making more aware of this obscure person and his ridiculous message.

May this person come back to their senses and repent. There is no value-added from this attempt. His skills and imagination can be utilized without antagonizing all religious people. After all, Allah is just the Arabic word for God. Muslims believe in the same God as Christians and Jews.