Ramadan and Eid in the social media age

The End of Ramadan: How Can We Build on What We've Gained?

Ramadan in Kenya

Ramadan in Kenya meets Muslims living in Mombasa, Kisumu and Nairobi and captures their lives and culture in their homes, at work and in their places of worship.

They talk about what aspects of Ramadan mean the most to them.

Aseef Akram is a 25-year-old halal butcher living in Mombasa. He talks about the "spirit of Ramadan" in the city, the culture of openness towards those who are fasting, and about breaking that fast with the coconut dishes of the region.

"For me [during Ramadan], I tend to be most spiritually connected to my God, my creator," says Akram.

In the western city of Kisumu, Fauza Asya Kombo picks and sells bananas for a living and is raising five children on her own after her husband died.

Although earning a livelihood can be a struggle, she says, "When we've finished [iftar], we give any leftover bread to our neighbours. Food doesn't go to waste ... Wasting leads to non-belief."

Arafat bin Talebis, a sixth grader at a shelter for orphans, talks about the peace he gains from his Quranic studies and the importance of his faith in his life.

"To me, the month of Ramadan acts like a guide. If I've made mistakes before Ramadan, I'll avoid making them once Ramadan starts," he says.

From the Quran memorisation competitions which attract children studying in madrassas in Tanzania and Uganda - to Akram's family using the opportunity to eat together to break their fast, Ramadan in Kenya experiences the spirituality, traditions and significance of the holy month through the eyes of individuals who observe it.

 Source

Getting Ready for Ramadan Session #3 - Fiqh Of Fasting w/ Khalil Abdur Rashid

Ramadan Advice - Where is Your Heart? by Shaykh Hamza Yusuf

Shaykh Abdul Nasir Jangda - Prophetic Ramadan

The Spirit of Ramadan

Mike Ghouse at www.WorldMuslimCongress.com

From the moment we are born to the last rites of our life, every moment in between is laden with rituals, even though some of us may deny it. Whether we go to the gym, eat, sleep, wear clothes, drive or talk on the phone, we follow rituals.

Rituals signify the milestones of our daily life. Every significant moment of the day is a ritual. It is an unwritten way of measuring our progression, a memory pattern to bring discipline to our actions.

Discipline is necessary to do things on time, manage personal relationships, drive to a destination or keep within budget. The result of disciplined behavior is worthwhile for most people. When joyous, whether we are a theist or not, we have to express that sentiment, otherwise a sense of incompleteness lingers in our hearts.

The spiritual masters have captured the human gravity towards rituals and have molded it with the art and science of self-discipline in their respective religions. The noble purpose of each one of them was to bring a balance in our lives and a balance with our environment.

Every faith is composed of a set of unique rituals to bring discipline and peace to human life. Fasting is one of the five key rituals that Muslims around the world observe.

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar and is generally observed with a ritual precision; it is an annual training or a refresher. It requires one to abstain from food, drink, intimacy, ill will, ill talk, ill actions and other temptations from dawn to dusk, every day for a month. One has to rise above his or her baser desires. Islam gifts this month to its followers to inculcate discipline to bring moderation to their daily lives. Twenty five hundred years ago, Buddha, the enlightened one taught that human suffering is caused by unrestrained desire to possess and had recommended a middle path, and the same recommendation was made by Prophet Muhammad fourteen hundred years ago.

Although Ramadan is popularly known in the west for its culinary delicacies and fancy iftars (ceremonial breaking of fast at sun down), the spirit and intent of Ramadan lies in a human transformation in a month-long inner spiritual journey of finding oneself in tune with spirituality.

God has no need for the hunger or thirst of someone who hurts others, violates their dignity or usurps their rights, said Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). The fasting of the stomach must be matched by the fasting of the limbs. The eyes, ears, tongue, hands and feet all have their respective fasts to undergo. The tongue's temptations, for example -- lies, backbiting, slander, vulgarity and senseless argumentation -- must be challenged and curbed to maintain the integrity of the fast.

Consciousness of behavior and vigilance over action are the most profound dimensions of fasting: the fasting of the heart focuses on the attachment to the divine. That is when Ramadan really becomes a source of peace and solace, just as Christmas goes beyond the rituals to bring forth kindness, charity and caring.

True fasting is self-purification; and from this comes a rich inner life that bring about values such as justice, generosity, patience, kindness, forgiveness, mercy and empathy -- values that are indispensable for the success of the community.

Knowing about hunger is different from knowing hunger. Empathy is not an intellectual equation; it is a human experience. Our hardness of heart often springs from our distance from the human condition of others. The poor, sick, disenfranchised, oppressed -- we rarely walk a mile in their shoes, not even a few steps. "Rest assured," cautioned one teacher, "if you do not taste what it feels like to be hungry, you will not care for those who are."

For fasting to be truly universal, its benefits must extend beyond the fraternal ties of Muslims and must extend to forging a common humanity with others. Fasting is meant to impart a sense of what it means to be truly human, and its universality is reflected by its observance in Bahai, Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Jain, Jewish, Sikh, Zoroastrian and other faiths.

Ramadan will come and go with such stealth that we cannot but be reminded of our mortality. What is it that we value and why? Habits, customs, even obsessive behavior like smoking can be curtailed with relative ease in the face of a higher calling.

Published at Huffington Post - http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mike-ghouse/spirit-of-ramadan_b_939961.html 

Mike Ghouse is commited to building cohesive socities and is available to speak on Islam, Pluralism, interfaith, peace and justice.

Ramadan 2015 Around the Corner - Mufti Menk 2015

Welcoming Ramadan Into Our Homes - Mufti Ismail Menk

Ramadan: Final Tally

Courtesy of The Religion of Peace.

ISIS Muslim Jihadist proudly holding up two severed heads.*

*The above photo is of Australian Muslim Mohamed Elomar, who traveled from his home country to join ISIS and wage jihad in Syria/Iraq/Greater Levant. A few days ago he mocked the Aussies and tweeted this terrorist threat: "Did you think I would leave your country without leaving a surprise. Fireworks coming up soon keep a close eye."

Ramadan Bombathon  2014 Scorecard Because, if you think all religions are the same, then you haven't been paying attention. 2014 In the name of The Religion of Peace In the name of ANY Other Religion By Way of Anti-Muslim Hate Crime Terror Attacks 272 0 2* Suicide Bombings 37  0 0 Dead Bodies 2429 0 2* Wounded 2028 0 0 (Not all attacks are immediately posted on TROP)

* 2014.07.03 - A Myanmar Muslim was killed by Buddhists on rumor of a rape. (A Buddhist was also killed by Muslims during the same riot). *2014.07.02 - An Arab teen was murdered by Israeli Jews following the kidnap and murder of three Jewish teens.

Maximizing Your Daily Ramadan Routine | Nye & Becca

Indonesia: Muslims screaming �Allahu akbar� attack Roman Catholic Church during Sunday Mass

"The incident coincides with the start of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting and prayer..." 

...and the Month of Jihad.

Yogyakarta, to cries of �Allah is great� unknown assailants attack Sacred Heart parish

by Mathias Hariyadi, AsiaNews, June 30, 2014 (via Jihad Watch)

Jakarta (AsiaNews) � Another Catholic community is now under attack in Indonesia in a climate of increasing cases of violence and abuse against religious minorities.

The Parish of the Sacred Heart in Pugeran, in the South of Yogyakarta was targeted early yesterday morning by three different groups of unknown assailants on motorcycles. The attack took place during the first morning Mass: the authors, dressed in black with their faces covered by masks, broke through the parish gates shouting �Allah is great�.

The incident coincides with the start of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting and prayer which officially began today in Indonesia, although it started on June 28th in most Muslim countries.

According to reports from Fr. Priya Pr, Sacred Heart parish priest, the unknown assailants targeted some objects and posters placed by members of the local Catholic community, most of which are only displayed on the weekend during the celebrations. The reasons behind the attack remain unknown; the authorities have tightened controls around the Christian place of worship, in fear of more attacks.

Last month in Yogyakarta, Islamic extremists attacked a group of Catholics gathered in prayer, beating up the community leader; a week later, Pastor Niko, leader of the Protestant Christian community, was targeted by extremists �accused� of having set up an �illegal� house of prayer without permission.

Yoguakarta, in central Java, has always been considered the most �pluralistic� center in the country, with dozens of universities and thousands of students from across the province. However, after decades of peaceful coexistence, episodes of sectarian violence have recently emerged, despite appeals for calm and peaceful coexistence from the Sultan (and governor) Hamengku Buwono X, a prominent figure in interreligious dialogue.

Indonesia is the most populous Muslim nation in the world. Increasingly however, it has become the scene of attacks or episodes of intolerance against minorities, whether they are Christians, Ahmadi Muslims or belong to other faiths.

Aceh is the only Indonesian province where Sharia (Islamic law) is enforced, following a peace agreement between the central government and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM). Yet, in many other areas of the country (such as Bekasi and Bogor in West Java), a more radical and extreme vision of Islam is spreading among ordinary Indonesians.

Certain rules such as the infamous building permit (Izin Mendirikan Bangunan or IMB in Indonesian) have been used to prevent the construction of Christian places of worship or stop construction already underway, as was the case for the Yasmin Church in West Java.The constitution provides for freedom of religion, however, the Catholic community (3% of the population) is victim of incidents of violence and abuse.

Ramadan by the Numbers

So far... Ramadan ends July 28 this year...  Lord have mercy.

Courtesy of The Religion of Peace:

Can your religion do this?

Getting into the Ramadan spirit in Iran, where this man is 

having the holy hell beat out of him for snacking during the day.

Ramadan Bombathon  2014 Scorecard   Because, if you think all religions are the same, then you haven't been paying attention. Day 20 In the name of The Religion of Peace In the name of ANY Other Religion By Way of Anti-Muslim Hate Crime Terror Attacks 159 0 2* Suicide Bombings 20  0 0 Dead Bodies 1152 0 2* Wounded 1057 0 0 (Not all attacks are immediately posted on TROP)

* 2014.07.03 - A Myanmar Muslim was killed by Buddhists on rumor of a rape. (A Buddhist was also killed by Muslims during the same riot).  *2014.07.02 - An Arab teen was murdered by Israeli Jews in 'response' to the kidnap and murder of three Jewish teens.

Islam's Latest Contributions to Peace  "Mohammed is God's apostle.  Those who follow him are harsh to the unbelievers but merciful to one another" (Quran 48:29). 2014.07.17 (Baghdad, Iraq) - A half-dozen Iraqis are pulled into pieces by a Shahid suicide bomber along a crowded street.  2014.07.16 (Chaambi, Tunisia) - Ansar al-Sharia militants slaughter fourteen local soldiers as they are sitting down to eat.  2014.07.15 (Huyim, Nigeria) - Nine Christians are slain by Boko Haram.  2014.07.15 (Sabon Gari, Nigeria) - Boko Haram massacre twenty villagers.  2014.07.15 (Tikrit, Iraq) - Two suicide car bombers murder a dozen Iraqis.  2014.07.15 (Dille, Nigeria) - Pro-caliphate militants slaughter over three dozen residents and burn churches in a raid on a Christian farming village. * Sources for individual incidents can be provided upon request.

Ramadan Reflection Day 18: No Woman Left Behind

A man once come to the Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, asking for financial support. The Prophet asked him what he owned in his home and other than a blanket that he and his wife used to sleep on, they owned a plate. The Prophet asked him to bring the plate and then following one of the congregational prayers, he asks the people in attendance who would purchase the plate. He received a bid for it and then asked who would give more for it. The money that was raised was then used to purchase the blade of an axe. The Prophet then put a piece of wood in it to serve as its handle and gave it to the man so that he could cut his own wood and sell it to make money. His solution was long-term, not just in the moment.

Since Ramadan began, I've seen and been in contact with numerous women who are in need of support and help. Amongst them are three women whose husbands have been unfaithful to them, a woman who became pregnant and then abandoned by the man who impregnated her, a convert on the verge of homelessness whose family has disowned her and local community won't invite her into their homes let alone provide her with support, and a survivor so frustrated with the lack of resources available to her that she is starting to doubt her faith because she doesn't understand why Muslims haven't built a support system for people in her situation. For each one of these women, there are thousands more who need our help. And for each one of these women, there are hundreds of thousands of us who can help.

 Full article:

Hostilities at Catholic Church in Istanbul, Turkey Leave Parishioners Fearing Worse

Congregation anxious after Ramadan-inspired verbal assault, threats, and a lunge with a knife.

ISTANBUL, Turkey (Morning Star News) � Members of a Catholic church in Istanbul fear an attack after Muslims verbally assaulted and threatened them during a baptismal service and destroyed church property in the last two months.

After two incidents at St. Stephanos Church, parishioners said they are waiting to see if hostilities will escalate into violence during what remains of Ramadan, when religious persecution has been known to increase in Muslim-majority areas. The annual Ramadan, an Islamic month of day-time fasting, ends in Turkey on July 28.

[Ramadan is the 'month of jihad', and both commemorates and commands Islamic victories over the infidels. Muslims take this seriously, and the more fervent Muslims act on their fervor.]

The two previous attacks have caused some members of an already small congregation to stop participating in services, at least temporarily. In May a group of young men under cover of darkness destroyed audio equipment, stole other items and set a fire in the building, and on June 15 Muslim intruders pushed their way into the baptismal service and yelled obscenities, with one brandishing a knife and threatening to stab a parishioner.

Though not inflicting physical injury, the attacks reopened psychological wounds in light of fatal attacks on Catholics and other Christians in Turkey. With anti-Christian hostilities growing in Turkey, one church member said more attacks are expected.

�It�s not the first, and it won�t be the last,� said the parishioner, who requested anonymity for security reasons.

In the incident during the baptismal service, congregation members said, eight Muslims came onto church grounds and screamed obscenities and anti-Christian epithets at those inside. Some members of the group went into the church building and, as they walked around, shouted at those in attendance.

The Muslims told those at the church to �Go away� because �Turkey is Muslim.�

The church�s facility manager was able to turn the group outside, but in the church courtyard, one of the Muslims pulled out a knife and lunged at him. The Christian managed to avoid injury, and the group fled.

Some of those attending the service called police during the attack, but officers who were in the neighborhood giving out traffic tickets arrived long after the assailants had left, according to church members.

St. Stephanos Church is located in Yesilk�y, an Istanbul neighborhood where Christians, though still a minority, make up a significant amount of the population. There are two churches in the small coastal neighborhood, and only one mosque. Until recently, members of the congregation said, Muslims and Christians got along peacefully and cordially.

Church members were eager to describe what happened, but none of them gave Morning Star News permission to use their names out of fear for their safety, or because they didn�t have permission from church leadership.

In the previous incident, men in their late teens and 20s entered the church building at night, ripped out most of the church�s audio equipment and destroyed what they couldn�t carry away. They then took some of the ceremonial candles, lit them and started setting items in the rear of the building on fire. They stacked all remaining candles into a pile, lit them and left.

The fire from the candles spread in that section of the building, but no one noticed it until a member of an Orthodox congregation that also uses the facility smelled smoke and yelled for help. He and others extinguished the fire before it caused any serious damage. One of the Catholic parishioners said if the Orthodox Christian hadn�t noticed the fire, it would have been a disaster.

�If he hadn�t said something, this whole thing would be gone,� he said, motioning to the inside of the church building.

The Orthodox congregation uses part of the church building to hold services because they are unable to construct their own building, due to limited resources and the lengthy, difficult process in Turkey of obtaining permission. Although no one was injured in the attacks, those who attend St. Stephanos are concerned more attacks are coming, and that they will escalate until someone is killed or seriously injured.

Such violence has occurred in other Catholic churches in Turkey. In February 2006, the Rev. Andrea Santoro was shot dead in Santa Maria Church in Trabzon by Oguzhan Akdin, 16. Akdin shot Santoro in the back of the head while he was kneeling, praying inside the church. Akdin later claimed he shot Santoro because he was angered over a series of cartoons, published five months earlier, allegedly mocking Islam�s prophet, Muhammad; Akdin was sentenced to almost 19 years in prison for the murder.

In July 2009, Gregor Kerkeling, a Catholic from Germany who visited Turkey regularly, was stabbed outside The Church of St. Anthony of Padua in the Beyoglu district of Istanbul. Kerkeling was stabbed directly in the heart and died in the courtyard of the church. The Muslim accused of killing Kerkeling, Ibrahim Akyol, later told prosecutors he �wanted to kill a Christian that day.�

In June 2010, Murat Altun, a Muslim driver for a church in Ikerendum, slit the throat of Bishop Luigi Padovese, 63, in his Ikerendum home. The reasons behind the killing are still shrouded in mystery. Before his trial, Altun gave numerous reasons for killing Padovese, including being mental ill or that he was following the demands of Islam. A court ultimately sentenced him to 15 years in prison for the murder. At the time of sentencing, legal experts told the Turkish media they expect him to serve a fraction of the sentence.

In addition to the killings, Catholic churches in Turkey have been the sites of numerous other non-fatal knife attacks, including the stabbing of the Rev. Pierre Brunissen in July 2006 in Samsun, the stabbing of the Rev. Adriano Frachini in 2007 in Smyrna, and the Rev. Roberto Ferrari being threatened at knife-point in March 2006 in Mersin. Estimates of Catholics in Turkey run from 35,000 to 46,000 of the country�s 76 million people.

A member of St. Stephanos said that every time an attack has happened, either to Catholics or to members of other denominations, he and other Catholics have felt it �in his heart.�

He said the problem stems from what people are taught from their youth in Turkey. More that 99 percent of the country�s population is Sunni Muslim, and religion is closely tied to feelings of Turkish nationalism. According to numerous Turkish Christians, many Turks see Turkish Christians as being spies, traitors or foreign agents of some sort.

�They are not open-minded,� the St. Stephanos member said. �They lack education or have been educated in a very bad way.�

[Yes, any education in Islam is a "very bad way" indeed.]

Mercy, Forgiveness & Salvation: Episode 1

Ramadan Rage: How Crime Increases during the Muslim Holy Month

The Muslim fasting month of Ramadan for 2014 began June 28 and extends through July 28.

False Religion  ==>>  False Fast.

A brief introduction to the true purpose and meaning of fasting, followed by an article on why Muslim crimes spike during Ramadan.

Many point to the great piety of Muslims, who fast for an entire month each year. Yet the fast of Ramadan is linked to the beginning of jihad to extend Islam by the sword, and is so important that in the Muslim world failing to observe Ramadan can get you arrested or killed, whether you are Muslim or not. (See here, here, here and here.)

Ramadan is also the month when we traditionally see a sharp increase in Muslim oppression of Christians and other non-Muslims, as Raymond Ibrahim has been reporting on for years. (See Raymond's book Crucified Again, as well as this 2012 article.)

* * *

Ramadan 2014 Scorecard   Day 8 In the name of The Religion  of Peace    In the name of    ANY Other     Religion  By Way of Anti-Muslim  Hate Crime Terror Attacks    52 0 1* Suicide Bombings     5  0 0 Dead Bodies  322 0 1* Wounded  436 0 0

* 2014.07.03 - A Myanmar Muslim was killed by Buddhists on rumor of a rape. (A Buddhist was also killed by Muslims during the same riot). Compiled by thereligionofpeace.com

* * *

Orthodox Christians also fast fairly rigorously during Great Lent and the Nativity Fast (hopefully without binge eating at the end of the day!), and a little less rigorously during the Apostles Fast in June, and during the Dormition Fast in August. Yet one never hears of an increased crime rate in Orthodox Christian nations or communities during these periods, and one never hears of Orthodox Christian terrorist attacks or suicide bombings.

Could it be that there is something about Islam which fosters a culture in which can thrive violence, criminality, and the "Ramadan Rage" of which the below article speaks?

Why yes, there is. For starters, we have the sacred texts of Islam itself (the Quran, and the hadiths, sayings and deeds of Muhammad), which command violence against non-Muslims:

Fight against those who believe not in Allah, nor in the Last Day, nor forbid that which has been forbidden by Allah and His Messenger and those who acknowledge not the religion of truth [i.e. Islam] among the people of the Book [Jews and Christians], until they pay the jizya with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued. (Quran 9:29)

Kill the mushrikun [unbelievers] wherever you find them, and capture them and besiege them, and prepare for them each and every ambush. (Quran 9:5)

I will cast terror into the hearts of those who have disbelieved, so strike them over the necks, and smite over all their fingers and toes. (Quran 8:12)

Against them make ready your strength to the utmost of your power, including steeds of war, to strike terror into the enemies of Allah and your enemies. (Quran 8:60)

What would you say of the religion that commands fasting, but also commands one to fight, kill and subjugate the infidels?

Simply put, false religion results in a false fast. And no amount of fasting can please God or compensate for fourteen centuries of bloodshed and warfare against unbelievers.

But there is a true way of fasting, just as there is a True Faith. Consider how the Orthodox Church approaches Great Lent and the other fasting seasons of the year (from The True Nature of Fasting by Mother Mary and Bishop Kallistos Ware):

But what is meant by this word 'fast' (nisteia)? Here the utmost care is needed, so as to preserve a proper balance between the outward and the inward. On the outward level fasting involves physical abstinence from food and drink, and without such exterior abstinence a full and true fast cannot be kept; yet the rules about eating and drinking must never be treated as an end in themselves, for ascetic fasting has always an inward and unseen purpose... 

The primary aim of fasting is to make us conscious of our dependence upon God. If practiced seriously, the Lenten abstinence from food - particularly in the opening days - involves a considerable measure of real hunger, and also a feeling of tiredness and physical exhaustion. The purpose of this is to lead us in turn to a sense of inward brokenness and contrition; to bring us, that is, to the point where we appreciate the full force of Christ's statement, 'Without Me you can do nothing' (John 15: 5). If we always take our fill of food and drink, we easily grow over-confident in our own abilities, acquiring a false sense of autonomy and self-sufficiency. The observance of a physical fast undermines this sinful complacency. Stripping from us the specious assurance of the Pharisee - who fasted, it is true, but not in the right spirit - Lenten abstinence gives us the saving self dissatisfaction of the Publican (Luke I 8: 10-1 3). Such is the function of the hunger and the tiredness: to make us 'poor in spirit', aware of our helplessness and of our dependence on God's aid... 

During Lent there is frequently a limitation on the number of meals eaten each day, but when a meal is permitted there is no restriction on the amount of food allowed. The Fathers simply state, as a guiding principle, that we should never eat to satiety but always rise from the table feeling that we could have taken more and that we are now ready for prayer... 

If it is important not to overlook the physical requirements of fasting, it is even more important not to overlook its inward significance. Fasting is not a mere matter of diet. It is moral as well as physical. True fasting is to be converted in heart and will; it is to return to God, to come home like the Prodigal to our Father's house. In the words of St. John Chrysostom, it means 'abstinence not only from food but from sins'. 'The fast', he insists, 'should be kept not by the mouth alone but also by the eye, the ear, the feet, the hands and all the members of the body': the eye must abstain from impure sights, the ear from malicious gossip, the hands from acts of injustice.  It is useless to fast from food, protests St. Basil, and yet to indulge in cruel criticism and slander: 'You do not eat meat, but you devour your brother'. The same point is made in the Triodion, especially during the first week of Lent:

As we fast from food, let us abstain also from every passion... Let us observe a fast acceptable and pleasing to the Lord. True fasting is to put away all evil, To control the tongue, to forbear from anger, To abstain from lust, slander, falsehood and perjury. If we renounce these things, then is our fasting true and acceptable to God. Let us keep the Fast not only by refraining from food, But by becoming strangers to all the bodily passions.

Much more in the full article...

Ramadan Rage: How Crime Increases during the Muslim Holy Month
by Jeremy Wilson, Breitbart London � July 7, 2014

The Holy Month of Ramadan is upon us. Most people know the month-long fast is a time Muslims are expected to demonstrate self-control, humility and submission to the will to Allah. What you might not know is that throughout Ramadan emergency services are overwhelmed by a spike in crime�a phenomenon known as �Ramadan rage,� which affects not just Muslim countries, but cities with high concentrations of believers, from Dearborn to Deptford.

The effects of this gruelling annual fast have been widely studied. Researchers say those taking part risk migraines, dehydration, dizziness, tachycardia, nausea, circulatory collapse... and even gout, owing to a build-up of uric acid. Indigestion caused by binge eating is also a concern�as is weight gain: Muslims often pile on the pounds during the summer months.

But aside from these medical risks, and more pertinent to the emergency services and law and order, is the primary side effect of not eating, drinking or smoking in the daytime: irritability that can spill over into violence.

Short-temperedness doesn�t just affect abstainers during the first few days of self-denial; rather, irritability increases continuously throughout the month, leading to shorter and shorter fuses as Eid al-Fitr, the blow-out party to mark the end of the fast, approaches. It is perhaps no surprise then that antisocial behaviour and domestic abuse surge throughout the Muslim world in the Holy Month.

One of the most expansive studies of this annual crime wave in Algeria revealed petty crime increased by a staggering 220 percent during Ramadan. Fights, disputes and assaults rose by 320 percent and instances of women and children being beaten at home increased by 120 percent. In addition, there was a 410 percent increase in accidents of various kinds and an 80 percent increase in deaths.

The findings of the Algerian study are widely corroborated. From Egypt to Indonesia, recorded violent crime increases by incredible percentages throughout the fast. In addition, Ramadan exacerbates other social problems and spawns specific crimes all its own: offenses not generally seen at other times of the year. Child traffickers in Yemen, for example, take advantage of the increase in food prices to purchase children from poor parents.

Non-Muslims are targeted for not observing the fast; church burnings are a given during Ramadan. But it�s not just religious minorities in Muslim countries who are attacked: it happens here, too. In 2010, a man was brutally beaten in Tower Hamlets by a gang of young Muslim men for not observing Ramadan. He was battered unconscious and left with serious injuries. No one was charged over the incident, leading to accusations that the police suppressed evidence because they feared being accused of �racism� or �islamophobia.�

In Muslim countries, governments prepare for Ramadan by boosting police patrols and carrying out public awareness campaigns about crime and the increase in accidents that is also a regular fixture of the fast. Of course, the emergency services in the U.K., hamstrung by political correctness, are more reticent to publicly acknowledge the challenges posed by Ramadan.

That�s not to say there aren�t figures available, if you dig for them: a study by the Accident and Emergency Department of St Mary�s Hospital, London in 1994 revealed a significant rise in the number of Muslims attending accident and emergency in Ramadan. This increase in road traffic accidents and other sorts of unfortunate incidents is hardly surprising, given that sustained fasting dramatically affects cognitive function.

The rigours of fasting are particularly difficult for British Muslims, who have to endure longer periods without food and water than those closer to the equator. It�s even worse for Muslims in Scandinavia: there are parts of northern Norway where the sun never sets in summer.

The NHS, of course, makes no mention of all this in their official Ramadan guidance, though it does warn that people on peritoneal dialysis shouldn't fast but �should perform fidyah,� a religious donation to the poor, instead. The guidance says that while withholding food and water for 19 hours to children under the age of seven or eight isn't �advisable,� it can be �tolerated differently, depending on the attitude of the parents.�

British police, too, are notorious for their �soft-touch� approach to policing Ramadan. The Greater Manchester Police in England have been widely criticised over the last decade for giving lip service to the problem of drunk and drugged-up Muslim gangs, who have for years descended on the Eid al-Fitr celebrations in Rusholme each year, racing their cars up and down the High Street.

Every year, the police force requests that �anyone wishing to bring or cause problems� should stay away; every year, ugly scenes return to the city. In 2012, a Muslim man taking part in the celebrations used his car as a weapon in an attempted murder.

The Manchester force�s reluctance to take a firm stance on Eid celebrations shouldn�t surprise us: they once even ordered officers not to arrest Muslims at prayer times during Ramadan, a concession not awarded to any other religion and one that was later rescinded after sustained public outrage about how blatantly the force was awarding special treatment to one faith.

Only in Bradford, England have the police admitted that the Holy Month produces an increase in crime. They have been advised by local community leaders that the increase is probably down to youths �taking advantage of the fact their parents could be occupied with observing Ramadan.�

But that doesn�t tell the whole story, because it�s grown-ups too. Last week, Asian Image, a newspaper that bills itself as �the voice of the British Asian� painted a vivid word picture of verbally abusive parents, road rage, angry smokers, zombified fasters and domestic abuse around last year�s holy festivities.

Emergency and health services don�t shy away from cracking down on bad behaviour at other times of year. Anti-drink driving messages saturate our screens at Christmas and this year Home Secretary Theresa May and the NHS warned men not to lose their temper after World Cup matches, citing rises in domestic violence around major sporting events.

But will the general public ever be adequately warned about chaotic scenes on the streets of Southall, Bradford, Leicester and Birmingham during the supposedly peaceful month of Ramadan? Don�t hold your breath.

Why Do Muslims Fast during Ramadan?

Fasting in Islam

Ramadan Mubarak!!!