Tag: Islam

  • Saudi Arabia observes first legal Valentine’s Day

    After decades of marking the practice as forbidden, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is observing its first legal Valentine’s Day by selling and buying gifts, flowers and chocolates, which was not thought possible until a few years ago due to the strict laws deeming the same un-Islamic.

    According to Middle East Monitor, the once-feared religious police used to ensure that the laws forbidding the celebration were strongly enforced, but that was before they were disbanded and their powers of arrest were stripped from them. Store owners were previously obligated to hide red roses and chocolates on the day, and restaurant owners were pressured to ban birthday and anniversary celebrations on February 14.

    The main turning point in the kingdom’s decision came in 2018, when the former president of Makkah’s Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice (CPVPV) Sheikh Ahmed Qasim Al-Ghamdi declared that the celebration of Valentine’s Day did not actually contradict Islamic teachings. According to him, the celebration of love was a universal phenomenon and not limited to the non-Muslim world.

    The legalisation of the public celebration of Valentine’s Day – rooted in the Roman pagan festival celebrating and honouring fertility – comes amid the recent liberalisation of traditional social conventions within the kingdom and the reforms being carried out by Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman in order to “modernise” the country.

    While bin Salman has made headlines across the world after promising the kingdom will return to a “moderate” form of Islam, he also guarantees a brighter future for his people as he promotes modernisation plans to wean the country off oil, attract foreign investment and diversify the economy.

    2017’s royal decree allowing women to drive was an equally eye-catching element of bin Salman’s national makeover. It certainly makes sense economically, as it boosts female participation in the workforce, and women can now also go to sports stadiums.

  • Businesses in Saudi Arabia will no longer shut down during namaz

    Businesses in Saudi Arabia will no longer shut down during namaz

    The Saudis, known for their strict adherence to Shariah laws, have recently progressed in technology and societal aspects as they attempt to rebrand themselves as a modern state. Keeping that in mind, concerned authorities have decided not to close businesses during prayer time because they want to create a 24 hours business environment and a promising economy.

    Dr Al Gaith, a member of Saudi Arabia’s Shoura Council, expressed “There is no legal base for closing shops for prayer after amending the bylaws of the authority. Forcing shops to close their doors and people to pray right at the beginning of prayer time, and to do this in a mosque, stands no ground – neither in Shariah nor in law.”

    “Rather is rather a breach of both of them, and an infringement on people’s religious rights (right of Ijtihad freedom to follow a reference) and worldly rights (freedom of movement, shopping, benefiting of services round the clock without being forced to abide by judicial matters subject to conflict and differences.” 

    Saudi Arabia is now aiming to become tourist-friendly. Non-Muslims are allowed to visit the country and last year the government granted permanent residence to a foreigner. A few years back, it was near to impossible.

  • Canadian traveller Rosie Gabrielle converts to Islam after Pakistan visit

    Canadian traveller Rosie Gabrielle converts to Islam after Pakistan visit

    Canadian traveller Rosie Gabrielle has converted to Islam after visiting Pakistan. The traveller took to social media to make the announcement and share the reasons behind the decision.

    Rosie wrote that last year was one of the hardest one of her life, and the challenges she faced the previous year led her to this point.

    “From a young child, I’ve always had a unique connection with creation and special relationship to God. My path was far from easy and I carried a lot of anger in my heart from a lifetime of pain, always begging God, why me? Until ultimately coming to the conclusion that all is meant to be, and even my suffering is a gift,” she wrote.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/B7F7JC-gmPR/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

    Rosie also shared that though she had called it quits with Christianity four years ago, she continued to tread upon the path of self-discovery and “never let go the sight of the Creator.” 

    “Never resonating with what I was brought up with, I denounced my religion 4 years ago, going down a deep path of spiritual discovery. Exploration of self, and the great Divine. I never let go the sight of the Creator, in fact, my curiosity and connection only grew stronger. Now no longer dictated by fear, I was able to fully explore this righteous path,” she elaborated.

    She then wrote how Pakistan played its part. “The universe brought me to Pakistan, not only to challenge myself to let go of the last remaining traces of pain and ego, but also to show me the way.”

    “Through kindness and humbled grace of the people I met along my pilgrimage, inspired my heart to seek further. Living in a Muslim country for 10 + years and traveling extensively through these regions, I observed one thing: peace. A kind of peace that one can only dream of having in their hearts.”

    Rosie also highlighted Islamophobia in her post.

    “The true meaning of Islam, is peace, love and oneness,” she asserted, adding “It’s not a religion, but a way of life. The life of humanity, humility and love.”

    Rosie first visited Pakistan in December 2018.  She had extensively documented her trip on social media.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/B5X5AyAAY6I/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
    https://www.instagram.com/p/B44Ro98Ag6h/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

    Meanwhile, Hamza Ali Abbasi congratulated her on this and sent blessings her way.

  • “Allah is watching and He knows what’s in your heart,” says singer Akon

    “Allah is watching and He knows what’s in your heart,” says singer Akon

    Akon was in the UAE this week and and instead of singing his famous tunes, he delivered a keynote address at the Sharjah Entrepreneurial Festival.

    He spoke about his journey from being a car thief to becoming one of the biggest pop stars but said that his social entrepreneurship is what gives him the most satisfaction.

    Originally from Senegal, Akon is a Grammy award winning singer and has now launched a solar-powered energy project of his own. He says that his decisions are based on his faith and there is a spiritual side to business that entrepreneurs ignore.

    “It makes you ask the question: what is success? Is it fame or fortune? Does that measure what success means to you? Or is it faith?” he asked, “For me, real success is faith. If God is not smiling upon me I am not successful. I don’t care even if I have a billion dollars in the bank. And what good am I if have a billion dollars sitting in the bank in the first place?”

    One of Akon’s biggest hits: Right Now (Na Na Na)

    Akon had spoken to The National, a UAE based newspaper and said that he was born a Muslim and in some places of Senegal it was considered haram. But he said that the intention has to be good and even in daily prayers, “we pray in melody.”

    He also added that he would not judge anyone because, “at the end of the day, Allah is watching and he knows what is in your heart.”

    Akon was going to visit Pakistan in April of this year but was not able to. In January he had uploaded this message for PM Khan,

  • American woman accepts Islam, marries unemployed Nawabshah youngster

    American woman accepts Islam, marries unemployed Nawabshah youngster

    Another social media interaction-turned-love affair met a happy ending when an American woman reached Nawabshah and got married to an unemployed local youngster, a private media outlet reported.

    According to reports, Claudia and Rashid Rasool Rajput tied the knot in a simple ceremony held earlier this week.

    Rashid told the media that he met Claudia on a social networking site and the interaction gradually turned into an affair. He used to post Islamic teachings and messages on his account, which influenced the woman.

    Later, she embraced Islam prior to their decision of getting married and changed her name to Khadija. The wedding was held at the office of Nawabshah deputy superintendent of police (DSP).

    The groom said he is jobless and Khadija is well aware of his financial position. The bride, on the other hand, is a degree holder in weather sciences and is currently serving as a university lecturer.