Football fans in the Gaza Strip gather to watch the specially organised Ramadan Popular League, a competition held every year in the Rafah refugee camp, which is home to over 120,000 people in the southern part of the coastal enclave, Reuters reports. "Every year, during Ramadan month we come to watch this League, it brings us joy and happiness," said Issa Shaloula. "It is better than other fields which we can't get […]
In a time of dire economic trouble, Egyptians are holding fast to the Ramadan tradition of charity, with both donors and those in need pinning hopes on holiday generosity. Families have buckled under the weight of inflation, which hit 32.9 percent in February as Egyptians tried to fill their shelves ahead of the Muslim holy month of daytime fasting and special evening meals, known as iftar. “Last year, we were giving out 360 […]
Muslims across South Africa will head to various lookout points across the country this evening (22nd March) to get a glimpse of the hilaal (crescent moon), which will signify the start of Ramadhan 1444 AH. In the Mother City, the Crescent Observers Society ‘maan kykers’ will congregate at Three Anchor Bay in Sea Point, where they will spend just over 30 minutes trying to locate the hilaal. Following this, brief […]
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan talked with his Israeli counterpart, Isaac Herzog, on the phone on Monday evening about the Al Aqsa status, Turkish media outlets reported Tuesday. According to the report, the two leaders exchanged greetings on the upcoming Islamic holy month of Ramadan and Israel's Passover. Erdogan stressed the importance of prevention of "provocation and threats towards Al-Aqsa Mosque", especially during Ramadan. The two leaders also discussed bilateral ties […]
Israeli and Palestinian officials have agreed at a meeting in Egypt to take steps to lower tensions ahead of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. The talks in the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh on Sunday stressed the need to prevent any disruptive actions at Jerusalem’s holy sites when Ramadan starts later this week. In a joint statement following the talks attended by United States, Egyptian and Jordanian officials, the parties […]
Egypt has stepped up mediation between Israel and the Palestinians in a bid to tamp down violence in Jerusalem and the Occupied West Bank and to prevent its spread to the Gaza Strip ahead of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, officials said, Reuters reports. This week, Cairo hosted leaders from Gaza's ruling Hamas group and from the smaller, allied Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) group, according to the officials. Talks with Israeli […]
The United Arab Emirates on Tuesday introduced a number of strict social measures during the holy month of Ramadan, as part of limiting and tackling the spread of Covid-19. Ramadan, which is expected to begin on 13 April, is a month of family gatherings, social activities and group prayers in mosques. Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset, and believe that during this ninth month of the Islamic calendar, God revealed […]
Ramadan 1441 will be a month etched in the minds of the Muslim ummah across the globe, as Muslims navigated this strange time of fasting under lockdown. With the masjid as the hub of spiritual activity during Ramadan, Muslims had to adapt to fasting and praying while social distancing – as mosques closed their doors in South Africa and other places. At VOC, we find ourselves facing the unprecedented challenge […]
As Muslims commence the last ten days of Ramadan, many questions have emerged over the observing of i'tikaf within the home. In a fatwa released by the Muslim Judicial Council today, it is stated that observing i'tikāf within one's home is invalid. Mufti Taha Karaan explained that all four madhāhib unanimously concur that men should observe seclusion exclusively in the masjid. With masajid being closed due to the lockdown, this […]
VOC became the first Muslim radio station in South Africa when a special events license was granted to the station in Ramadan/January 1995. Subsequent temporary broadcast licenses were granted, permitting the station to broadcast for 24 hours.
