During the holy month of Ramadan, life usually  slows down in the Middle East. The main focus is on observing the month of fasting and fulfilling religious obligations.

Since the invasion of Iraq in 2003, the scene across the Middle East has changed dramatically. Ramadan is no longer a month where wars, protests and feuds disappear; instead, it has become a month where people have used its significance to get their message across to regimes ruling body. On August 3, the Pakistani public took to streets to protest against killings in Myanamar.

Since the commemoration of Ramadan on July 19, over 25 demonstrations against the 200 year old ruling dynasty of Alkhalifah have taken place in Bahrain. These demonstrations come amidst the official warnings that any protests and public rallies will be considered illegal. On July 31, 2012, frustrated protestors took to streets in Bahrain and in the neighboring country of Saudi Arabia.

On Monday, clashes broke out between security forces and protestors in the village of Sitra. According to Agence France Presse, “wounded demonstrators are afraid to go to hospital for treatment because they are afraid that they will be arrested.” On Thursday, August 2, the security forces clashed with protestors in the village of Dair and Bani Jamarah.

Since last year, the human rights situation has further deteriorated in Bahrain. Last year, Saudi Arabia deployed more than 1,000 troops to Bahrain to help Alkhalifah government to quell anti-government uprisings in country’s capital city of Manama. Subsequently, there were over 50 fatalities, more were injured and many were incarcerated for their participation.

It was later revealed in a special report in November 2011 that security forces used torture and excessive force against those that were arrested during the assiduous crackdown on public demonstrations. The Bahrainis held the ruling King Hamad bin Isa Khalifa liable for scenes of carnage on streets, civil unrest and mass arrests.

Aljazzera International stated that ‘Forty people, including the daughter of a leading opposition activist, have been arrested hours after security forces used tear gas and birdshot to disperse hundreds of protesters demanding political reforms in Bahrain.’ Press Tv further reported that Bahraini authorities arrested opposition party al-Wefaq’s female member, Ahlam al-Khuzai, at the airport on Friday as she was travelling to Tunisia to attend a conference organized by Amnesty International.

One of the focal point of mass protests is calling an end to discriminatory measures used by the ruling monarchy towards the country’s 70 percent of marginalized Shiite population. Following the popular Arab Spring revolt across the Gulf region, Bahrainis too took to streets in mid-February 2011, demanding a transition from absolute monarchy to constitutional monarchy and to new socio economical and political reforms.

However, like any other Arab country, the problems of Bahrain could be traced back to 1975, when Sheikh Isa dissolved the national assembly, thus marking an end to country’s short lived constitutionalism and rendering democratic reforms. In the 1990s, a popular uprising and a demand to restore the 1973 constitution threatened the ruling seat of Alkhalifa family.

In 1992, the United Nations Human Rights Council placed Bahrain on a list of monitoring for its use of torture and force against opposition members. In 1999, Sheikh Hamad ascended the Alkhalifa throne and introduced new reforms to avoid repeat of 1990s mass political unrests by making promises to take country towards new reforms, democracy and constitutionalism.

On the surface Bahrain appears to be a model country in the Arab world and is signatory to eight human rights treaties from the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (1990) to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (2006) to the Arab Charter on Human Rights (2008). In contrast, the country has failed to abide by most of these treaties. In December 2011, Secretary of State Hilary Clinton lauded Bahrain on being a ‘model partner’ for not only the United States but also for other countries.

According to Amnesty International “The Bahraini government’s response to the findings of an international commission of inquiry has proved inadequate as human rights violations continue.” However, the failure of the ruling body to live up to its promises has resulted in mass uprising, liberalized autocracy and suppression of human rights activists and opposition figures.

The West has come under much scrutiny in the media and with human rights organizations for maintaining its silence over Bahrain’s violation of human rights, its restriction on freedom of expression and right to assembly. Patrick Cockburn said in The Independent: “While Barack Obama and David Cameron vigorously oppose the atrocities against protesters in Syria, they handle Bahrain with kid gloves.”

The scene on the streets of Bahrain does not show any signs of dwindling down. A lesson should be learned from the ousting of governments in Tunisia, Egypt, Libya and Yemen. Taking to the streets in the sweltering heat of July and August without food or drink indicates that Bahraini people have not given up their struggle for justice.

Image Courtesy of  malyousif

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Amidst political furor in Middle East North Africa, civil wars in South Asia and impending recession crisis, the 2012 Olympic is finally here. Tonight Billions across the world will be watching much anticipated opening ceremony of London’s 2012 Olympics games. However, for Muslim countries and its Olympians, the 2012 Olympics presented a unique challenge in the face of a religious month of fasting (called Ramadan in Arabic).

This will be second time in history that Ramadan has coincided with the world Olympics event. The last time two events clashed was during Moscow games in July 1980. On 19th July from sunrise till sunset, more than 1.5 billion Muslims of the world started observing the 30 days of fasting period. During the period of fasting, Muslims refrain from eating or drinking, and are encouraged to offer extra prayers and give to charity.

Due to long British summer day hours, the observance will last for 18 hours each day for British Muslims. Many of the 3000 Muslim Olympic athletes from 200 countries will be paying a duty to their legions of fans and will also be fasting during the legendary game competitions.

For decades the United Kingdom (UK) has waited for its turn to play host to International Olympic Games. The British nation is looking forward to the most anticipated event of the year, which will revive the local economy and bring in much needed revenues. The tourist spending will certainly benefit businesses across the county and will give recession-blighted London businesses much needed economic boost. From Harrods in Knightsbridge to small cafes in Greenwich, British flags and Olympic symbols are gracing the display windows.

London was awarded an honor of hosting Olympics in 2005. However, the realization that Olympics will be clashing with Ramadan had participating Muslim countries such as Turkey, Morocco and Egypt calling for the dates to be changed in order to accommodate its Muslim Olympians. In 2006, the Islamic Human Rights Commission in London argued that “It’s not only going to affect the participants it’s going to affect all the people who want to watch the Games.”

In order to unite everyone in the spirit of sportsmanship, the game organizers have tailored certain provisos to accommodate Muslim participants by providing round the clock halal meals at Olympic village dining halls. Mosques across London, such as Regent Park Mosque, East London Mosque, Packham Mosque and many others have made preparations for extra food to be made available for athletes and Muslim tourists.

Across the Muslim world, local religious bodies made special provisions regarding athletes who were participating in games. Prince Feisal Bin Al- Hussein of Jordan, a member of the International Olympic Committee, said that Muslim athletes should be excused from fasting during the London games. According to Islamic guidelines, Muslim men and women are exempted from fasting if they are travelling away from home. Malaysia, Algeria, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, UAE and Egypt’s religious councils have therefore placed their atheletes under the exempted category of travelers.

The decision of whether or not to fast has caused conflicting emotions among Muslim Olympians. Libyan swimmer Sofyan Fathi Aljaddi is among many Olympians who will be keeping his fast during the game period. In an interview with 7M sports, Aljaddi said, “Honestly, some people say that you are allowed to break your fast on the day of the race, but to be honest this is between you and your God. I say fasting for God is more important than any sport or anything in this world.”

Algerian runner Mohamed-Khaled Belabbas said, “I will fast like I always have. It will not be a novelty for me. ”

But British discus thrower Abdul Buhari, Moroccan swimmer Sara El-Bekri, Qatari sprinter Noor al-Malki, French Boxer Rachid Azzedine, judo competitor Hemeed Al Drie, British rower Mohammed Sbihi, and many others will be adjourning their fast till the end of competition. In 1980, Tanzanian Suleiman Nyambui won a silver medal in the 5,000 meters, while observing the fast.

Even though, the present month of Ramadan has come with its numerous challenges for Muslim Olympians, but with the abet edict of ruling religious authorities and effective cooperation from Olympics committee, the Olympians will be able to overcome these challenges and hopefully will win some medals to take back home.

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An international city with over 200 vernaculars, award winning cosmopolis centre, London has everything to offer to its International guests. London is a notorious food heaven and through its diverse culinary magic has broken down language and cultural barriers between its dissidents and visitors. This is a city that is blessed with a decadence of delightful Halal cuisine from all across the Muslim world. The significance of words such as Halal (meat that is slaughtered according to Muslims customs) and Kosher (Jewish meat) have become synonymous of many London restaurant menus.

With its large Muslim population, the restaurants serving Halal food in London have multiplied over the years. London’s Halal restaurants have been preparing for months for the arrival of Olympics 2012 and the holy month of Ramadan where Muslims fast for 30 days from dusk till dawn. The two mega events will provide a platform for these restaurateurs to market to its Muslim and non-Muslim visitors their services and exquisite culinary delights.

The Olympics and Ramadan is a testing time for Muslims operating in food industry to observe the fast, act as hospitable hosts to their city’s guests, and manage an influx of guests at evening all wanting to be served at the same time (9 pm when fast opens). Toonari post went across the diverse hub of London to discover how restaurant owners and their workers will deal with these challenges of balancing Ramadan with Olympics in coming weeks.

Maison Touareg is a signature brand in the heart of London, specializing in Lebanese and exotic Moroccan cuisine, the notorious restaurant is famed for its quality of food, decor and its service. “Here at Maison Touareg we are gearing up for London 2012 Olympic Games.

Considering the restaurant’s location, in centre of Soho, at the heart of London and due to massive increase in number of tourists, management have decided to limit the number of bookings in order to have more availability for tourists and walk-ins.” Naz Amirshahi, Reservations and Events Manager said. “We offer Ramadan set menu to all the Muslim tourists who will be fasting in the holy month of Ramadan.”

Toonari Post asked why tourists should go to Maison Touareg? Amirshahi said “Maison Touareg is the gateway to the beautiful mixture of Moroccan and Lebanese culture and offers a truly unique dining experience throughout the Ramadan and Olympic period. Whether it was a day of sightseeing and activities in the city or the excitement of watching live games, Maison Touareg is the perfect spot to go and eat, drink and relax.”

Another popular restaurant in Bayswater, London is Khans. Famed for its grand exterior and ability to seat 300 people at any given notice, their name is a mark of quality for native Londoners. Their backup staff will be on hands to accommodate evening influx of diners.

Despite all the challenges, London is home to world class Halal dinning from continental to Mediterranean, to Arabic to Asian and has some of the best Halal restaurants in Europe. This summer, why not taste a world of flavours in all that London has to offer your palette from Iran to Morocco to Bali to Caribbean to India to America. If you are nostalgic for some Persian magic, then step over to Alounak in Paddington or visit Simurgh in Covent Gardens. Persians are famed for their artistic exotic cuisine, and London provides you with this culinary experience at a price that suites your pocket.

If you want something poetic, then cross over to the world of Rumi in many of city’s popular Turkish restaurants ranging from an average price to exclusive five star dinning. Middle East and North Africa is right at your threshold from lascivious Lebanese dining in Mayfair’s Fakherldine to exquisite North African dining in South Kensington’s Pasha to signature brands from casual to themed eateries from Morocco, Egypt, Algeria and Lebanon lining the Edgware road area.

For fast food enthusiasts, tempting arrays of Halal McDonalds, KFC, and subway are scattered all across the city. Now if you are American and missing your double whoppers, exotic milkshakes then visit Tinsletown in Bayswater. For bagel lovers, there is Bagel bite serving Halal English breakfast, light breakfast and variety of bagels with delightful fillings at Bayswater.

For steak lovers there is Steak Out in Tooting, Sahara Grill in Leyton or initially you can go and divulge in some retail therapy at Westfield shopping centre, where world famous chain steakhouse offers premium signature style Halal steak. For Halal Italian, visit Coffee Max in Tooting, where the extensive menu offers everything and anything Italian.

For people with exotic taste buds, there are many Indonesian and Malay restaurants known for their fine resplendent dining. Halal Chinese, Cantonese, Peking and Thai restaurants are also all over the city, especially in China town. You will also get a flavour of Halal Carribean food at Guanbana in Camden town. And those with fiery taste, South Asian restaurants specializing in Indian, Bangladeshi Afghani and Pakistani food are plentiful.

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Ramadan is the holy month in Islam, which is when all Islam followers must fast for 30 or 29 days. The length of the holy month is decided according to the new crescent moon’s appearance as all the months of the Hijri Lunar calendar begin and end with. The fasting is from dawn to sunset every day.

The fasting duration depends on the geographic location of the country that the Muslim lives in and their home’s distance from the equator. For example, the daily fasting duration in Indonesia would be about 12 hours, while in Scandinavian countries would be about 17 hours.

Fasting Ramadan is one of the five pillars of Islam, which are the Shahada (Islamic creed), the Salah (the 5 daily prayers) ,Zakat (Alms), Sawm (Fasting the month of Ramadan) and Hajj (pilgrimage to Mecca).

Some Islamic scholars have approved the technological methods of moon observing by modern telescopes, while others say it must be seen with a naked eye. Also, other scholars have approved the pre-calculated calendar based on astronomy science. In most cases the Muslims follow the government declaration on the observing day, or in non-Islamic majority countries they follow the announcement of the official Islamic organizations.

Due to the large area of the Islamic world in different countries from Indonesia on the Far East to Morocco in the West, there is a difference in Ramadan’s starting by a day or two days, as the moon can’t be observed during the daylight.

Before dawn Muslims prefer to eat a predawn meal (Suhoor) before fasting to support the body with energy during the long fasting day. In some cultures this meal is heavy, while in others it is a light meal, while, according to some health websites, it’s advisable to have a light Suhoor similar to the breakfast meal on non-Ramadan days.

Most Muslims prefer to break the fasting (Iftar) at sunset with a few dates followed by a cold drink. Traditionally, in Palestine and the Levant countries the cold drink would be Tamarind or Qamar Eddeen, which is a drink made of a dry apricot. In Indonesia and Asian countries they start the Iftar with the Cendol drink, which is coconut milk with rice, pandan leaves, shaved ice and palm sugar

Every Islamic nation has some traditional dishes, drinks, and desert that are served during Ramadan more than other months around the year. The most popular deserts in Levant and Turkey during Ramadan are Qatayef , Kanafeh and Baklava. The Qatayef  is a sweet dumpling filed with nuts, cheese or cream and Kanafeh is pastry soaked in sweet syrup, while Baklava  is a sweet pastry made of layers of filo pastry filled with chopped nuts and sweetened with syrup or honey.

The best greeting for your Muslim friends and colleagues is to say ‘Ramadan Kareem’ which means “Ramadan is generous,” this year the holy month will start either on the 20 or 21 of July.

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Vinegar tainted with antifreeze is suspected of killing 11 people and sickening 120 after a communal Ramadan meal in China’s far western region of Xinjiang on August 21. Investigators suspect the victims consumed vinegar that was put in two plastic barrels which had previously been used to store toxic antifreeze, the official Xinhua News Agency reported.

According to official Chinese media the mass food poisoning occurred on a Saturday night in a village close to Hotan City in Xinjiang, a border region that abuts Afghanistan, Pakistan and Central Asia. The victims were ethnic Muslims sharing an evening meal after the daily fast observed during the holy month of Ramadan.

Xinhua said children as young as 6 were among the dead. One person among the 120 sickened was in critical condition. Authorities were still testing to confirm the source of the poisoning, it said. China’s food safety record has been battered by the rampant use of illegal or substandard additives by unscrupulous food producers.

Milk powder laced with the industrial chemical melamine killed at least six children and sickened 300.000 in 2008. Producers added the nitrogen-rich melamine powder so their milk would seem higher in protein. Revenge attacks using rat poison or other chemicals are also common in China, where access to firearms and other deadly weapons is tightly controlled.

In April, three children died and another 35 were sickened by milk tainted with nitrite. An investigation showed that a local dairy farmer had put the poison into their competitor’s milk supply. Accidental contamination is also a problem, caused by low hygiene standards, particularly in rural areas, and weak quality control by regulators.

Moreover this year there has been hundreds of people, seriously sickened by clenbuterol-tainted pork. In fact, around twelve noodle makers were ordered to stop production because they were using ink, industrial dyes and paraffin wax as ingredients, and 16 tons of pork was pulled from the marketplace for containing sodium borate.

This chemical seemingly transforms cheap pork into darker, higher-value “beef.” Except from that, Chinese authorities became conscious of a 40-ton bean sprout debacle — farmers were using sodium nitrite (a known carcinogen), urea, antibiotics and a plant hormone called 6-benzaledenine to make the sprouts grow faster and look shinier.

Chinese officials have made 12 arrests and have investigated 1.200 criminal cases concerning “the illegal adding of non-edible materials in food” till now. Chinese officials have also destroyed key elements of black market food production as part of the latest crackdown, leading to 2.000 arrests and 5.000 business shutdowns.

Furthermore, exploding watermelons and pork scandals, caused by excessive chemical use, took hold of international media headlines. In the first six months of 2011, 45 people died from food poisoning, mostly from toxic chemicals according to China’s Ministry of Health, but despite all the government crackdown efforts food safety scandals continue in China.

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