Saudi Arabia has threatened to deport any non-Muslim
foreigners who don't respect the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan by eating,
drinking or smoking in public.
An interior ministry statement on the official SPA
state news agency urges non-Muslim expatriates in the kingdom to "respect
the sentiments of Muslims by not eating, drinking or smoking during Ramadan's
daylight hours in public places, including roads and workplaces."
Those who violate the regulations will be deported
or sacked, according to the statement.
"They are not excused for being
non-Muslim," it said, adding that "anyone living in this country
should follow the laws of the Kingdom, including respecting religious
sentiments".
The statement also asked companies to transmit the
instructions to their employees.
Millions of Muslims from around the globe are
preparing to observe Ramadan, the religious month of fasting.
For 30 days, they will not eat or drink from sunrise
and sundown and refrain from sexual intercourse, smoking or profanity in a bid
to become closer to Allah.
They are also encouraged to give back to the
community and take part in charitable deeds.
Saudi Arabia applies a strict version of sharia law
and it hosts more than nine million foreigners.
Last march, the Kingdom started a crackdown on
illegal workers. The government issued an amnesty period in April 2013 giving
illegal migrants seven months to gain legal status. Since then, one million
Bangladeshis, Indians, Filipinos, Nepalis, Pakistanis and Yemenis have left.
The government created a task force of 1,200 labour
ministry officials who raided shops, construction sites, restaurants and
businesses in a hunt for foreign workers employed without permits.
More than 16,000 people were rounded up.
- Arabic: رمضان Ramaḍān, IPA:
- [rɑmɑˈdˤɑːn];[variations] Persian: رَمَضان Ramazān;
- Urdu: رَمْضان Ramzān;
- Turkish: Ramazan;
- Indonesian: Puasa or Bulan Puasa
Muslims worldwide observe this as a month of fasting. This
annual observance is regarded as one of the Five Pillars of Islam. The month lasts 29–30 days based on the visual
sightings of the crescent moon, according to numerous
biographical accounts compiled in the hadiths.
The word Ramadan comes from the Arabic root ramiḍa or ar-ramaḍ, which
means scorching heat or dryness. Fasting is fard ("obligatory")
for adult Muslims, except those who are ill, traveling, pregnant, breastfeeding, diabetic or
going through menstrual bleeding.
Fasting the month of Ramadan was made obligatory
(wājib) during the month of Sha'aban, in the second year after the Muslims
migrated from Mecca to Medina.
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