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Saudi Arabia warns non-Muslims: Respect Muslim rules in Ramadan
Saudi Arabia warned Western residents on Wednesday that they must respect the Muslim prohibition on eating, drinking and smoking in public during daylight hours in Ramadan, the holy month that is expected to start next week.
| Well, okay. I guess that means that during December the world's Muslims are going to be jolly and festive and give gifts to everybody in sight, right? |
The Interior Ministry said penalties would be imposed on any non-Muslim who violates the ban in shops, streets or places of work. Punishment could range from the termination of one's work contract to deportation. "Being a non-Muslim is no excuse... deterrent measures will be taken against violators," the ministry said in a statement carried by the official Saudi Press Agency.
| "We insist that you, too, be dour and humorless. It's a cultural thing, y'know..." |
Meanwhile, the "black cloud" of pollution hanging over Cairo will prevent this year's sighting of the crescent moon marking the start of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, Egypt's mufti was quoted as saying Wednesday.
| Maybe God sent it, to punish you for lacking any vestige of a sense of humor? |
Posted by: Fred Pruitt 2003-10-24 |
