ABUJA,
October 20 (IslamOnline.net) - Nigerian Muslims received the holy month
of Ramadan this year in a most up-to-date fashion; a world company
introduced an Islamic mobile phone displaying Ramadan calendar with
times of prayers, iftar and sahur for the first time in
the most populated African state.
Audo
Sola, executive director of the district office of T.E.D., the company
that produced the phone called “ilkone i800” said, “The phone is a
basic characteristic of a modern Muslim, due to the advantages that
allow his dreams come true.”
In
a press conference held in Lagos Friday, Ramadan 1 (October 15), Sola
added that modern technology has been introduced as a means of telling
time of religious rituals on individual levels.
Such
a mobile phone is regarded “as revolutionary achievement in receiving
Ramadan and the religious ritual information in western Africa.”
The
producing company is multinational including partners from United Arab
Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Australia, Britain, and Southern Korea.
Features
Regarding
the built-in Ramadan calendar, it includes an alarm of iftar and sahur
meals in accordance with variations in Nigerian time zones, as well
as the Hijri calendar with an option to turn it into the Gregorian
calendar.
The
phone has an alarm feature to be operated before and after calls for
prayers, with the possibility of turning the alarm into vibrations to
avoid disturbance while being in mosques.
The
phone also has a built-in complete text of the Qur’an with English
translation, approved by Al-Azhar.
It
also allows individuals to hear calls of prayers with voices of imams of
the two holy shrines in Saudi Arabia and the well-known mosques in
Egypt.
There
is also a calendar using Nigerian local time, and the feature of
specifying qiblah directions from anywhere in the world is another
valuable addition.
Modern
Solution
The
phone has greatly appealed to the Islamic circles in Nigeria that
regarded it an advanced modern solution to the problems that faced
Muslims before.
Over
the phone with IOL, Dr. Ibrahim Aknadi, a Nigerian veterinarian, agreed
that it was a great step forward for Muslims.
“Such
a technology has come at the most appropriate time. It will solve a lot
of problems related to prayers and other religious rituals confronting
us as Muslims in case of being a minority in some communities.”
Sheikh
Massoud Bello, a teacher of Islamic sciences in Lagos, regarded such a
move “as a positive step towards facilitating worship and
strengthening the relationship between Muslims and their holy book.”
Bello
expected that demand would dramatically increase since Muslim sheikhs
and scholars approved such cell phones.
“The
phone will enjoy great popularity among Muslims. Several businessmen and
employees have contacted us to enquire about the possibility of
depending on that mobile phone.”
High
Price
The
new services provided by the mobile phone have a very high price of
US$350, which puts a limit on distribution.
Observers,
however, expect the price will decrease with the introduction of new
brands.
According
to official statistics, Muslims represent 50 percent of Nigeria’s
population currently estimated at 133 million.
But
Muslims put their percentage at a much higher rate. Christians
reportedly account for 40 percent. The remaining 10 percent are African
atheists
