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Muslim World Celebrates Eid
al-Fitr
DUBAI, Dec. 15 (IslamOnline & News Agencies) - The Muslim world is preparing for celebrations of Eid-al-Fitr, the feast marking the end of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, after many Islamic states announced Sunday to be the start of the three day feast.
Different Muslim countries mark the celebration of the feast in different ways.
In the United Arab Emirates, President Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan al-Nahayan has pardoned 1,037 common criminals on the occasion of Eid al-Fitr, the official WAM news agency reported Friday.
The amnesty would "enable those pardoned to be reunited with their families on Eid al-Fitr and to reintegrate society as good citizens," WAM said.
According to the United Arab Emirates daily newspaper, Gulf News, Dubai will celebrate this Eid with fireworks, laser displays, camel races, classic car parades, traditional cooking competitions and children's quizzes, all organized by the Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM).
"The spirit will be of festivity and national pride as we are celebrating the 30th anniversary of UAE National Day and Eid together. The celebrations, exhibitions and demonstrations will highlight the country's rich and unique heritage," says Mohammed Khamis bin Hareb, director of operations and marketing at the DTCM.
In Saudi Arabia, King Fahd has pardoned more than 12,000 prisoners serving time for minor offenses to mark the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan and the feast of Eid Al-Fitr, the director of prisons was quoted as saying, the Saudi daily
Al-Watan reported.
Major-General Ali al-Harethi told Al-Watan that this year the monarch expanded his pardon to include more than 40% of some 30,000 prisoners crowding Saudi jails.
Harethi said last week that Saudi Arabia was planning to abolish jail terms for a number of offenses as part of a major reshuffling of the kingdom's prison service. Community service or a fine will likely replace the jail terms.
To be pardoned, prisoners must not be repeat offenders and must not have committed serious offenses, such as drug trafficking.
Various other Muslim countries also marked the celebrations of the feast, some mainly with traffic jams.
In Malaysia, celebrations began with highways choked with vehicles, officials said Saturday, Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported. Malaysia's Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad expressed his concern at the huge number of traffic accidents which have killed 60 people in less than a week.
Some two million people in Kuala Lumpur and surrounding areas are returning to their hometowns by road, train and air to celebrate the end of Ramadan with their families. Sixty people have been killed in 752 accidents so far.
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