Dar al-Ifta: No eating, drinking in public during Ramadan

[DJKeefy]

Dar al-Ifta, an educational body within Al-Azhar that is tasked with issuing religious opinions based on Sharia, issued a fatwa on Thursday declaring that it is against Islamic law for any Muslim to break the fast during Ramadan without a legitimate reason.

The fatwa recommended that governing bodies take steps to ensure that no one, including non-Muslims, openly break fast in public places.

"Means of confronting non-fasting people during Ramadan should be through advice, wise sayings and good counsel, and the ruler [of the country] must set controls that prevent non-fasting people from eating or drinking openly in streets and squares," the fatwa added.

"This is not a personal freedom, but a form of chaos and an attack on the sanctity of Islam. Those who openly break the fast during Ramadan commit an overt sin, which is forbidden. It also goes against public taste in a Muslim country, and is a clear violation of the sanctity of the community and respect for religious freedoms," the fatwa said.

Source: http://www.egyptindependent.com/news/da ... ng-ramadan

[DJKeefy]

Ive just come back from the shop about 5pm, I had to go to the shop 3 streets down cause my shop was closed, there was a group of Egyptians (late 20's) who I know are Muslim drinking and smoking openly in the street, Ive seen many this year smoking or drinking in public, I only know a few this year who are fasting, maybe it's cause of the heat?