The Light and Bustle of Eid
By Roger Harrison & Essam Al-Ghalib

Eid AL-Fitr Celebrated with Fervor
By Arab News Staff

Poll: Is Jihad a Holy War, or Internal Spiritual Struggle?
By Barbara Ferguson

ANTI-US ANGER GROWS AMONG ARAB MODERATES
"If the United States wants to gauge the extent of anti-American sentiment in Lebanon, it needs look no further than its embassy's efforts in the past few weeks to host iftars, the evening fast-breaking meal during the Muslim month of Ramadan. Just nine of 80 invitees attended a Monday-night iftar. Most observed a boycott of the event in protest of US Middle East policies.  As a possible US-led invasion of Iraq inches closer, and the bloodshed in the occupied Palestinian territories increases, anger toward America in this comparatively Western-friendly nation has grown more violent..."  Complete report...

ABRAMS BACK IN CAPITAL FRAY AT CENTER OF MIDEAST BATTLE
"Elliott Abrams, a pugnacious conservative and passionate advocate of Israel, is no stranger to Washington's policy wars. But Mr. Abrams's selection this week as President Bush's director of Middle Eastern affairs at the White House plunged him into one of the sharpest disputes in the nation's capital — the one in the administration over how to deal with the Israeli-Palestinian conflict..."  Complete report...

KINGDOM NEVER FUNDED TERRORISTS, SAYS TURKI
"Former Saudi intelligence chief Prince Turki Al-Faisal said [Dec. 4] his country never paid terrorists.  In a CNN interview, Turki answered, absolutely not" when asked if any member of the Saudi royal family had "ever given any money to terrorist groups, or funneled money to another organization that led to terrorist groups." "I quote (US) Secretary (of the Treasury Paul) O'Neill, who has said he is very happy with what Saudi Arabia is doing, that it is cooperating with the United States and that it is doing  all it can to arrest these money trails and prevent them," he said. Turki, who has been nominated as his country's ambassador to Britain, said the Kingdom "has always stood by its principles of safeguarding innocent lives wherever they are and whoever they are..."  [Expired Link]

SAUDI MINISTER: JEWS BEHIND 9/11 ATTACKS
"The Saudi police minister has claimed Jews were behind the Sept. 11 attacks because they have benefited from subsequent criticism of Islam and Arabs, according to media reports.  Interior Minister Prince Nayef made the remarks in the Arabic-language Kuwaiti daily Assyasah last month. The latest edition of Ain al-Yaqeen, a weekly Internet magazine devoted to Saudi issues, posted the Assyasah interview and its own English translation..."  [Expired Link]

SAUDIS IN TALKS TO BUY EUROFIGHTERS
"A Saudi Arabia deeply irritated at a tidal wave of U.S. hostility that Riyadh has characterized as a 'feeding frenzy' could retaliate by placing a series of major arms contracts with European suppliers.  Senior executives at the consortium that builds the state-of-the-art Eurofighter told Gulf News that the United Kingdom's official Defense Export Services Organization (DESO) has started initial talks with the Saudis about a possible sale of Eurofighters that could be worth billions of dollars. In London, DESO flatly denies it..."  Complete report...

TENSIONS KEEP OIL MARKETS UNSTABLE
"The global oil markets are still witnessing instability resulting from tensions and deteriorating situation in the Middle East – for the second year in a row..."  Complete report...

IRAQ SITUATION MAY AFFECT SAUDI OIL REVENUES
"While the 2003 Saudi budget is based on the assumption that oil prices would be at $19.5 to $20 a barrel, the situation on the ground in Iraq still has the potential to impact heavily on the kingdom's projected oil revenues for next year. The new budget estimates oil revenues to be SR125 billion, based on an average price of $19.5 a barrel and production at 7.06 million barrels a day. The Brent, meanwhile, has averaged $24.69 a barrel in the
year to date..."  Complete report...

US AGENTS RAID FIRM OWNED BY SAUDI
"Federal agents early [Dec. 6] seized documents in a raid on a small software firm near Boston that does business with the US government and is suspected of funding "terrorism," a law enforcement source said.  ABC News reported earlier yesterday that agents had raided the privately held firm, Ptech Inc. The network said the company was allegedly controlled by Yassin Al-Qadi, one of 12 Saudi businessmen accused of funneling millions of dollars to Osama Bin Laden's Al Qaeda network. But a federal law enforcement source familiar with the operation denied ABC's report that the government feared the firm may have provided Al-Qaeda with access to federal agency computers..."  [Expired Link]

CELEBRATE BUT DON'T FORGET
By Khaled Al-Maeena, Editor-in-Chief Arab News

Today is Eid Al-Fitr, an occasion to feel joy and be glad. But this year I approach the holiday like a sleepwalker, stumbling through a never-ending nightmare. The city of Jeddah is filled with bright lights and merrymakers, but I have no festive spirit within me.

As a journalist, year after year I have been forced to bear witness to man's inhumanity to mankind. When I first began, it was a job, a challenge to report the better story, to get there first and dig deepest. Details of destruction were nothing more than words on a page, may Allah forgive my ignorance and youth.

Now my consciousness is overwhelmed with the litany of daily horrors. The sad stories that appear in Arab News are but a drop in the bucket of global misery. Four Palestinian children are killed in one day. We print the photo of one. An Afghani child loses his legs to a mine. We don't report it. There's no space on our pages. He's just another victim, one of many. Chechens are dying by the dozens. International news agencies no longer choose to hear their screams, see their tears or even remember that they
exist.

Not only is the agony flashing across monitors in the newsroom, people from near and far reach out directly for assistance. The Internet has changed the way we communicate. Every hour, pleas for aid arrive through e-mail. "Find a way to educate my son," writes one mother. "My baby needs surgery or she will die," writes another. "My son has been detained by the Israelis. He is our only support," explains a third. I try to help them all, but I cannot work miracles, and the need is tremendous.

So I go out and walk to give my mind a rest. Meandering through a shopping mall last week I saw mothers happily buying dresses for their daughters. Unbidden, my mind was filled with images of Palestinian children dressed in rags. I passed a confectionery filled with cakes and sweets of every kind. In a trick of light, the dirty, desperate faces of Muslim refugees appeared as shadows on the shop's windows. Teens loitered on corners, laughing and telling tales. I thought of the young Palestinians, whose only crime was breathing, detained in concentration camps by the Israelis.

"Be happy!" my friends tell me. "It's Eid." Instead, my soul mourns. I am surrounded by a society on a constant quest to shop and spend. People here never seem to have enough, no matter how much they have. In the final days of Ramadan the souks were packed till 3 a.m. What happened to the concept of praying on Ramadan nights for forgiveness? Where was the time for soul searching and quiet contemplation? When I opened my mouth to object to all  the materialism in our midst, people told me to lighten up, that I was taking life far too seriously. "Don't sweat the small stuff," they advised.

Bullets and bombs are definitely small. The minds of many politicians are often even smaller. A baby starved to death becomes really tiny. Explosives can blow homes and people to little bits. Foreign policy in some nations has been reduced to sound bites. In our world, hope has shriveled and peace has  been dwarfed by war. But don't worry about the small stuff! It's the big picture that's really depressing.

This morning, while many of us were dressed in fine raiment, touching our foreheads to soft rugs and returning to lavish breakfasts and warm beds, around the world millions of people were caught up in inescapable suffering. Just closing our eyes to their misery will not make it disappear. Sadly, we do not even have to look far to find those in need. Families in our own land live in poverty, clinging to the scraps of their dignity in a nation of  abundance.

Our world is a troubled place, filled with loss and pain and tears. Is this all the future holds for us? Eid Al-Fitr is about sharing our goodness with others. Let this day be a new beginning in your life. Take a vow to reach out to all with kindness, tolerance and compassion. Remember the joy of giving. Nurture your spirituality. Perhaps you'll find that caring for others brings more pleasure and rewards than caring about yourself ever did.  Sounds too sentimental and idealistic? Does a world filled with violence and fear sound better? Eid Mubarak.

Source:  Arab News Opinion December 5, 2002

JEDDAH, 6 December 2002 — The squares and streets of downtown Jeddah were thronged with an international mix of people celebrating the beginning of Eid Al-Fitr Wednesday night. In the narrow streets and byways of Balad, every level surface became a shop counter.

Colorfully dressed women offered wares that varied from lengths of brightly patterned cotton to tubs of honey. Exotic perfumes and spices, redolent with eastern richness, suffused the evening air, mingling with the shouts of the vendors extolling their quality and perfection.

Mariam Dramell, from Senegal, told Arab News, "I come here every year for ten days during Eid."

Sultan Ali, a Bangladeshi resident of Jeddah, said, "I have been living in Balad for nine months and this is the first time I have seen this many people here."

Small oases of stillness dotted the milling crowds. Sometimes, this was where a small child might be curled up asleep, blissfully unaware of the whole proceedings, while her mother sat patiently waiting for business.

Others surrounded the immobile figures of old women, faces showing the ravages of a harsh life and with limbs distorted or missing, silently waiting for a charitable contribution from the passing public, or guarding a few plastic baubles in the hope of some trade.

Amid the richness and sadness, the light and shadow, Eid is with us again.

Source:  Arab News

JEDDAH, 6 December 2002 — The Kingdom yesterday joined millions of Muslims around the world to celebrate Eid Al-Fitr, which marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan. The festivities however were tinged with anxiety over continuing Israeli aggression in the Palestinian territories, the prospects of a war on Iraq and growing anti-Islamic sentiment in the West.

Eid prayers were held at the two holy mosques in Makkah and Madinah and in mosques and open grounds throughout the country with preachers calling on the believers to stand up to their enemies and respond to the plight of fellow Muslims everywhere.

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd, Prince Sultan, second deputy premier and minister of defense and aviation, Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, and Sheikh Abdullah Al-Ahmar, speaker of the Yemeni Parliament, and other dignitaries offered Eid prayers at the Grand Mosque in Makkah, while Crown Prince Abdullah, deputy premier and commander of the National Guard, joined thousands of Muslims offering Eid prayers at Imam Turki ibn Abdullah Mosque in Riyadh. Many members of the royal family, dignitaries and diplomats offered prayers at the Dira Eid Ground.

Sheikh Mohammed Al-Subail, imam of the Grand Mosque in Makkah, in his Eid sermon called upon Muslim leaders to confront growing challenges facing the Ummah by strengthening political and economic cooperation among Islamic states.

Addressing more than two million faithful who assembled at the Grand Mosque, Sheikh Subail expressed despair over the plight of Muslims everywhere. He reminded the believers that while they celebrated Eid, their brothers were being oppressed, displaced or expelled from their homes by forces inimical to the faith.

Sheikh Subail urged Muslim leaders to focus their attention not only on the progress of individual countries but also on the common good of the Ummah, making use of the vast human and material resources in Muslim countries. "Establishing cooperation and integration among Muslim countries is essential for restoring our past glory and preventing injustice and aggression against fellow Muslims," the imam said. He called upon the faithful to shun extremism and stick to Islam's moderate teachings.

In his sermon at Imam Turki ibn Abdullah Mosque in Riyadh, Sheikh Abdul Aziz Al-Sheikh, the Kingdom's grand mufti, urged the believers to hold firm to the teaching of the Holy Qur'an and the Prophet's Sunnah. "More than at any time, we need to unify our ranks now and stand with our leadership against those who threaten our religion and security," he added.

Sheikh Hussein ibn Abdul Aziz Al-Sheikh, who led the prayers at the Prophet's Mosque in Madinah, urged the faithful to show benevolence to the poor and extend assistance to the needy. "Muslims must abide by the fundamental teachings of Islam to show the world the greatness of their religion," he said. "Islam urges its followers to do good to everybody," the imam said. He also emphasized the role of women in defending Islam and bringing up new generations of Muslims.

In Jeddah Eid prayers were held at different sites. Dr. Hasan Al-Ghazali, professor of Islamic studies at the Teachers College in Jeddah, led the prayer held the Old Airport ground where several thousand worshipers had gathered.

In the Eastern Province, Governor Prince Muhammad ibn Fahd, accompanied by princes, high-ranking officials and businessmen, offered Eid prayers at the main mosque in Dammam. After the prayers, the prince received members of the public who offered him Eid greetings. Prince Muhammad in turn wished happiness and prosperity for the Ummah.

Keeping with tradition, people greeted each other across regional and national boundaries after the prayers.

During the day people remained indoors and celebrated Eid with family and streets and marketplaces were almost deserted. Most of the shops in Dammam and Alkhobar markets remained closed. However, visitors thronged shopping malls in Dammam and Alkhobar.

As evening approached, people headed to beaches and amusement centers. Half Moon Beach was the main attraction including many visitors from Bahrain and Kuwait. Many put up tents in the area.

The Rashid Mall has planned several cultural events as part of Eid  celebrations. Hotels like Gulf Meridien, Dhahran International Hotel, Algosaibi Hotel, Holiday Inn and Dammam Sheraton Towers are also offering special Eid packages. Business, however, was not good for furnished apartments. Many of them reported low occupancy.

Yesterday's festivities were preceded by an overnight rush for Eid  purchases. The capital's major shopping centers reported brisk sales, boosted in part by bargain offers and lucky draws.

Unlike the fasting days when mosques were full of worshipers and shopping centers teeming with customers, Riyadh wore a deserted look after the Eid prayers. While many expatriates had gone home on vacation at the start of the holidays, most those who stayed behind opted to remain indoors.

By afternoon however, children and parents flocked to amusement parks. Picnic spots are also attracting families wishing to spend quiet evenings during the Eid holidays.

— P.K. Abdul Ghafour in Jeddah, Saeed Haider in Dammam & M. Ghazanfar Ali
Khan in Riyadh

Source:  Arab News