Seminar on Islamic Advertising to be held this September in Malaysia

The Department of Communication, Kulliyyah of Islamic Revealed Knowledge and Human Sciences, International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM), in collaboration with the Centre for Islamisation (CENTRIS), IIUM, is organising the International Seminar on Islamic Advertising 2014 (ISIA2014) this September. 

Malaysia's position as the global halal hub, the growing Muslim populace and the existence of unethical advertisements have spurred the proposed discussions on Islamic advertising. ISIA2014 aims to bring together academicians, advertisers, persons from advertising associations, regulators, media persons, students and those who are interested in Islamic advertising; in theory and in practice, for discussions on the theme, 'Advertising with a Conscience’. 

The organisers expect the seminar to outline the issues of advertising in the Muslim world; conclude with recommendations regarding the Islamic perspective of advertising to regulatory authorities; and to lead to with a publication on advertising and Islam.

Academicians, advertisers and the advertising industry, media, and students are expected to attend. 

Dates: 26 to 27 September 2014 

Venue: Senate Hall, IIUM Gombak Campus

Cost: RM350 for students, RM500 for others; early bird discounts apply till 14 August.

Registration: A registration form can be requested from isia.comm2014@gmail.com or in person on the first seminar day.

Halal testing kits to get faster

The University of Selangor is working on a kit that can determine if tested material is halal within a minute. Nanosensor technology will be deployed to determine if the food, medicine or cosmetics has up to 0.001% of pig content, said Unisel Vice Chancellor, Prof Dr Anuar Ahmad in a 1 July report cited in Selangor Kini.

The kit, which is only to be available in December 2015, could be of use to Muslim consumers, food, medicine and cosmetics manufacturers in addition to certification bodies.

Existing halal testing typically makes use of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) or enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) methods. Profound Kestrel Labs has the PKL PorcineTrace PCR kit, which enables detection of porcine DNA down to 5 pg of porcine DNA traces in food products within approximately 3-4 hours (excluding the DNA extraction process). Its PKL Porcine qPCR Detection kit utilises a slightly different PCR method to come up with results in two hours, excluding DNA extraction.

Perkin Elmer, which already offers a halal testing kit called the Porcine Detection Kit for raw and processed meats, has created a table comparing current methods for determining if material is halal. The company's kit uses immunochromatography, and can complete tests in 20 minutes, with 0.005% accuracy. The company notes that tests were only done on up to 0.005% concentrations and the kit could well detect pork at even lower concentrations.

Source: Perkins Elmer website.

In January this year, analytical technology firm AB SCIEX announced that its scientists, together with scientists from the University of Münster, Germany, had developed a new method for detecting pig and horse contamination of meat, including beef, chicken, lamb and others. The company had previously developed similar methods for protein screening in food, including new techniques for detecting allergens such as eggs, milk, sesame seeds, nuts, and mustard simultaneously in food samples. 

The new mass spectrometry-based method offers a more accurate and reliable approach to identifying meat species than other methods, AB SCIEX said, and can detect markers of multiple animal species in a single run whereas traditional methods such as PCR or ELISA can lead to false negative or false positive* findings. 

"One of our goals was to develop a method that could be widely and routinely used by scientists in food testing labs, many of which have suitable mass spectrometry platforms," said Dr. Jens Brockmeyer, Research Group Leader at the Institut für Lebensmittelchemie, University of Münster in a release from the company in January.

Scientists at AB SCIEX are continuing to look into other similar areas of ethical concern, including detection of gelatin that has come from species such as beef and pork. An experiment conducted by AB SCIEX has shown that a gelatin ingredient can be extracted and analysed in less than 1 hour and a 1% impurity of pork in beef gelatin can be detected. The method can be used to detect the origin of gelatin that is found in sweets or medicine.

*False negatives claim that the test is negative when it is not. In a test checking if a beef sample contains pork, a false negative would say there is no pork when it actually exists in the meat. A false positive claims the test is positive when it is not. In a test checking if a meat sample contains pork, a false positive would show that there is pork in the meat when there is actually no pork.

Al Ansari Exchange makes a donation to the Al Noor Training Center for Children with Special Needs

In line with its corporate social responsibility (CSR) programme, Al Ansari Exchange, the UAE-based foreign exchange and worldwide money transfer company, has donated AED250,000 to Al Noor Training Center for Children with Special Needs, a Dubai-based non-profit organisation looking after special needs children between the ages of 3 and 18. 

Source: Al Ansari Exchange.

The donation will enable the centre to offer enhanced and improved facilities in providing multi-disciplinary programmes for the development of children with special needs.

Rashed Ali Al Ansari, General Manager, Al Ansari Exchange, said: “Children with special needs are an integral part of our society and should be given equal opportunities to nurture their talent and develop their abilities. We are confident that our little contribution to the Al Noor Training Center will help make a difference in the lives of children with special needs." 

"We offer training programmes for children so that they can become financially independent individuals," said Dr Mohammad Al Redha, Board Member, Al Noor Training Center for Children with Special Needs, who noted that the organisation depends on corporate donations. 

Eid Al Fitr most likely on 28 July for most countries: Makkah Calendar

Makkah Calendar, a website dedicated to using modern astronomical methods* to forecast the Islamic calendar, has stated that Eid Al Fitr is most likely to fall on Monday, 28 July for most countries.

The site says that North, Central and South America, all of Africa, all of Europe, and almost all of Asia except Japan, North Korea and a few countries of Oceania will be able to celebrate Eid Al Fitr 2014 (Hijri year 1435) on 28 July 2014. The rest of the countries as well as some parts of Russia and China will celebrate Eid Al Fitr on Tuesday, 29 July 2014.

The people behind the site have projected that the new moon occur on Saturday, 26 July 2014 at 22:41 UTC, which is likely too late to be observed on the same day. Sunday, 27 July is when the new moon is expected to be visible in most parts of the world, marking the start of the month of Shawwal** on Monday, 28 July 2014. A part of China to the east of Siping (Jilin province) and a part of Russia to the east of the Yakutsak are not in the zone of observation, which means that these areas will celebrate Eid Al Fitr 2014 on 29 July instead, the site said.

*According to the people behind Makkah Calendar, the new month will start next day in any location if the crescent moon can be observed there at sunset, or if it can be observed to the west before the fajr (dawn) prayer in the location. Read about the method here.

**Shawwal follows Ramadhan.

Dates really are good for you

Dates, Phoenix dactylifera L. Arecaceae, are often eaten in the month of Ramadhan by tradition, but did you know they also happen to be good for you?

A March 2014 review of the literature lists the evidence found so far for the health benefits of dates, listing pro-fertility, anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-tumour and ant-diabetic effects among them.

Individual studies found on PubMed include a 2002 study on dates, which found that they are could be quite potent in preventing the mutations which could lead to cancer. Another study, this time published in 2009, tested healthy subjects who ate 100g of dates every day for four weeks. 

The research found that despite their sugar content, the Hallawi and Medjool dates consumed did not affect their blood sugar levels. Researchers also concluded that dates would help to prevent plaque from building up in arteries. Hallawi dates were found to contain different antioxidants from Medjool dates and seemed more potent in their health-giving effects, pointing to different date varieties providing different levels of benefits.

Ajwah dates, which are highly prized and only cultivated in Saudi Arabia, have been shown to protect the liver and are said to contain more polyphenols (chemicals which may protect against illness) than other types of dates.

Ajwah dates, bought in Doha, Qatar.

Date pits also have their uses. Powdered date pits have been used as a coffee substitute, for example. A 2012 study made on date pit extract also found that the extract - which was fed to the mice - also inhibited mutations. Another 2014 study on date pit extract, tested on rats, reported that date pit extract has promising indications for raising chemicals in the body that promote 'good' cholesterol.

According to religious tradition, Ajwah dates have protective effects against illness or poison. It's still a far cry from the medical research as it stands to prescribing particular types of dates or making an extract out of date pits to maintain or improve health, but the next time your local supermarket stocks dates, it probably wouldn't hurt to try some.

Employees at Indonesia's Ministry of Finance reminded not to accept gratuities over Eid

The Indonesian Secretary General of the Ministry of Finance, Kiagus Ahmad Badaruddin, has sent a circular requesting that all civil servants from the Ministry of Finance avoid receiving any kind of gratuities ahead of Idul Fitri Day (Eid).

“Civil servants of the Ministry of Finance should become role models for the society and avoid any gratuity requests or acceptance in the form of cash, parcels, facilities, and other kinds of gifts from business partners, businesses, and civil society,” said the Secretary General in an official statement in Bahasa Indonesia.

He further cited Law (UU) Number 21 of 2001 jo. Law Number 31 of 1999 concerning corruption, noting that acceptance of gratuities by the civil servants of the Ministry of Finance is contrary to their obligations and duties and puts them at risk of criminal sanction.

He reminded civil servants in the Ministry of Finance to refuse gratuities, and said that those who are forced to accept gratuities should report it to the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) within 30 working days after the date of acceptance.

PLUS Malaysia gears up for Hari Raya traffic

PLUS Malaysia (PLUS) will temporarily open up several stretches of highway at the current fourth lane widening project areas to facilitate smoother traffic flow on the North-South Expressway (NSE) and the New Klang Valley Expressway (NKVE) this coming Hari Raya (Eid) holidays.

The highway stretches are: KM16.3 – KM14.7 (southbound) between Damansara and Subang, KM13.3 – KM9.65 (southbound) between Subang and Shah Alam, KM25.0 – KM28.5 (southbound) between DBKL arch and the Segambut Bridge, KM445.26 – KM447.63 (southbound) between Rawang Interchange and Rawang Selatan, KM282.2 – KM280.4 (southbound) between Bandar Baru Nilai and the Recron factory and KM280.4 – KM268.6 (southbound) between the Recron factory and the New Seremban Interchange.

PLUS Managing Director, Dato’ Noorizah Hj Abd Hamid said, ”These critical stretches will be temporarily opened starting from 23 July. It is aimed at facilitating smoother traffic flow as well as distributing traffic during the holidays.”

PLUS also anticipates the traffic on the NSE to increase by 25% to 1.5 million vehicles per day on the peak days which are 25 to 27 July and 1 to 3 August as compared to 1.2 million vehicles every day on normal days.

“As such, PLUS urges members of the public to plan their balik kampung (returning home) travel for Hari Raya based on our travel time advisory (TTA) which has proven to have contributed to smoother traffic flow during peak periods in the past,” Noorizah added.

The TTA lists recommended staggered travel times for various destinations from the Klang Valley to major states and cities in Kedah, Perlis, Penang, Perak, Negeri Sembilan, Melaka, Johor and to Singapore. It is aimed at distributing traffic and reducing congestion on the mainline, major toll plazas, rest areas and lay-bys during peak periods.

“This time, the TTA provides travelling times for the public plying the NSE between 25 and 27 July (for balik kampung journey) and between 1 and 3 August (for balik kerja journey). Based on the TTA, those heading towards farther destinations are advised to leave the Klang Valley earlier, while those heading towards destinations that are nearer to the Klang Valley are advised to enter the highway at later hours,” Noorizah added.

Noorizah was quoted at a media briefing to highlight preparations and initiatives that will be taken by PLUS in coping with the traffic increase during the Hari Raya holidays at Persada PLUS.

Apart from temporarily opening up several critical stretches at the 4th lane widening project and issuing the TTA, other new additional initiatives include the introduction of the PLUS Traffic Portal to disseminate the latest highway traffic information and the deployment of motorcycle patrolling teams for the existing highway mobile workshop service, Workshop on Wheels at strategic locations on the highway.

Other routine preparations include stationing additional staff and opening up more toll counters at toll plazas to facilitate faster toll transaction, increasing the number of PLUSRonda teams and so on.

Bahrain's Sukuk Al-Salam Islamic securities oversubscribed by 306%

The Central Bank of Bahrain (CBB) announced on 21 July that the monthly issue of the Sukuk Al-Salam Islamic securities for the BD36 million issue, which carries a maturity of 91 days, has been oversubscribed by 306%.

The expected return on the issue, which begins on 23 July 2014 and matures on 22 October 2014, is 0.70%, unchanged from the previous issue.

The securities are issued by the CBB on behalf of the Government of the Kingdom of Bahrain.

The news follows a 15 July announcement that the monthly issue of the short-term Islamic leasing bonds, Sukuk Al-Ijara, had been oversubscribed by 240%.

Subscriptions worth BD48 million were received for the BD20 million issue, which carries a maturity of 182 days.

The expected return on the issue, which began on 17 July 2014 and matures on 15 January 2015, is 0.80 % compared to 0.85% for the previous issue on 19 June 2014.

Sukuk Al-Ijara are also issued by the CBB on behalf of the Government of the Kingdom of Bahrain.

Fancy your tea on TV?

Lipton is running a social media promotion over Ramadhan, from iftar to suhoor, with the hashtag #teamoments.

The tea brand invites tea lovers to share their #teamoments on social platforms like Twitter, Vine, Facebook, and Instagram. Videos and pictures will be automatically entered into a draw for an iPad and the chance for your #teamoments to appear on TV in the Lipton Eid TV commercial.

Pictures or video which has already been uploaded can be seen here (click on 'moments' on the left).

Malaysia's MATRADE issues advisory on halal labelling in Canada

The Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE)  announced on 21 July that the government of Canada has introduced a new guideline on labelling of halal food products which will be enforced in April 2016.

The new guidelines require that halal claims on food labels, packaging or advertising materials must include the entire name of the certifying body or person.

According to the new regulation, a person must not use in labelling, packaging, advertising or selling of food, the word “halal” or any letters of the Arabic alphabet or any other word, depiction, sign, or other representation that indicates or that is likely to create an impression that the food is halal unless the name of the person or agency that certified the food as halal is indicated. The food manufacturers also have the option to print additional information such as website of the certifying body on the product label.

According to Malaysia Trade Commissioner in Toronto Norzihan Mohd Zain, “Canada offers US$1 billion worth of market for halal products. Therefore, Malaysia’s exporters of halal products should tap into this market and leverage on Canada’s recognition of Malaysia as a reliable producer of halal products as well as the Jabatan Kemajuan Islam Malaysia (JAKIM) halal certification.

“With the implementation of the new guideline, consumers are able to rest assured that the food meets a certifying body's standard and allow them to obtain specific information about the standards the food has met.  This change will also provide consistency for industry and help prevent mislabeling practices and claims regarding halal food products."

Malaysian companies can contact MATRADE Toronto to find out more.

The Grand Millenium Dubai offers Eid buffet lunch

Source: Grand Millennium Dubai website.
The Atrium restaurant. 

The five-star Grand Millennium Dubai has prepared a festive Arabic lunch buffet across Eid Al Fitr at the Atrium restaurant.

The Eid buffet will feature traditional Arabic and international dishes and live cooking stations, and costs AED175 per person*.

For reservations or more information, call +971 4429 9999 or email fb.reservations@grandmill-dubai.com.

*Children between the age of six and 12 dine for 50% off, while children under the age of six dine for free (maximum two per family).

Al Rajhi Bank teams up with Bumitra to promote debit card to Malaysian pilgrims

Source: Al Rajhi Bank. From left, Harith Mohd Ali, Dato' Syed Mohd Razif Al Yahya, Bumitra Malaysia
President, Datuk Azrulnizam Abdul Aziz, Al Rajhi Bank CEO, Wan Mohd Ghazni,
Acting Director Retail Banking, Al Rajhi Bank,
and Yasmin Junos, Head of Wealth
and Cards, Al Rajhi Bank.

Al Rajhi Bank and Bumiputra Travel and Tour agents Association of Malaysia (Bumitra) have agreed to promote the Al Rajhi Bank Hijrah Priority Debit Card during the hajj season, as well as to umrah pilgrims.

“Bumitra is an established name in the travel industry and have been a valued customer of Al Rajhi Bank for many years. This collaboration which is a natural process in a relationship built on trust, will enable Al Rajhi Bank to tap into Bumitra’s members of almost 500 Muslim travel agents and travel providers. On a yearly basis Bumitra manages over 170,000 umrah pilgrims from Malaysia alone. With that figure, we estimate that the number of ATM withdrawals from this group alone is roughly over 350,000 transactions with a value of around RM510 million,” said Datuk Azrulnizam Abdul Aziz, CEO of Al Rajhi Bank.

Yasmin Junus, Head of Wealth and Cards at Al Rajhi Bank said in her speech, “Al Rajhi Bank proposes to offer Al Rajhi Bank Hijrah Priority Debit Card convenience to Bumitra’s customer base during the Hajj season at over 3,200 ATMs in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). The card comes with the convenience of cash withdrawal at competitive rates per transaction in Makkah and Madinah, as well as the convenience of purchasing at any merchant which accepts Visa cards.”

Al Rajhi also launched the AlRajhi ATM Haramain debit card campaign will offer customers additional savings and prizes when they carry out ATM cash withdrawals in KSA during the hajj season.

Al Rajhi Bank, the largest Islamic banking group in the world, is most well known for its retail offering in Malaysia. It maintains a full suite of products including corporate banking, treasury as well as investment banking. The bank has 24 branches across Malaysia with its flagship affluent branch located in Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur.

CIDB refurbishes prayer hall in Kampung Andus, Sabah

Ramadhan, being a time for giving, has seen many corporations come together for corporate social responsibility (CSR) efforts.

Source: CIDB. The handover ceremony.

The newly-repaired Al-Mukminin Surau at Kampung Andus, Sabah, Malaysia, was handed over to villagers by the Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) on July 20 in a handover ceremony officiated by Deputy Works Minister Datuk Rosnah Abdul Rashid Shirlin.

Using funds raised from corporate companies through its “Build Brigade” Programme, launched as a CSR initiative last November, CIDB strengthened the building structure, repaired parts of the buildling, and added an ablution area for women. 

Through Build Brigade, CIDB helps communities living in the interior and needy groups. Twelve private companies, including JH Teguh, Bumisem Engineering, Jad Reka Kaya, Cement Industries Sabah and the management of Dayaku Construction donated nearly RM40,000 and materials for the success of the surau restoration. 

“Such CSR projects are certainly encouraged for implementation by agencies under the Ministry and construction industry players to extend their assistance and contribution to local communities in a more meaningful and beneficial way," said Datuk Rosnah. 

Prior to this, CIDB had constructed two community halls for the Sungai Miak Orang Asli village in Janda Baik, Pahang, and the Penan community in Long Keluan, Sarawak, as well as repaired the Sungai Berua Orang Asli community centre in Hulu Terengganu and a kindergarten in the Post Brooke Orang Asli village in Gua Musang, Kelantan.

Other charity-minded projects organised this Ramadhan include:

Accor Hotels, Indonesia with the Time to Give, Time to Forgive online campaign

Al Hilal Bank with its Jood Bil Khair social media campaign
Du has a 30 Days of Sharing social media campaign

Islamic economy set to grow in the next decade

Islamic economies, already a significant part of the global economy, are set to become even more important over the next decade. V Shankar, Group Executive Director and CEO, Europe, Middle East, Africa and Americas at Standard Chartered Bank, says that contrary to popular belief, the Islamic economy is more than just Islamic finance and halal food. 

"Early emphasis on halal finance and food is progressively transforming into broader commercial activities as users seek shari'ah-compliant alternatives across the full range of goods and services," he said.

Islamic finance is becoming an important part of emerging economies in the Middle East and Asia as well as in the OECD countries. Islamic finance sector assets are estimated to be around US$1.4 trillion and are expected to grow at 15% to 20% a year. Expenditure in the halal food and lifestyle sector was estimated to be US$1.6 trillion in 2012 and is expected to grow by 50 per cent by 2018, he noted.

"So, what is driving this growth? There are three powerful forces at work: demographics, devotion and disposable income, or what I like to call the three 'D's. Firstly, the Muslim population globally is 1.6 billion, or about 23% of the global population. More importantly, it is the youth segment within this population that is growing twice as fast as the rest of the world.

"Secondly, this diverse and dispersed group of people, who span several continents, are drawn together by the devotion to their religion. According to a recent report by Thomson-Reuters, seven out of eight Muslims consider religion a very important element of their lives. Thirdly, with the inexorable shift in growth and wealth creation from the West to the East, and the rise in oil prices, the disposable income of this group is increasing," he explained.

Post the past decade's financial crisis, many parts of the world are facing the twin challenges of rising unemployment and growing inequality in the distribution of wealth and incomes. Businesses, and the capitalist system itself in many ways, are fighting to restore their credibility. 

"The focus of companies is changing from the singular pursuit of maximising shareholder value to a more nuanced theme of wider stakeholder value creation and engagement. In this context, the value system of Islam, with an emphasis on ethics and social responsibility, has much to offer.

"The Islamic economy, on the back of its value system, has the potential to cross religious boundaries and to attract participants with diverse backgrounds who are seeking ethical practices and values in all aspects of commerce-related activities," he added.

Read the full report about the Islamic Economy here. 

Sharjah Ramadan Festival showcases emirate's Islamic culture

The Sharjah Ramadan Festival has highlighted Sharjah’s leading cultural role through its various pavilions, including the Islamic Book Exhibition, Ramadan Majlis, Islamic Heritage Village, Islamic Theatre, Art Bazaar, Spice Route Markets and Sakan Al Nofous.

With the participation of more than 65 international figures and 21 countries, Sharjah Ramadan includes more than 38 Islamic lectures and seminars in addition to seven Ramadhan sessions, four poetry and chanting evenings, six cultural cafes, five theatre performances, 47 art exhibitions and 59 art workshops.

Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed Al Qasimi, Chairman of the Executive Committee for the Sharjah Islamic Culture Capital (SICC) 2014 celebrations, confirmed that the festival comprises numerous activities that mirror the cultural face of Sharjah. 

"I would like to express my deep pride in the beauty of Sharjah’s Islamic architecture, which lends deep spirituality to the emirate’s atmosphere,” added Dr Lana Mamkegh, Jordan's Minister of Culture. 

Praising the first-of-its-kind festival, Ahmed bin Rakkad Al Amri, Director of Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF), said: “Sharjah Ramadan comes as part of the emirate’s celebration of its crowning as the capital of Islamic culture, as well as of the holy month of Ramadhan. It comprises many events that reflect the richness of Arab-Islamic culture and harmonise with Sharjah’s cultural project, whose foundations have been laid by His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, UAE Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah.”

In addition to organising the Islamic Book Exhibition, with 127 publishers and 42 Mamluk Quran manuscripts, Al Amri noted that SIBF is holding three seminars as part of its contribution to Sharjah Ramadan. The seminars, namely “Undiscovered Islamic Heritage”, “Manuscripts: History and Civilisation” and “Sources of Recorded History”, are bolstered by the participation of experts and researchers from Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, UK, US and Canada.

Sharjah Ramadan also includes the Ramadan Majlis, an annual event held by SMC for the purpose of strengthening social bonds and encouraging exchange of views through sessions that elaborate on different topics.

Osama Samra, Director of SMC, said: “This year’s Ramadan Majlis has been exceptional, given its coincidence with Sharjah Islamic Culture Capital 2014 celebrations. The sessions of the Majlis were carefully planned to reflect the emirate’s vision to promote dialogue, which is an Islamic principle and a mainstay of civilisational communication.

“The Ramadan Majlis has hosted international religious, intellectual and cultural figures as speakers.”

Among the other participants in Sharjah Ramadan is the Sharjah Department of Islamic Affairs, which is organising a variety of Islamic lectures.

Yusuf Hassan Al Hamadi, Head of the Preaching Section at the Sharjah Department of Islamic Affairs, explained: “The close connection between Ramadhan events and the selection of Sharjah, which is a symbol of Islamic culture and famous for disseminating knowledge, as the Islamic culture capital, has required the development of plans that manifest the truth and highlight reality.”

Al Hamadi indicated that the 25 lectures are delivered in multiple languages (Arabic, Urdu, English, Filipino, Chinese and Malabar) to cover the majority of residents in the UAE.

The Sharjah Museums Department (SMD) separately announced that it is staging a mobile exhibition at the Sharjah Ramadan Festival 2014 with contributions from the Sharjah Archeology Museum, the Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilization, the Sharjah Art Museum, the Sharjah Heritage Museum, the Sharjah Maritime Museum, the Sharjah Classic Cars Museum, the Al Mahatta Museum and the Sharjah Science Museum.

Source: Sharjah Museums Department website.

Titled ‘Travel through the land’, the exhibition presents objects from its top museums, chosen to explore mankind’s travels and journeys through time and space, from antiquity to the future, because of the need to survive, to trade, as a religious duty or as a result of mankind’s desire for new discovery and adventure. 

SMD launched a new publication at the Islamic Book Fair, Islamic Textiles from the Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilization, on July 7. The publication is the second in a series highlighting masterpieces in the collections of the Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilization, for the first time introducing the religious textiles collected by His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi in a comprehensive and academic way.

According to Arab News, the book highlights the kiswah, the covering of the Ka'abah, as one of the most important Islamic symbols, and features textiles from the 17th century to the 21st that have been created for Islam’s holiest places in the cities of Makkah and Madinah.

A video on the book featured on Geo News can be viewed here.

The exhibition remains open throughout Ramadhan from 8.30pm to 1.30am on weekdays and 8.30pm to 2am on weekends, and will continue through Eid from 5pm to 11pm. Admission to the Sharjah Expo Centre, where the Ramadan Festival is held, is free. 

Hungrygowhere recommends 19 eats at the 2014 Geylang Serai bazaar

Hungrygowhere has reviewed Singapore's largest Ramadhan bazaar and highlighted 19 delights to try there. The Geylang Serai Hari Raya Bazaar is bigger this year, and in the top ten are:

1. The Turkish chicken kebab, the "ultimate street food"
2. The Turkish pide
3. Dum Briyani, a "happy marriage of rich flavours"
4. Turkish grilled chicken, "great for those who love crave food"
5. Banana desserts
6. Coconut ice cream, which was very popular last year, and the no. 1 recommendation then
7. Popiah ice cream, "fun"
8. Vadai, "kept us going back for more"
9. Ayam perchik (chicken on a stick), "not easy to resist"
10. Shishtawouk, "very moreish"

For more details of the 19 including pricing and stall locations, check out the Hungrygowhere article here. The bazaar operates through the month of Ramadhan every year, and the closest train station is at Paya Lebar. 

Accor hotels in Indonesia support Time to Give, Time to Forgive online campaign

Accor’s upscale Pullman, MGallery and Grand Mercure and midscale Novotel and Mercure hotels in eight cities across Indonesia – Jakarta, Bogor, Bandung, Surabaya and Central Java – are running the Time to Give, Time to Forgive online campaign over Ramadhan. 

The campaign offers room packages and free WiFi Internet access plus a pre-dawn meal at only Rp1,000 per person. The hotels will also donate Rp5,000 to the A Tree for A Child (ATFAC) Foundation for every booking made through the promotion. 

ATFAC was launched by Accor to help underprivileged children with their educational needs and protect the environment through a sustainable tree plantation project that also provides livelihoods to farmers in Central Java. Since the initiative was launched in 2001, ATFAC has planted over 100,000 trees and supported the education of over 150 children in Indonesia.

Pullman Jakarta Indonesia rolls out the Ramadhan offers

The Pullman Jakarta Indonesia is offering a corporate Buka Puasa (iftar) Ramadhan Deluxe Package at Rp450,000 nett per person for a minimum of 50 people. The feast includes various of tajil* selections with coffee and tea, an Indonesian Archipelago buffet, and kultum** by ustadz***.

For reservations and further information contact Ms. Sarat at H8491-SM4@accor.com or call +62 21 3192 1111.

Smaller groups can experience the Ramadan Food Festival at the Sana Sini Restaurant, on till 27 July for Rp395,000 nett per person. Executive Chef Ingo Oldenburg from Germany, Chef Gerald Maridet from France, Chef Heri Purnama from Indonesia, Chef Liu Zhijun from China and Chef Shuichi Osawa from Japan will present different cuisines at their respective stations.

For reservations and further information, contact Sana Sini Restaurant at +62 21 390 6444.

Tajil are served at Le Chocolate Lounge, the Kemixtri Gastro Bar, Makaron Bakeshop, as well as at the Kahyangan Shabu-Shabu and Teppanyaki Restaurant starting from Rp85,000++.

For those looking for corporate gifts, Idul Fitri (Eid al Fitr) hampers are available at the Makaron Bakeshop in three sizes from Rp660,000 nett. 

The small hampers include dates, nastar****, five macaron flavours, pineapple jam and meringue, while the medium sized hampers (Rp990,000 nett) have dates, nastar, kastengel*****, lapis legit******, pineapple jam, five kinds of macarons, traditional tea, assorted cookies and also meringue. The large hampers are available at Rp2,200,000 nett and also have snow white, six flavours of chocolate praline, dendeng balado*******, assorted cookies, and apple sparkling wine in addition to the other items.

*High-calorie snacks and drinks consumed to break the fast, usually sweet
**Religious lectures
***Islamic teachers
****Indonesian pineapple cookies
*****Cheese cookies
******A layered cake of Dutch-Indonesian origin, also called spekkoek, lapis cake or kueh lapis
*******Thinly sliced seasoned and dried meat is called dendeng. The Minangkabau version is called Dendeng Balado.

Key concerns before Ramadhan in Malaysia and Indonesia

Indonesia wants to know the date; Malaysia is interested in seasonal shopping. Zeffri Yusof, Communications Manager, Google Malaysia, shared on Google's Asia Pacific blog that  searches like 'kapan Ramadhan' (when is Ramadhan) and 'jadwal Ramadhan' (Ramadhan schedule) start getting popular from May, about two months before the month begins.

"Many people are searching for the official government start date, which may or may not be the same as what is determined by Nahdlatul Ulama and Muhammadiyah, the two largest Muslim organisations in the country. Each has their own method, which means Muslims across Indonesia will begin fasting on different days," Zeffri Yusof explained.

In Malaysia, the trending query pre-Ramadhan is 'pinjaman bazar Ramadan' (loan bazaar Ramadan). According to Zeffri Yusof, this is because food bazaars are an important part of the Malaysian Ramadhan tradition. "Many small business owners take time off from their regular businesses and borrow money to set up stalls at Ramadhan bazaars which are visited by throngs of people after sundown," he said. 

Source: Google Ramadhan hub for Indonesia.

Google's Ramadhan hub has country-specific versions for various countries, including Malaysia and Indonesia, and an Arabic version as well. On July 15, the Jakarta Globe described the features of the revamped Indonesian hub in detail. 

Xpress Money times incentive programme with Ramadhan

Xpress Money, the money transfer brand, has launched the 49-day `Win Everyday’ incentive programme, applicable to customers transferring money from Malaysia and 10 other countries, including UAE, KSA, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Jordan and Brunei.

According to World Bank data, total outbound remittances from Malaysia are valued at US$2.3 billion in 2012*. Sudhesh Giriyan, Vice President & Business Head, Xpress Money said that the programme was launched over Ramadhan to give back to society and customers. "At Xpress Money, we are expecting a 15% rise in remittances during Ramadhan. The `Win Everyday’ programme is our way of wishing Ramadhan Kareem to our customers across the world and this incentive scheme will give our customers the opportunity to earn an added bonus - that they could send back to their families during the festival of Eid,” he said. 

Remittances sent between 25 June and 12 August are eligible for a fortnightly lucky draw from which daily winners will be chosen. A mega draw with separate prizes will be conducted a week after the end of the promotion. 

Source: Xpress Money website. 

*Remittance Data Outflows – Apr 2014 – World Bank

Hajj visa application process a complex business

Those who want to go on the hajj* pilgrimage not only have to secure a place under the country quota system, but also need to identify an approved travel operator to handle visa procedures and travel arrangements. 

The visa application is a particular hurdle as requirements may change from year to year. A report on Arab News reported on 9 July that some Egyptian agencies had been denied hajj visas because Egyptian pilgrims had overstayed their visas in the past, for example. 

Meanwhile, Arabian Business said in May 2014 that those under four and those over 60 were being denied hajj and umrah visas because fears of complications if they caught Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), though another report in Arab News the same month denies that those over 65 are being denied visas. 

The Ministry of Health in Saudi Arabia has a page on misconceptions about MERS here. At the time of writing, the number of new MERS cases in the Kingdom are slowing, and the Ministry of Health has not issued any advisories regarding hajj or umrah. The page nevertheless recommends that people over 65, pregnant women, children under 12, and those suffering immunodeficiency or chronic ailments postpone their trips. "However everyone can take precautions by following the prevention guidelines and exercising common sense," states the ministry on the website.

*Islam requires all Muslims who are able to do so to make the pilgrimage at least once in their lifetime. Those who have been on hajj in the last five years will not be issued hajj visas. 

Islamic Development Bank announces final list of new financing agreements

The 39th Annual Meeting of the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) Board of Governors closed in June in Jeddah, KSA, with the signing of US$2.45 billion worth of new financing agreements with 22 member countries.

Details of the signed agreements for Asia are as follows:

Bangladesh, US$284 million; three projects for a power transmission grid and infrastructure for information technology and communication services
Pakistan, US$220 million; a project for power generation
Uzbekistan, US$107 million; two projects for water supply and health
Indonesia, US$45 million; a financing line to support SMEs by the country’s EXIM Bank
Kyrgyzstan, US$6 million; four projects for infrastructure - roads, power, plus socio-economic and trade improvement and job-creation
Tajikistan, US$400,000; a technical assistance grant to support prevention of HIV transmission from mothers to babies.

Electronic Reception Program tracks mu'tamirs till they arrive in KSA

The Ministry of Hajj in Saudi Arabia has implemented an Electronic Reception Program in time for this year’s season, which started at the beginning of Safar** and lasts for nine months, to ensure that the journeys are processed smoothly. 

The program electronically monitors all mu`tamirs* around the world from the moment they buy their service packages to their arrival at the Kingdom's ports. E-mails are then sent from the port to the employees in the Two Holy Cities to prevent any chaos or errors in finalising their procedures.

The ministry expects approximately six million mu`tamirs during this year's season. Dr Bandar ibn Muhammad Hajjar, the Minister of Hajj, stated that the Ministry has issued approximately 6,230,000 umrah visas, an increase of one million visas from last year, when 5,615,000 mu'tamirs arrived and 5,300,000 departed. On average, 400,000 mu`tamirs arrive every month, with a steady increase in Ramadhan, as the mu`tamirs are keen to perform umrah during this month, the ministry said. 

His Highness said, "Electronically monitoring the services provided to the mu`tamirs – especially during Ramadhan, which witnesses an increase in the number of mu`tamirs from inside and outside the Kingdom – plays a role in achieving the flexible and smooth management of such large numbers of mu`tamirs. Through the effective functioning of the E-track Program for umrah, the Ministry was able to keep a record of the number of visas passing through it from the first day of the umrah season at the beginning of Safar. These are submitted to the relevant authorities to complete the usual process until the mu`tamir receives the required visa.”

The Minister commended the efforts of the Deputy Ministry of Hajj for Umrah Affairs exerted by the General Administration for Umrah Companies and Establishments and the General Administration for Mu`tamir Services in connecting the network of umrah companies and establishments with the umrah e-track. 

*People on an umrah.

**The second month in the Islamic year.

The best halal restaurants in Singapore

Hungrygowhere has a list of suggestions on where to go for iftar in Singapore during Ramadhan. Its halal picks for early July are:

Beirut Grill along Bussorah Street for Lebanese
Carousel, a buffet restaurant at Royal Plaza at Scotts hotel
Fika, a Swedish restaurant at the corner of Beach Road and Arab Street
J's, a Latin American restaurant in Purvis Street
Rasa Istimewa at Woodlands Waterfront Park for seafood
Warung Lele for Indonesian food in Shenton Way

Fika's meatballs are highly recommended.

Churros at J's.

Burpple's newly updated guide to the best halal restaurants in Singapore also lists J's, in addition to 20 other restaurants, including:


Pastilla Cafe, a Moroccan restaurant along Changi Road;
The Royals Cafe in Upper East Coast Road for the mee siam and the chocolate truffle cake; and 
Pho for All, Vietnamese food at Jalan Pisang.

Sharjah's Coral Beach Resort hosts iftar buffet over Ramadhan

Guests at the Coral Beach Resort – Sharjah will be able to enjoy Arabic specialties at an iftar buffet, available every evening at Al Bahar restaurant from AED115* nett per person. 

Source: HMH Hotels website.

Groups of 10 or more qualify for the group iftar rate of AED99 nett per person, while larger corporate gatherings can be organised in the ballroom which has a capacity of 300, with an additional discount.

For reservations or more information, call +971 6522 9999.

*Children between six and 12 years get 50% discount while those under six years dine free (subject to a maximum of two per family).

Zalora's Hari Raya Collection features four brands

Online retailer Zalora has a dedicated page for ladies' Hari Raya (Eid) 2014 fashion at http://www.zalora.sg/hari-raya/. 

Featured brands include Zalia for ethnic wear, emel by Melinda Looi, Rizalman for Zalora and Jovan Mandagie for Zalora. The styles include caftans, maxi dresses and tops with lace and peplum embellishment, while accessories include clutch bags and shoes. Black seems to be the dominant colour.

Source: Zalora website.

Shipping is free for purchases above S$40.

Gulf Business lists top ten iftars in Dubai 2014

Gulf Business published its list of the top ten iftars in Dubai on July 6.

The ten were published in no particular order, together with pricing, timings and highlights of the meals:

Flow Kitchen at Fairmont the Palm

Raffles, Dubai
Movenpick in Ibn Battuta mall

Sheraton Dubai Creek Hotel

Lalezar, Jumeirah Zabeel Saray

Al Nafoorah, also at Jumeirah Zabeel Saray

Ritz Carlton, DIFC

Madinat Jumeirah

Vida, Downtown, and

Arabian Courtyard Hotel & Spa.

India allotted Hajj pilgrimage quota of nearly 99,000

The Indian government has announced that the allotment of quota for Hajj pilgrimages this year is available on the official website of the Haj Committee of India. 

Specific priority has been allowed for the pilgrimage this year for the following categories:

Reserved Category A: 70+ applicants: applicants who have completed 70 years or more as on 31 January 2014 (i.e. applicants born on or before 1st February 1944), along with one companion.

Reserved Category B: Fourth timer applicants: An applicant who has applied in each of the last three years, 2011, 2012, 2013 but was not selected in Qurrah or was selected, but could not proceed for Hajj.

Individual state quotas are as follows: 

1435 / 2014

No.	STATE	TOTAL    QUOTA
1	ANDAMAN & NICOBAR	123
2	ANDHRA PRADESH	5,580
3	ASSAM	3,781
4	BIHAR	6,667
5	CHANDIGARH	55
6	CHHATTISGARH	328
7	DADRA & NAGAR HAVELI	28
8	DAMAN & DIU	41
9	DELHI	1,297
10	GOA	154
11	GUJARAT	3,668
12	HARYANA	977
13	HIMACHAL PRADESH	81
14	JAMMU & KASHMIR	6,925
15	JHARKHAND	2,980
16	KARNATAKA	5,162
17	KERALA	6,280
18	LAKSHADWEEP	296
19	MADHYA PRADESH	3,067
20	MAHARASTRA	8,202
21	MANIPUR	302
22	ORISSA	608
23	PONDICHERRY	135
24	PUNJAB	305
25	RAJASTHAN	3,823
26	TAMIL NADU	2,772
27	TRIPURA	85
28	UTTAR PRADESH	24,550
29	UTTARAKHAND	809
30	WEST BENGAL	9,906
	TOTAL	98,987