A glimpse at Ramadan around the globe in all its radiance and glory. But also a visual reminder of the specter of trouble, still very much plaguing some parts of the Islamic nation. At this time of regional instability and, in some cases, outright violence and destruction, running counter to the occasion and spirit of Ramadan, Muslims courageously and devotedly carry on with their Ramadan rituals with resilience, in spite of strife. Over in another neck of the globe, we bring you a tale of a particularly bold man taking ...

Ramadan is Kareem (generous) for some, but Stingy for Somalia Inevitably during Ramadan, the holiest month in the Islamic calendar, the Somali plight- the distress of a fellow Arab nation, majority Muslim population, has not been far from the conscience of the devout followers of the fast. These worshippers use the month to reflect and count their blessings for the food and health they have, and use the temporary hunger to feel with the less fortunate. So the irony of Somalia has not been lost on them. How much does ...

Come Ramadan time and we have hordes of what could be considered seasonal followers of the Faith, or Muslims observant for just one month. There is a large population of Muslims who Remember their faith at Ramadan - like those Christians for Christmas who celebrate the holidays, or even attend Christmas Mass, having not stepped into church or uttered a Hail Mary all year round. This month throws a glaring light over the people who drink and don't pray all year but nevertheless are happy to join in the Ramadan ...

This post first appeared on Albawaba website in Ramadan 2011. Ramadan is a time of rules and regulations, but they don't dull the fulfillment, joy and benefits of this holiest of months! It's a time for practicing self-restraint; piety and sobriety with fewer fleshy pleasures than ordinarily enjoyed. Because if you can freely refrain from lawful fun for God's sake, it will be easier for you to turn away from what is unlawful and forbidden. The Quran prescribes fasting as a teaching tool to learn piety and righteousness. “Fasting provides ...

The Revolutionary Reckoning Egypt’s fallen leader, 83 year-old Hosni Mubarak, can only fall further as of today, since his long-awaited court trial has finally come to pass. Not only is this moment of an Arab leader being held to account for his crimes against his population both pre and during the Revolution sending out a stark message to other wobbly Arab leaders, but it is also the moment of truth for Egyptian activists who can feel the fruits of their labored Tahrir Revolution. This is a momentous occasion in the ...

This Ramadan, there has been an awareness that we will have a reduction in the usual much-anticipated soap opera season line-up. There has been a general decline in the film production industry in the Middle East related to a struggling economy that cuts back on the entertainment sector, but moreover a drastic decline since the Arab revolutions. Last year saw 101 shows aired, and this year sees a cutback in 35%, leaving us with 65 hours of entertainment a day. We have 40 Egyptian shows, 30 Syrian and 27 Gulf ...

The third bulletin in the series of latest entertainment news, on Arab artists.

As the Muslim world welcomes Ramadan 2011, set to start early next week, we wait with baited breath to see if the world will witness a time of peace and thanksgiving in the Middle East or an escalation in the unrest, and even violence, that has been characteristic of the last 6 months. Traditionally, this Holy Month is marked by charity and blessings (maybe even excess) among family and friends. It is the time of the year when Muslim cities are aglow. Markets are awash with shoppers, families and friends ...

How has Egypt 'changed' since the conditions were ripe for a revolution nearly 60 years ago? The First Ouster: of that first unwanted Pharoah, King Farouk. Egypt's monarchy, by the time of this revolution, had started to stand for corruption scandals and decadent living, with a growing gap between the rich landowners (including the King) and the general masses. Led by Gamal Abdel Nasser the second President of Egypt from 1956, along with Muhammad Naguib, the first president, this Revolution of July 1952 overthrew the monarchy of Egypt and Sudan ...

Arab entertainment in and out of the Arab world. See what the stars are up to, from their latest releases to their sizzling summer concerts in Europe and at home.

These are the poster children and heroes of the Arab revolutions. Some are just that- children, kids who have been raised as human faces of an otherwise anonymous maelstrom of anonymous popular demonstrations. Without these citizen faces, the revolutions would be marked mostly by the faces of much reviled leaders. Colonel Muammar Gaddafi, Hosni Mubarak, Ali Abdullah Salif, Bashar al-Assad. Find out which faces stayed with you or haunted you. Some dead, some alive and continuing their daring feats of activism, the poster kids - boys, girls, women, men- of ...