http://arabnews.com/saudiarabia/article113863.ece
Non-Muslim foreigners keen to abide by Ramadan restrictions
By HAYAT AL-GHAMDI | ARAB NEWS
Published: Aug 26, 2010 00:08 Updated: Aug 26, 2010 00:08
ABHA: A professor has claimed that there is no law in Saudi Arabia to punish Muslims or non-Muslims who do not fast or follow guidelines on public behavior during the holy month of Ramadan.
Muhammad Al-Najeemi, professor at the Higher Judicial Institute and Prince Naif Security Academy, told Arab News that a Ministry of Interior directive warning people who don't fast in Ramadan against eating or drinking in front of others during day hours was a policy adopted by the government to serve public interest.
"Hence, the ruler has the authority to take steps to prevent non-Muslims from eating in public in front of Muslims as that may be offensive and hurt religious sentiments as well," he added.
According to Al-Najeemi, directives issued by the government regarding such violations are similar to that of Ta'azir crimes, for which punishments can be handed out on the discretion of judges or rulers.
"The rulers could either decide to award a light punishment or refer the cases to judges. On most occasions, the violators simply need to formally promise not to repeat the offense. In some cases, the violators could be deported," he said.
Al-Najeemi said the Ministry of Interior and the Commission for Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice (Haia) are the appropriate authorities to deal with such violations.
"Most foreigners living in the Kingdom are keen to abide by the traditions of Ramadan as well as regulations that forbid eating or drinking in public. I have never personally witnessed anybody breaching these regulations," he said.
However, Bandar Al-Mofreh, official spokesman of the Haia in Asir province, told Arab News that the Haia branch had noticed several cases of people eating in public during the fasting month.
"These violations have been committed mainly by newly hired foreign workers, who were not informed by their employers to abide by the regulations with regard to the fasting month," he said.
Al-Mofreh added that the Haia is not keen to simply punish violators.
"Some of these violators were not intentionally trying to hurt Muslims. So we are pursuing a policy of making them aware of the need to abide by the regulations during Ramadan," he added.
"However, there are certain people who are determined to offend those fasting. In such cases, the violators would be brought to justice and handed to the Public Prosecution and Investigation Commission."
He added that the Haia was not conducting any inspections at workplaces to catch violators.
Meanwhile, Col. Abdullah Al-Qarni, police spokesman in Asir, told Arab News that his department is no longer having to deal with such cases.
"This shows that non-Muslim foreigners are keen to respect Ramadan traditions and regulations in the Kingdom. However, if patrol teams found any violators, they would definitely be brought to justice," he added.
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