On the first Friday of the Holy Month of Ramadan, when the Times of Oman (TOO) visited Wekan village, located 2,000m above sea level in the Nakhal Wilayat, 72-year-old Saif Abdul Al Riyami was observing his fifth hour of fasting.
Sitting on a cement bench in his backyard, adjacent to the mosque, and enjoying the breeze, Al Riyami just smiled when we said the global media had been reporting about the ‘fastest fast’ village.

“Fasting here is like everywhere. We heard about the news. Other than brushing aside such false reports, what else can be done,” Al Riyami said.
Global media had reported that the residents of Wekan fast only for three hours. The report added that the people of Wekan fast from 11am until 2:30pm.
“From November until February, as the sun falls behind the mountains, we have shade. It does not mean that the sun is not there. Somebody has made an immature observation. Even if the sun is not there, we have to fast,” Al Riyami, who is one of the elders in the village, which has only around 400 residents, added.

“Fasting is not done based on seeing the sun. It is done according to sunrise and sunset. It is weird to hear such kind of rumours,” Yaqoob added.

Jayasankar Krishnamrutham and his friends, who travelled to Wekan, to see for themselves if the rumours are true, said the natural beauty atop the mountain is breathtaking. “The temperature during summer is only 30 degree Celsius. Good people and beautiful place. Love to visit again. I am here in Muscat for many years, but thanks to the wrong news, I was prompted to visit. Will come with family again,” Krishnamrutham said.

The rumours were quickly dispelled by Oman's tourism ministry, while the country's Ministry of Endowments and Religious Affairs dismissed the claims as an incorrect interpretation of fasting rules.

"Even if it is difficult to see the sun in some mountainous areas, it doesn't mean that the sun has not risen," an official from the ministry told the Times of Oman.


This article was culled from the report by Times of Oman.

Crucialgem:
Allahu akbar, travel through the world and see the signs and wonders of Allah, which of the favor of Allah do we want to deny. Alhamdullilah ala hidayatul islam

StrongandMighty:
How this kind nonsense take make front page on a Sunday?
Whereas no single Christian message dey for front page today wey be Sunday.
This Islamisation agenda of nairaland is becoming too obvious to be neglected, first it was swearing an oath before you comment on an Islamic post,now it's pushing Islamic post to front page on Sundays Una dey try

olorunthobby:
“Fasting is not done based on seeing the sun. It is done according to sunrise and sunset."

"Even if it is difficult to see the sun in some mountainous areas, it doesn't mean that the sun has not risen,"

Abbertee2:


Your soul is damaged with hatred

Offpoint1:
I'm still trying to figure out the kinda fasting these guys are deceiving themselves with.

You can eat breakfast, skip lunch, eat dinner and call it "Fasting"

I have this bad routine of eating or drinking anything until late afternoon almost everyday... Should I call that fasting?


Religion inventors are the greatest sorcerers of all time, the greatest mind controlling machine known to the Milky-way.

Offpoint1:
I'm still trying to figure out the kinda fasting these guys are deceiving themselves with.

You can eat breakfast, skip lunch, eat dinner and call it "Fasting"

I have this bad routine of eating or drinking anything until late afternoon almost everyday... Should I call that fasting?

Eating or drinking GOD does not care abt dat ur intentions matters a lot

Religion inventors are the greatest sorcerers of all time, the greatest mind controlling machine known to the Milky-way.

tomiwa1989:
b