MALAWI PREPARES FOR RAMADAN

With Ramadan fast approaching, Muslims in the Southern African republic of Malawi are making preparations to welcome the holy fasting month. As Ramadan approaches, the prices of on-demand commodities like rice go on a sharp increase. The marketplace has become a beehive of activity, especially on Fridays, when most people purchase rice in bulk at the mill located right at the entrance of Madina Mosque. Other food stuffs that are also on demand during Ramadan, and are readily available across the country, are cassava, sweet potatoes and Irish potatoes. But preparations are not only about food. There are also activities lined up during the month, and preparations are now in the final stages. The teaching of the Muslim holy book usually dominate all the activities lined up for Ramadan. Malawians were able last year to get copies of the Qur’an in the local language, Chichewa. The copies were printed and made available courtesy of late King Fahad of Saudi Arabia. Islam is the second largest religion after Christianity. Official statistics indicate that 12 percent of the population of 12 million is Muslims. However, Muslim Association of Malawi (MAM) puts the figure higher.