Ijaz Butt has no intentions to step down

Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Ijaz Butt on Thursday made it clear that he had no intentions of stepping down even if the players under investigation for spot-fixing in England were found guilty in the investigations.
Butt said the board was now taking number of steps to ensure similar incidents do not happen again. One of the immediately steps was that in future all players would have to appoint agents and business managers with the approval of the board.
Butt said that Scotland Yard had not charged any of our players and he would like the suspended players to travel back to Pakistan within the next few days. Butt said Wahab Riaz will be interrogated by police on Tuesday in relation to match-fixing allegations.
The PCB chairman admitted that during the police search of players rooms in the aftermath of the newspaper allegations, 2,500 pounds sterling ($3,850) were found in Salman Butts room and 1,500 pounds ($2,300) in Amirs room.
But he said Salman Butt was paid the money by his agent as an advance for making an appearance at the opening of an ice cream parlour in England. Similarly Butt said that Amir had already declared that he had 1,500 pounds in his possession. Butt did not elaborate on the details of money which was found from Amirs room.

Eid ul-Fitr being celebrated in various areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

Eid-ul-Fitr is being celebrated in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa today, after the announcement of Shawwal moon sighting by religious elders of Peshwar’s Mosque Qasim Ali Khan. Large and small congregations of Eid prayers were held in various areas of Peshawar and Nowshehra. Eid prayers were also offered insome areasof Dera Ismail Khan; where as Hazzara will celebrate Eid tomorrow.
A huge congregation of Eid prayers was offered at Charsadda Road in Peshwar, while hundreds of people offered prayers in main Eid Gah of Nowshehra. Local Ruet-e-Hilal Committee of D.I. Khan and Tank has announced to celebrate Eid tomorrow. Eid prayers were also offered in all three Tehsils of Khyber Agency which are Landi Kotal, Jamrud and Barra. While on the other side Eid will be celebrated tomorrow in different areas of Hazzara such as Abbotabad, Haripur, and Mansehra.

Saudi Arabia and Middle East celebrate Eid today

Saudi Arabia and all Middle Eastern countries announced they would celebrate the Islamic holiday of Eid ul-Fitr, marking the end of the fasting month of Ramadan, today.
Most of the Gulf countries follow the lead of Saudi Arabia, home to the two holiest cities of Islam Mecca and Medina, to set the day of the Eid feast. The celebration falling on Friday, the Muslim holy day, is considered especially auspicious. Eid ul-Fitr celebrates the purification achieved by a month of sunrise-to-sunset fasting, one of the five pillars of Islam, and is marked by several days of festivities. Saudi Arabian cities planned fireworks and public performances. Airports, meanwhile, were jammed Monday and Tuesday by Saudis heading abroad for vacations, foreigners going home to celebrate Eid with families, and tens of thousands of pilgrims to Mecca heading home.

Gulf countries celebrate Eid al-Fitr

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Lebanon are celebrating the Islamic holiday of Eid al-Fitr, marking the end of the fasting month of Ramadan, on Friday.

In Saudi Arabia, seen as the beacon of Islam, the supreme court ruled that Thursday would be the final day of fasting, before the Eid celebration opens the new month of Shawwal, according to the announcement on the official SPA news agency.

Until Wednesday’s ruling, based on observing the progress of the new moon, it was not clear whether Eid would take place on Thursday or Friday. The holiday depends on the sighting of the moon, and can therefore be observed on different days around the world.

Most of the Gulf countries follow the lead of Saudi Arabia, home to the two holiest cities of Islam Mecca and Medina, to set the day of the Eid feast.

The celebration falling on Friday, the Muslim holy day, is

Taliban chief says victory in Afghanistan "close"

KABUL: Afghan Taliban leader Mullah Omar said on Wednesday his fighters were close to victory in driving foreign forces out of Afghanistan, flouting claims of progress against the militants by the top military commander there.

In a statement emailed to media marking the end of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan and attributed to the reclusive Taliban chief, Omar called on President Barack Obama to withdraw U.S. troops “unconditionally and as soon as possible”.

“The expansion, momentum and success of this jihadi resistance … has now approached close to its destination,” the statement said in a section addressed to the Afghan people.

“I assure you, our days of sufferings and hardship will not prolong furthermore. Soon, if God willing, our grieved hearts will find solace as the invading enemy is ousted,” an English version of the email statement

Ramadan 2009 Prayer Times Schedule

Ramadan: The ninth month of the Islamic (lunar) calendar.

Sawm: The Arabic word for fast.

Iftar: Breaking of the fast immediately after sunset. Iftar takes place at Maghrib as soon as the Call to Prayer (Adhan).

Suhoor :The pre-fast meal before dawn.

Eid Al Fitr: Three-day festival marking the end of Ramadan. It takes place on the 1st of Shawal, the 10th month of the Islamic calendar.

Fidya: Compensation for missing a fast, for those unable to, or wrongly practicing it. Fidya usually takes the form of donating money, foodstuffs, or sacrificing an animal. Contrast with Kaffara (making amends).

Zakat: Stands for purification; Muslims give up a portion of wealth in excess of what is needed for sustenance to “purify” or legitimise what they retain.

Zakat Al Fitr: The contribution given at the end of Ramadan.
Eid Mubarak: Greeting meaning “Have a happy and blessed Eid” expressed at the end of Ramadan.
Ramadan 2009 Prayer Times Schedule

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Ramadan 2009 Prayer Times Schedule was first posted on August 22, 2009 at 6:52 pm.