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Muscat: The essence of Ramadan is piety, explained an Islamic scholar in Oman, cautioning against consumerism spreading during this month.
"Ramadan is not a month of activities and shopping, it is meant to go back to basics ... to be in peace with God and with others," Shaikh Khalfan Al Esry, a member of the Grand Mosque's Steering Committee for the Islamic Information Centre, told Gulf News yesterday in an exclusive interview.
"Not only Ramadan, all the other religious festivities are turned into consumerism and that is today's sad reality," said the Islamic scholar.
Commenting on various significant issues during Ramadan, Al Esry also cautioned against the recent trend of Ramadan tents.
"We also see a new trend of gatherings at night tents.
"The previous generation used to gather in open spaces under the moon to contemplate, share stories of older generations and discuss how to capitalise on the month of Ramadan."
He further said that the older generation used to talk about moral conduct and how to be a better person.
"Sadly, the gathering of modern youth during Ram-adan is no longer an opportunity to get equipped with knowledge, intellect and wisdom," he said.
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