Ramadan is a holy and blessed month for Muslims all around the world. Muslims fast for 29-30 days during Ramadan, which begins with the appearance of the new moon. From sunrise until sunset, Muslims observe fasts in which they don’t consume any food or water (and do not smoke). People indulge in Ramadan preparations and prepare sahur (the end of …

Incidents of domestic violence, harassment and abuse were experienced by women during the pandemic period. However, even before the pandemic, women in underserved settlements have faced the brunt of poverty. As a means of bridging financial disparities between men and women, the Vocational Training Centre at the Sri Lanka Muslim Women’s Conference (SLMWC) has assisted many such women to face …

Ibn Sina would influence philosophers and scientists for centuries after his lifetime (Wikimedia)   Known as Avicenna in the West, the Persian polymath had a huge impact on the study of disease, astronomy and logic Born in 980 CE to a Persian family near the city of Bukhara in modern day Uzbekistan, Abu Ali al-Hussain ibn Abdullah al-Balkhi would go …

Hilali Noordeen has the interesting distinction of being the only living Sri Lankan President of the Oxford Union (1983); the other two, Lalith Athulathmudali and Lakshman Kadirgamar were both assassinated. Mr. Noordeen is now a reputed and highly sought after consultant spinal surgeon who lives in London. He is also a lecturer and medical consultant who publishes regularly in his field. He …