Preparations for Eid Al-Fitr are in full swing here as only 10 more days remain of the holy month of Ramadan. Organizations are preparing a variety of events for the occasion. The Cooperative Office for Call and Guidance (COCG) in Batha here is inviting people of all faiths to participate in the four-day Eid festivities that include a number of indoor games, contests and prizes for participants. Nasser A. Al-Hussein, Assistant General Manager for Planning and Public Relations at COCG, said the number of people who embraced Islam since the advent of Ramadan this year has surpassed all previous records. “More than 260 foreign nationals have embraced Islam since the beginning of Ramadan on Aug. 1 this year. The number has already exceeded the total of 205 people last Ramadan,” said Al-Hussein. Considering the keen interest many non-Muslim expats show toward Islam, an elaborate arrangement has been planned for Eid festivities this year. Al-Hussein said many non-Muslim expats personally visit the COCG office in Batha on a daily basis. The Islamic center has arranged Umrah trips for about 6,000 new Muslims since the beginning of Ramadan this year. “A large number of foreign workers who are already curious about Islam visit the COCG office and express their interest to know more about the religion. We give them Islamic literature, which they study and then later embrace Islam by declaring the Shahada (the Islamic testimony),” said Al-Hussein. The majority of the new converts to Islam are Filipino nationals, followed by Indians and Sri Lankans among others, he said. The organization is giving away a brand new car, mobile phones, laptops, desktop computers, and a number of other electronic items as prizes during the four
