ALLIED AGAINST EXTREMISTS

Last Sunday, the Global Center for Combating Extremists Ideology opened in Saudi Arabia. On Monday, a terrorist attack occurred in Manchester, England. These events have the Islamic world on ege as the fasting month of Ramadan begins.

THE GLOBAL CENTER

The mission The center’s mission statement says it will actively and proactively combat, expose and refute extremist ideology, in cooperation with governments and organizations concerned. Eyes on extremists The center claims to have innovative classifying and analyzing any extremist content within six seconds will be used to quash an ever increasing growth of extremist recruiting and propagandizing on digital platforms. Governance The center has a 12-member board years. The representation in the center is based on the amount of funding from each member nation. Ramadan begins today Ramadan is the ninth month in the Islamic (lunar) calendar, known as the “Hijri” calendar. The calendar starts from the day the Prophet Muhammad migrated from the city of Mecca to the city of Medina, in Saudi Arabia. The names of the Islamic months in numerical order are: 1 - Muharram 7 - Rajabi 2 - Safar 8 - Sha`ban 3 - 1st Rabi` 9 - Ramadan (fasting month) 4 - 2nd Rabi` 10 - Shawwal 5 - 1st Jamadi 11 - Dhul-Qu`da 6 - 2nd Jamadi 12 - Dhul-Hijja (Pilgrimage month) month the Quran was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad. It is also the month of fasting for Muslims during daylight hours. There are many requirements during the fast, and no water is allowed during the day. The literal meaning of Ramadan is the month of heat or drought. • Declaration of faith • Est ve daily prayers • O ering the annual charity of the alms (2.5% of all savings) • Fasting during the month of Ramadan • The pilgrimage once in a lifetime

Sources: The Pew Research Center, Robert Half, The White House, Global Center for Combating Extremist Ideology Compiled by Kurt Snibbe — Southern California News Group