CAIRO: Muslims are bracing themselves for Ramadan which this year will fall during the long hot days of September. Since people will be fasting for than half the day, many have found a controversial way to cope with the hunger - diet patches. However, the use of diet patches in Ramadan does not sit well with Saudi religious scholars who say that more research is needed to determine the Islamic stance on the issue. Sheikh Abdul Wahab Bin Nasser Al-Tirairi, a senior Muslim scholar, said that if the patches are found to provide nutrition for the wearer than they are not allowed for fasting Muslims. He said that the patches should be medically tested to see if they are nutritious before a final decision is taken. According to Diet-patch.com, where such patches can be bought, "When you apply the diet patch to the skin the herb contents penetrate slowly and progressively. The herbal property dissolves and speeds up your metabolism in a safe and natural way. They help control appetite, nourish muscular system and reduce water tension. Tirairi, a former professor at Al-Imam Mohammed Bin Saudi Islamic University based in Riyadh, highlighted the importance of fasting during Ramadan. "It strengthens one s willpower and trains a Muslim to rise to the challenges of life and gives us the ability to control our urges as well as a chance to test our patience. When a Muslim fasts, she/he will experience how poor people normally feel, added Tirairi, this will surely push a Muslim to help the poor. Turkish Muslim scholars on the other hand have reassured people that they have nothing to worry about. Kerim Yavuz told Anatolia new agency that the patches do not invalidate the fast as their effect amounts to "showering or applying pomade on the skin rather than eating. Fasting is a way of disciplining the body. Those who use diet patches try to achieve the same. That s why diet patches are not objectionable, said Mehmet Baris, the mufti in the southern province of Adana. The introduction of this new trend did not only stir up debate among religious scholars, it also left the public at odds, with some saying that it defeats the purpose of fasting while others arguing that they are merely used to burning fat and are not taken orally. Some also believe that such patches can be used for people who are unfit or weak, who need support during fasting hours. Dr Ayman El Badrawy, an obesity management expert and a professor at Cairo University, said "Most patches are scams and people shouldn't use them anyway.
