“Establish justice through the Lord for God has power.”
[Mar.29.2023] Reuters and other foreign media reported on the 26th (hereinafter local time) that two time zones co-exist ahead of the introduction of summertime (daylight saving time) due to sectarian differences in Lebanon, a Middle Eastern country that celebrates the Islamic fasting month.
Najib Mikati, the interim Prime Minister of Lebanon, a Sunni Muslim, decided on the 23rd to start applying for summertime this year from the 20th of next month. Traditionally, Lebanon, like Europe, has applied daylight saving time from the last weekend of March.
Prime Minister Mikati, who broke the practice, did not elaborate on the background of the decision.
However, by watching the video of the conversation between Prime Minister Mikati and National Assembly Speaker Nabi Berry, one can guess the idea behind the decision of the national leaders is for the convenience of Muslims who are celebrating Islamic fasting month.
Chairman Barry, a Shi’ite Muslim, said, “Until Ramadan is over, the time of 7 a.m. (after the application of summertime) should be maintained as 6 a.m.” Usually, Muslims fast painfully from the time of sunrise and break the fast when the sun sets during Ramadan, but if summertime is not applied, the time to break the fast will be an hour earlier around 6 p.m. rather than around 7 p.m.
However, Lebanon’s most influential Maronite Christian community did not follow Prime Minister Mikati’s decision and decided to apply daylight saving time from the night of the 24th.
Citizens and industrial field workers were also in extreme confusion. Some companies and media such as LBCI and MTV, the largest news channels, applied daylight saving time since the weekend. On the other hand, Middle East Airlines, a Lebanese airline, said it has decided to maintain winter hours during working hours but meet international standards for flight schedules.
Independent MP Wadah Sadeq complained on Twitter, saying, “(The government’s decision) has never taken into account how much chaos they will cause.” At cafes in downtown Beirut, the capital city, citizens were often seen asking each other if they would live according to Christian time or Muslim time.
Lebanon, which had a long civil war from 1975 to 1990, has maintained a unique power-split system in which the president is a Maronite Christian, the Prime Minister is a Sunni Muslim, and the Speaker of the National Assembly is a Shi’ite Muslim, respectively, according to an agreement to balance power between sects.
The prevailing analysis is that this system of the split of power between sects has resulted in corruption and incompetence in the political world and government, and eventually drove Lebanon, the freest and most open country in the Middle East, into crisis. Lebanon’s economic crisis, which started deepening in 2019, fell into an irrecoverable state as it experienced the Corona 19 pandemic, the 2020 Beirut explosion, and the war in Ukraine. (Source: Yonhap News)
Counsel and sound judgment are mine; I have insight, and I have power. By me kings reign and rulers issue decrees that are just; by me princes govern, and nobles—all who rule on earth. (Proverbs 8:14-16)
God, may You reign in Lebanon, which is in turmoil upon turmoil as the power-split rule of the three sects affects even the summertime application. Let the people know that this country should be ruled by the Lord according to the knowledge of truth without overlooking the difficulties that come from the coexistence of a completely different worldview. Let the gospel be heard by those who are sceptical of the sects who insist on their respective positions even amid chaos and pray for the order and righteousness that may only come from Jesus Christ.
Prayer 24·365
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