Walking the talk
Jalal Bin Thaneya's journey to Makkah to raise money for Dubai Centre for Special Needs is truly inspiring (‘Taming body's rebellion by taking mind away to Makkah', Gulf News, January 21). You don't hear many stories like that any more. I hope that Bin Thaneya inspires more people to pledge donations to places that need help and I hope that it would teach them that sometimes we need to take a couple of minutes and think about people who are less fortunate than ourselves. After all, it won't hurt us — one man's garbage is another man's treasure. 
From Ms Stacey McCormick
Umm Al Quwain
 

Moving hearts
I wish you all the very best. Every step you make towards your noble goal, the whole nation is with you. Fantastic effort.
From Mr Shafqat Ali
Abu Dhabi
Website comment

Go the distance
It's a tremendous effort, brother. May you fulfil your mission. I salute you and your cause.
From Mr Abdul Hai
Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Website comment

Showing the way
Jalal Bin Thaneya is walking for a great cause. He chose a great destination — Makkah.

His parents are blessed to have a son like him. I now want to help Dubai Centre for Special Needs.
From Mr Arif Mahmoud
Dubai
Website comment

Higher purpose
Awesome deeds and actions from a person with an amazing purpose. I salute you Jalal Bin Thaneya — you are a truly amazing person and wish you success.
From Mr B. H.
Abu Dhabi
Website comment

Keep the faith
You are walking for the greatest cause a person can think of. May you have all the strength and courage to face the difficulties that are ahead of you and may you reach your destination feeling good in health and spirit.

We pray for you and I hope you pray for all Muslims of the world so that they can strengthen their brotherhood and devotion to their religion in this time of dismay.
From Mr Zulfiqar Ali
Abu Dhabi
Website comment 

Calling the bluff 
 

The comment is very nicely written (‘Syria's prolonged descent into civil war', Gulf News, January 20). It is so ignorant of Western governments — and all too easy — to say that Syria is sliding into civil war. They say it as though they are willing and wanting it to happen. This comment is very well written and explains clearly what the West purposely ignores.
From Mr Mazein
Damascus, Syrian Arab Republic
Website comment

Wide off the mark
While I agree with most of what the writer has stated about the first Test match between Pakistan and England in Dubai, I don't think he is right in describing the UAE as part of the so-called Subcontinent (‘It was as if their brains went out the window', Gulf News, January 21). Let me remind the writer that the Subcontinent was a term given by the former colonial masters to an area that does not include the UAE. It merits mention that in the globalised post-colonial era of today even Pakistan is not considered part of the so-called Subcontinent but identified more with the Middle East along with Afghanistan, Iran and Iraq. As far as the UAE is considered, it is definitely a part of the Middle East and not the Subcontinent. At the same time, in terms of the current geo-political scenario, the UAE is an integral part of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) along with Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait and Oman, by far the most influential and potent global alliance after the European Union.
From Mr Amr Ahmad Salaria
Missouri,
United States