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MOROCCO. Approximately 4.3 million tourists visited Morocco in the first seven months of 2007, an increase of 10% year-on-year with over 1 million tourists visiting the country in July alone, Morocco's Department of Tourism announced last week.

The largest number of foreign visitors came from France (1.7 million), followed by visitors from Spain (795,000), Belgium (285,000), the UK (261,000), the Netherlands (211,000), Germany (182,000), and Italy (164,000).

The Department of Tourism also said that the total number of local tourist nights in classified hotels increased by 7% year-on-year for the same period, reaching 10 million. Marrakech remains the most attractive tourist destination with a growth rate of 11% year-on-year, followed by Casablanca (10%), Tangier (9%), Fez (7%), Rabat (6%), and Agadir (3%).

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A witness has told police he believes he saw Madeleine McCann in Morocco.

It has been revealed that a British tourist contacted police to say he saw a little girl, resembling the missing four-year-old, at a petrol station in Marrakesh.

His testimony was identical to that of another tourist, Norwegian Marie Pollard, 45, who claimed she was "100 per cent convinced" she saw Madeleine at the same spot.

Both accounts of a little blonde girl standing near a man and asking him in English: "When can I see my mummy?" were given to the police independently without knowledge of each other.

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Today: Kate and Gerry McCann with their twins Amelie and Sean after leaving the Catholic Church of Sacred Heart Rothley, near their home

The police failed to follow up either at the time they were reported.

When they did finally check out the leads, they found the garage's CCTV tape had been erased and didn't bother interviewing staff, according to the Sunday Mirror.

The second witness, who is from Yorkshire, was on holiday in Morocco days after Madeleine disappeared in Portugal on 3 May.

It was only when he returned to Britain that he realised the significance of what he had seen and called the police.

Pollard told the Sunday Mirror last night: "I still haven't been interviewed by Portuguese police and we're four-and-a-half months on.

"If this man saw Madeleine as well it adds weight to what I saw and proves I'm not going mad."

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Gerry and Kate McCann arriving back at their house in Rothley, Leicestershire, yesterday afternoon

Though both witnesses were guests at the Ibis hotel, there is no connection between Pollard and the Yorkshireman.

"Gerry and Kate McCann have always believed the Morocco sightings were vital," a friend said.

"Kate said her instinct from the start has been that Madeleine was smuggled into North Africa.

"The couple believe the information from the two witnesses is crucial and should have been released to the media immediately."

Pollard, who lives in Fuengirola, Spain, explained: "I didn't know about Maddie's disappearance then.

"I went in the shop to buy some water. My attention was drawn straight to her.

"She was a sweet, blonde-haired girl with a very cute face.

"She was wearing blue pyjamas with a little pink-and-white pattern, maybe flowers, on her top.

"She was standing alone with a man. She looked sad and a little lost.

"The man didn't look like her father. He was between 35 and 40, with dark brown hair, not very tall.

"She looked at me and then spoke to him, something like, 'Can I see Mummy soon?'. I don't think he responded."

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Madeleine McCann: Two witnesses claim to have seen the four-year-old in Morocco, just days after she disappeared

This follows reports that British forensic experts have sent Portuguese police an email angrily complaining at the way evidence in the inquiry has been "wildly misused", according to sources close to the investigation.

The Forensic Science Service criticises detectives for overplaying the results of its tests and leaking information - most of it inaccurate, it claims - to the Portuguese media.

The relationship between the FSS and the Policia Judiciaria has now deteriorated to such an extent that it is unlikely any further forensic tests will be carried out in Britain.

What most troubled scientists was the way the Portuguese interpreted "inconclusive" DNA evidence from the Renault Scenic hired by the McCanns 25 days after Madeleine disappeared.

Portuguese police are still understood to want forensic psychologists to analyse Kate's Bible.

They are said to be suspicious that passages relating to 'forgiveness' have been underlined and may be incriminating.

But a source close to the McCanns' legal team said: "Most of the references to forgiveness in the Bible relate to forgiving other people.

In any case, Kate maintains that she did not underline the passages herself.

The Bible was given to her in Portugal and they were already underlined."

Police also want graphologists to analyse handwriting in the Bible's margin which they feel is suspicious and could belong to Kate.

Madeleine McCann's parents have "known for months" that there were two possible sightings of their missing daughter in the same city on the same day, their spokesman has revealed.

Norwegian Marie Pollard gave them fresh hope when she reported seeing her at a petrol station in Marrakech, Morocco, just days after her apparent abduction from their holiday apartment in Portugal on May 3.

There were two 'sightings' of Madeleine McCann in Morocco

It has now emerged that Kate and Gerry McCann were also told of a British tourist contacting police on his return home to say he thought he had also seen the four-year-old.

This second, separate sighting - passed on to the Portuguese and Moroccan authorities but not disclosed to the media - was in the same part of the city and at a similar time on May 9 as the first.

Ms Pollard claimed she saw Madeleine outside a petrol station, while the British witness, unnamed but said to be from Yorkshire, said he saw a young girl with a close resemblance outside the Ibis Hotel opposite.

The Briton was unaware of the other sighting, meaning police had two independent reports in the same place, a source close to the McCanns told reporters.

Family spokesman Clarence Mitchell said: "We have been aware of it for months. It was made known to us when it happened. All I can say is that any possible sightings, if credible, we hope would be examined thoroughly, whether it's in Portugal, Spain or anywhere else."

A top legal team has been assembled to help the couple, who have been named official suspects, or "arguidos" in their eldest child's disappearance.

In Portugal, Robert Murat, the first person to be declared an arguido in the disappearance of Madeleine McCann, is reportedly set to be cleared by police.

British expat Mr Murat was taken in for questioning by police 11 days after the youngster vanished from Praia da Luz and later declared a suspect, but he has never been formally arrested or charged. Portuguese newspaper Sol reported that Mr Murat had now been told that police have no case against him.

Doctors have discussed the health benefits of fasting and how it can help us in learning to manage our diets. At times, doctors even prescribe fasting for various reasons. Without a doubt, these are at most secondary benefits of fasting. The same can be said for the physical benefits of prayer, pilgrimage, and other aspects of formal worship.

Still, the real reason that a Muslim does any of these things is for the sake of worshipping and obeying Allah. He would do so even if there were no health benefits. Indeed, were it proven to be injurious to his health, he would still do so. However, Allah never commands us to do anything that would harm us in the least except when the benefits of doing so far outweigh the harm.

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This is why the Prophet gave the following advice: “O assembly of young people, whosoever among you has the wherewithal to marry should do so, as it will help him to lower his gaze and safeguard his chastity. And whoever is unable to do so should fast, because it diminishes sexual desire.” [Sahîh al-Bukhârî (5066) and Sahîh Muslim (1400)]

The Prophet (peace be upon him) points out that fasting withholds a person from responding to his passions.

Some scholars have discussed this hadîth in conjunction with another, where the Prophet (peace be upon him) says: “Indeed, Satan circulates through the descendant of Adam as blood circulates through the body.” [Sahîh al-Bukhârî (2039) and Sahîh Muslim (2174)]

Even though the phrase “…so restrict his circulatory paths by fasting” that is sometimes quoted along with this hadîth is baseless, the fact remains that fasting does put our passions in check, and it is quite possible that one way in which it does so is by restricting Satan’s ability to circulate within our persons, as stated by some scholars.

What is more likely is that fasting keeps our compulsions in check by keeping us involved in a specific act of worship. This continuous connection with an act of worship helps us to refrain from unlawful acts, including those acts, like the forbidden gaze, that incite our desires.

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Another benefit of fasting is that it develops our character by strengthening our willpower and bolstering our patience. This is why fasting is sometimes referred to as patience and Ramadan is sometimes called “the month of patience”.

Allah says: “Seek help in patience and in prayer.” [Sûrah al-Baqarah: 45]

Some commentators of the Qur’ân have said: “The word ‘patience’ here refers to fasting. It means ‘Seek help in fasting and prayer’.”

This is because fasting forces us to exercise our willpower and practice patience. Many of us need to constantly exercise our willpower to keep it strong.

There is a psychological benefit in operation here. Researchers into the causes of success say that success requires three ingredients:

1. Desire: All people wish to be strong, successful, and financially well of. Desires like these exist for everyone.

2. Strength or ability: Most people have the mental and physical wherewithal and the skills that they need to succeed if they properly put their minds to it.

3. Willpower: Strong willpower is one of the greatest reasons for success in both this world and the next.

Fasting strengthens the will and conditions a person to cope with difficulties in all aspects of his life. It helps to develop the very quality that only successful people possess, the quality of those people who can turn their desires into a reality by using skills and abilities that they have.

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Fasting conditions us upon the fear of Allah. This is why Allah says: “O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you, as it was prescribed for those before you, so that you may guard against evil.” [Sûrah al-Baqarah: 183]

When a person fasts, whether it be a voluntary fast or an obligatory one, he is constantly reminding himself not to eat or drink This is in spite of the fact that eating and drinking are perfectly lawful for him at other times. He abstains from these otherwise lawful acts on account of Allah’s promise, in hopes of attaining Allah’s reward. It naturally follows that he will abstain from sin, from those acts that are prohibited to him at all times.

A Muslim needs to understand that this is the whole idea behind fasting. How can a person abstain from food and drink – though they are lawful to him at other times – and then go on to backbite people, spread rumors, tell lies, and engage in all sorts of other sins?

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Whoever does not leave off false speech and evil deeds, then Allah has no need of his leaving off his food and drink.” [Sahîh al-Bukhârî (1903)]

We know that Allah has no need for us to leave off eating and drinking in any case, even when we abstain from false words and false deeds. What this means is that fasting has not been prescribed because Allah needs us to do so, it has only been prescribed to assist us in restraining ourselves from false words and evil deeds. Therefore, if we do not abandon these things, then to what avail is our fasting?

If fasting does not awaken in us this consciousness, then it is to no purpose. We must work to cultivate this consciousness. Fasting needs to bring us to the point where we can easily give up sinful deeds like backbiting, spreading rumors, slander, licentiousness, and all ignoble, destructive traits.

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