The Holy Month of Ramadan falls this year during the month of August. It's a month for Muslims to fast from sunrise to sunset and a time to reconnect with one's faith. It is also a month of great generosity and charity. It is here in Saudi Arabia where Islam's holiest places are. These are the two mosques in Mecca and Medina. The King is also known as the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques.
So if you combine the fact that it is Ramadan and this is the birthplace of Islam, I knew I was in for something special. Having always lived in countries where the holidays I celebrated with my family were never the mainstream holidays, I've always come to appreciate and learn about the culture around me. (I never had a Christmas tree but always loves the lights, and watching the endless array of Christmas movies.)
Once Ramadan was announced (yes, it is announced based on moon sightings by the religious authority), everything became so festive. The crescent moon, a symbol of Ramadan, can be seen everywhere. Hotels and buildings are decorated with lights. Even bushes are trimmed to the shape of the crescent moon. Grocery stores and shops are abundant with sales and it feels like the mood of everything has shifted.
Another thing that shifted is "normal" business and operating hours. Ramadan is a time of fasting and religious observation during the day and evenings are dedicated to spending time with families, relatives, and doing the things you would normally do during the day. I must preface my next comments with a few disclaimers.
I am in no way mocking or diminishing what Ramadan is. I admire and respect all of those that have the spiritual and mental resilience to make it through an entire month of fasting. I am simply making note of some observations by an outsider to the religion and a guest of this Kingdom. So please take my observations lightly and my intention is in no way meant to offend.
As I mentioned, everything shifts. Here in Saudi Arabia because of the time sunset, fast is broken between 6 and 6:30 pm. Breaking fast is known as iftaar. To me, that sounds like a normal dinner time. Which is why it is unclear to me why the shopping malls, certain grocery stores, and certain restaurants do not open until 9:30pm. "Normal" Ramadan hours here are between 9:30pm to 2am. Yes, that's right, 2am. So my dear husband still has to go to work everyday rather early, and usually by 9:30 at night he is dozing off, or already dozed off. Unless I steal his car and dress like a man, I'm not making it to the mall to take advantage of the above-mentioned sales. So that means I stay at home. And if you read my previous post about how freaking hot it is, there isn't a whole lot to do. So Ramadan is more like a test on how I can occupy my time. Luckily, I am not one for sitting idle so it's not too bad. I do miss the random visits from neighbors, the coffee mornings, and generally just hanging out and meeting new ladies.
Since everyone here is Muslim, everyone observes Ramadan. So during the day if I am out in public (as a non-Muslim), I might think it's okay to have a bottle of water or granola bar. But NO. It is NOT okay. Eating or drinking in public during fasting hours is forbidden and the consequence is being thrown in jail until Ramadan is over. Not going to risk it.
Fasting during Ramadan means not drinking any water or eating food, smoking cigarettes, or having sex during daylight hours. So we can only imagine what happens at night when the restrictions are lifted. But back to my point...because the sun rises so early in the morning, most folks don't wake up until the sun is already up. That means that they have to go start their day with no food or water. That also means they cannot brush their teeth. That's right, no teeth brushing. Just imagine having to go to work, etc without brushing your teeth. Imagine what it's like when you brush your teeth and no one else does... Just think about that....
Only a few more days of Ramadan left and then I can get back to my "normal" Saudi life!
Until next time,
-M
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