Soaking up the spirit of Ramadan

Soaking up the spirit of Ramadan Silvia Radan / 11 July 2013 In the olden days, the ones before supermarkets came into existence, Ramadan preparations would start two weeks before the holy month. People would prepare for Ramadan two weeks before or from the blessed night of mid Shaban, the month preceding Ramadan. They would go shopping in the souq to secure foodstuff needed during the fasting month. At home, housewives would gather in the biggest house of the neighbourhood to grind barley and grains for baking the thin bread, a popular item in the Iftar and Suhoor (meal consumed early in the morning by Muslims before fasting) menus. Nowadays, such preparations are no longer needed, but the excitement of Ramadan still builds up days in advance. Despite the nearly 15-hour long fasting day and temperatures reaching 50 degrees Celsius, Muslims across the UAE could hardly wait for the holy month. Khaleej Times catches up with some of them and asked them what it is that they like most about Ramadan. Khaled Sadek (Dubai resident from Egypt): There are quite a few things I specially like about our holy month. First of all, the spirit of Ramadan is different from any other month when any Muslim feels more relaxed and closer to Allah. Secondly, where I come from, in Egypt, we say Ramadan loves numbers or crowds, which means in Ramadan we never spend time alone; we are either with close family or relatives or friends or sometimes all of them. Thirdly, it feels great when you find all Muslims are doing the same things at the same time. It also feels great when you stay up till late hours with your friends waiting for the Suhoor meal. Saleh Al Romaithi (Emirati, Abu Dhabi): There is so much I like about Ramadan, but what comes to mind first is the spirit of giving, the atmosphere of sharing and caring. Also, there is a feel of togetherness, as family and friends come together. There is this feeling of a higher level of spirituality too and  more socialising with people especially at night over food … and you even get a chance to lose weight by fasting. Khaled Al Magboul (Sudanese, Abu Dhabi): For me, I feel purely the spirit. I enjoy worshipping Allah, giving special time to thank and glorify Him. I enjoy, of course, the Ramadan atmosphere, gathering and sitting with family and friends, sharing food and thoughts, but ultimately it is the deep sense of worship that I like most. Nasser Al Kurby (Emirati, Abu Dhabi): From a religious point of view, this is that time when Allah the Almighty tests us to evaluate our belief, because while people do good for their own selves, fasting is done for Allah the Almighty alone. From a social point of view, Ramadan inspires family gatherings and visits. Each week we will be invited to have Iftar at one of our relatives, where elaborate feasts are laid out. From a wellbeing point of view, fasting is good for a person’s health. Ask doctors and specialists — they will tell you so. Maitha Al Ali (Emirati, Dubai): Once, some years ago, I lost my temper at work and shouted at someone during Ramadan. That colleague told me I just broke my fast, pointing out that fasting is not just for food and drink, but also abstaining from negative thoughts and angry impulses. Since that day I never get angry during Ramadan. It is not just a decision. I fill my heart with love for Allah and that love gets me through all fasting so easily. That’s what I like most about the holy month of Ramadan: the feeling of spirituality. Of course, I love all the rest of it, the traditional food and sharing this special time with family, friends and the community. Ayoob Ali (Emirati, Abu Dhabi): Ramadan is a great lesson that makes us realise how it feels to be hungry and thirsty. I love the whole atmosphere during Ramadan because you feel the change in people’s behaviour, how they treat each other and how they work harder to do good. Also, you can see that in many places, like in mosques, more people attend the prayers and greet each other warmly, and they are inviting each other for Iftar — breaking the fast together. Another thing is that in Ramadan people are donating more to the poor and those in need, and it is really a great pleasure to put a smile on the face of those in need. Of course, you can’t forget the food! In Ramadan we always have our traditional food like harees, threed, matchboos and so on and people send food items in their neighbourhood. All those things make the community stronger and you see people taking care of each other. It’s like one long holiday that we are waiting for year after year. silvia@khaleejtimes.com Taylor Scott International