For Muslims, the holy month of Ramadan isn’t just about giving up food and drink during the daylight hours. It’s about reaping the spiritual benefit of abstinence in various forms. The magic of this month works as much on a social level as it does on a personal one. And it works whether you’re Muslim or non-Muslim, fasting or not. Here at TOAD, we’re a motley mix of folk who celebrate our cultural diversity in ways that rock! And because we think Ramadan is one of the best times of year if you’re living in a Muslim country, we’ve put our heads together to bring you the ultimate guide to making the most of it.
Spread the seasonal cheer by enjoying local culture and Islamic traditions. Here’s how to have the best Ramadan ever.
Think big, think social
Let’s put this into context. Socially, Ramadan is about empathy, solidarity and respect. It’s a month where fasters are able to reflect on want and empathise with those less fortunate. It’s a month where strangers are united in mutual hunger and in coming together at the end of a long day to break bread and count their blessings. And it’s a month where those who don’t fast show support and respect towards those who do and towards the endeavour for personal betterment of their fellow man. So if the latter describes you, take the following into account:
• Ramadan is all about family and we mean that in the nuclear, extended and universal sense of the word. So make the most of it by taking advantage of shorter work days to spend more time with yours and enjoy the community spirit. A good place to start is a Ramadan tent (see our iftar guide for our pick of the lot). You’ll find scores of them pitched about offering great food, games and sometimes even traditional storytellers to bring all sorts of people together.
• We all know it’s illegal to eat, drink and generally consume in public during daylight hours. Doing so can get you a warning from the police and even a short spell in jail. But eating or drinking in front of someone who’s hungry and thirsty (especially during these long summer days) is not very nice anyway. So do a faster a favour; don’t flaunt your lunch and your ice-cold bottle of water.
• You wouldn’t light up in front of a friend who’s trying to quit smoking, right? Fasters lay off the cigarettes too, so the last thing you want to do is tease a fasting smoker with your golden whiff of tobacco smoke. The same goes for chewing gum.
• Wondering why half the bars in town are closed? It’s for Ramadan. So hold off those wild house parties, because your fun is another person’s rudely interrupted meditation. If you want to turn up your music, plug in your headphones.
• Fasting isn’t just about purifying the body, it’s also about purifying the mind. Throughout the month, and particularly during the fast, Muslims try to keep their thoughts and inner-state pure. This means they’ll make an extra effort to stay positive, avoid bad language, gossiping and aggression in general. Try to keep this in mind during interactions with those who are fasting. It’s also a great opportunity to stomp out any of your own negative habits.
• Charity is an integral part of this month, so embrace the charitable spirit. For a guide on UAE charities to support, see our Ramadan guide. Whether you buy your security guard a bottle of water or tip the lady who cleans the mall toilets, every gesture will help to spread the cheer. And you don’t always have to give. Muslims believe the smallest form of charity is a smile, so do so in abundance.
• Since you’re stomping out the negativity and smiling loads, go a step further with tolerance and join the masses of fasters who are trying to marry this with patience. Fasting can make people lethargic and distracted from midday onwards, which may affect their work and interactions. Try to be understanding and helpful if possible.
• Out of respect for local values and traditions, it’s best to observe modest clothing throughout the year. But it’s even more important to do so during the holy month. And if we must spell it out; you’ll merit that revealing or tight clothing isn’t particularly conducive of pure thoughts and spiritual reflection.
Act smart, adjust your routine
If you think you can carry on like nothing is different, think again. Everything goes topsy-turvy during Ramadan, with the good folk of Abu Dhabi taking it easy in the day and then emerging with a renewed burst of energy after dinner. Here are a few tips to help you get with the new programme.
• Plan your work day to fit the reduced work hours across most private and public sector companies. Many employees will be leaving work earlier than usual, so plan meetings in the morning to catch people when they’re in. This is also the time of day when they’re most alert and productive, before the hunger starts setting in.
• Avoid the rush hours. These are usually between 2pm and 3pm, when people start heading home from the office, and between 6pm and 7pm, which is when most people who are eating out will be heading to the restaurant of their choice before they break their fast. And if you can’t avoid the traffic, leave plenty of time to get to your destination.
• Embrace the night life! Come sundown, the capital gets magically transformed from a ghost town to the city that never sleeps. Families will hit the malls, visit friends or while away the long Arabian nights in Ramadan tents. This is also the time of year when shops are open till 2am (yep, that’s late night shopping on a whole other level) and most will be boasting seasonal sales. So take advantage of it.
• Ramadan needn’t mean you have to starve at work if you’re not fasting. Most work places will prepare a private room or eating area for non-fasting employees to have their lunch without aggravating the fasters. Ask your line manager where yours is.
